Comment

Representation ID: 9666

Received: 26/07/2022

Respondent: Historic England

The site is located within the Bedford Conservation area and includes the grade II* listed Harpur Suite, the Grade II listed Corn Exchange and the remains of the George Inn which is a scheduled monument. The Corn Exchange was recently listed. The area has been part of the Heritage Action Zone. There are a number of listed buildings nearby, most notably St Pauls Church and the Statue of John Howard, both listed at grade I and numerous grade II listed buildings.
Any development of this site has the potential to impact upon the heritage assets and their settings. Therefore, we recommend you prepare an HIA. The HIA should also draw on the new research and values from the Heritage Action Zone.
The recommendations of the HIA should then be used to inform the policy wording
We note the reference to an HIA as the first stage in the masterplanning process. It is indeed important for an HIA to inform the masterplanning.
However, ideally a brief HIA should be prepared now and the recommendations for the HIA should be used to inform the policy wording in the Plan.
vi. Whilst we broadly welcome this criterion, it may be better to use the following wording, given multiple asset types. ‘Development should conserve or where appropriate enhance the significance of heritage assets including the Conservation Area and listed buildings (noting that significance may be harmed by development within the setting of an asset)’.
vii We welcome criterion vii.
viii We welcome criterion viii