Government Heritage Statement

I am pleased to report that the latest Heritage Statement from the government was presented on 5 December by John Glen, the minister to whom this petition is addressed. In his presentation speech he explicitly refers to the campaign for interim protection, saying, 'There has - rightly - been concern recently over loss or damage to buildings while they are being considered for listing. This is unacceptable and I recognise that we need to protect our heritage while the formal process of listing is in progress. So we are working with our partners to identify the best way to provide appropriate protection while respecting the rights of owners and developers.' The Heritage Statement itself also directly refers to this issue at the bottom of page 15. The full statement can be found via this link: www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/664657/Heritage_Statement_2017__final_-_web_version_.pdf This is very encouraging, and clearly shows that our concerns are being taken seriously. But it is important to note that it is still far from being a firm commitment to amend the existing law, or introduce new legislation. HE will ultimately advise the government on the best way to improve the law - but we need to continue to demonstrate a strong demand for change. Please write to your MP, write to HE, and let me know details of any examples you know of buildings damaged during listing, or indeed saved by Building Preservation Notices.