Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the (a) feasibility and (b) potential merits of recording a value for the social history of an area as would be done for a physical asset.

Local planning authorities already have a statutory duty to identify parts of their area that they deem to be of special architectural or historic interest (the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance) and to designate these areas as Conservation Areas. In this context, the value of an area’s social history may be recognised as part of its claims to special historic interest.

Local planning authorities also have the opportunity to identify parts of their area considered to possess local historic interest through the compilation of a local heritage list.

In both cases, the recognition of such areas is reflected in policies set out in the National Planning Policy Framework relating to conservation and enhancement of the historic environment. I can confirm that my Department works closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to ensure that the value of national and local heritage continues to be recognised in the planning process, and to ensure that this process complements the statutory heritage protection system.