Policy 7.10 World heritage sites

Strategic

A Development in World Heritage Sites and their settings, including any buffer zones, should conserve, promote, make sustainable use of and enhance their authenticity, integrity and significance and Outstanding Universal Value. The Mayor has published Supplementary Planning Guidance on London’s World Heritage Sites – Guidance on Settings to help relevant stakeholders define the setting of World Heritage Sites.

Planning decisions

B Development should not cause adverse impacts on World Heritage Sites or their settings (including any buffer zone). In particular, it should not compromise a viewer’s ability to appreciate its Outstanding Universal Value, integrity, authenticity or significance. In considering planning applications, appropriate weight should be given to implementing the provisions of the World Heritage Site Management Plans.

LDF preparation

C LDFs should contain policies to:

a protect, promote, interpret, and conserve, the historic significance of World Heritage Sites and their Outstanding Universal Value, integrity and authenticity

b safeguard and, where appropriate, enhance both them and their settings

D Where available, World Heritage Site Management Plans should be used to inform the plan making process.

7.34 The World Heritage Sites at Maritime Greenwich, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey including St Margaret’s Church and Tower of London are embedded in the constantly evolving urban fabric of London. The surrounding built environment must be carefully managed to find a balance between protecting the elements of the World Heritage Sites that make them of Outstanding Universal Value and allowing the surrounding land to continue to change and evolve as it has for centuries. To help this process, the Mayor will encourage the development and implementation of World Heritage Management Plans.

7.35 Darwin’s Landscape Laboratory is currently included on UNESCO’s Tentative List for designation as a World Heritage Site. Development affecting Tentative List Sites should also be evaluated so that their Outstanding Universal Value is not compromised.

7.36 Development in the setting (including buffer zones where appropriate) of these World Heritage Sites should provide opportunities to enhance their setting through the highest quality architecture and contributions to the improvement of the public realm consistent with the principles of the World Heritage Site Management Plans. Development in the setting of World Heritage Sites must contribute to the provision of an overall amenity and ambience appropriate to their World Heritage status.^[1] The Mayor encourages developers, policy makers and other stakeholders to follow the stepped approach set out in his guidance on settings to assess the effects of development proposals and proposals for change through plan-making on the setting of the World Heritage Sites.

^[1] Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), Circular 7/2009. Protection of World Heritage Sites