I recently took part in a webinar organised by the Historic Towns and Villages Forum to discuss the potential impact of the White Paper: Planning for the Future on our historic places.  This led on from my earlier post on this subject in August.

The discussion was led by the new Chair of the HTVF, Timothy Crawshaw, and we heard views from the public and private sectors, as well as from local interest groups.

The debate focussed on the status of the current planning system and whether it is as "broken" as the Government suggests, and if the new proposals should be celebrated or treated with caution.

My paper concluded there was a mix, finding areas that should be welcomed (such as the aspiration for better and improved design); and others that need clarification (the potential impact on heritage assets in proposed "growth" areas).

We now look forward to the outcome of the Government's consultation.

Click here to access the full webinar video.