Part B — KEY THEMES

Conservation and Planning

Aim 01

Protect and conserve the Outstanding Universal Value of the DVMWHS to ensure its transmission to future generations.

Aim 01 is paramount and all other aims cannot conflict with it.

Context

There is no core legislative protection for World Heritage Sites in the UK. HM Government has decided to protect the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage Sites through the planning system. This is principally done through the application of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

The NPPF identifies World Heritage Sites as heritage assets of the highest significance. Where a proposed development will lead to substantial harm to (or total loss of significance of) a designated heritage asset, local planning authorities should refuse consent unless it can be demonstrated that the substantial harm or total loss is necessary to achieve substantial public benefits that outweigh that harm or loss. Where a development proposal will lead to less than substantial harm to the significance of a designated heritage asset, this harm should be weighed against the public benefit. It should be noted that ‘less than substantial harm’ does not mean ‘no harm’.

As per the NPPF, when considering the impact of a proposed development on the significance of a designated heritage asset, great weight should be given to the asset’s conservation (and the more important the asset, the greater the weight should be). This is irrespective of whether any potential harm amounts to substantial harm, total loss or less than substantial harm to its significance. World Heritage Sites are heritage assets of the highest significance which are internationally recognised to be of Outstanding Universal Value. The latest UK Government guidance on this matter (July 2019) can be found in paragraph 026, reference ID 18a-026-20190723  at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/conserving-and-enhancing-the-historic-environment#World-Heritage-Sites.

UNESCO’s Operational Guidelines, for state parties  (in the case of the UK, HM Government), on the implementation of the World Heritage Convention, stipulate that State Parties “should not take any deliberate measures that directly or indirectly damage their heritage or that of another State Party to the Convention”.

This document is produced to address the desire of HM Government to have a management plan, reviewed on a quinquennial basis, for each of the World Heritage Sites on its territories. This meets UNESCO’s requirement for each World Heritage Site to have a comprehensive management system in place. This document is to address UNESCO’s needs, and the Aims, Objectives and Actions set out in Part B are in accordance with its requirements.

Local planning authorities in the DVMWHS consult the DVMWHS Partnership as a non-statutory consultee through the planning process (See Section C ‘Statement of Planning Procedure for Development Management’).

Objectives and Actions for 2020-25

Obj 1.1

Through the implementation of the Statement of Planning Procedure, ensure that development in the World Heritage Site, its Buffer Zone or setting, does not negatively impact on its Outstanding Universal Value. New development should contribute to the economic and social vitality of the World Heritage Site. This is not a balance judgement. Any development that can be seen to negatively impact on the World Heritage Site, its Buffer Zone and wider setting, therefore impacting negatively on the Outstanding Universal Value, should not be granted permission.

ACT 1.1.1
Implement Statement of Planning Procedure for Development Management (See Section 20).

Obj 1.2

Deliver, assist and promote training that aids an understanding of the DVMWHS’s Outstanding Universal Value and its protection, conservation and enhancement.

ACT 1.2.1
Deliver an annual training session, open to all relevant officers dealing with applications that affect the World Heritage Site, and to all relevant elected members dealing with World Heritage Site planning matters;

ACT 1.2.2
Explore options that assist scheme promoters to understand the World Heritage Site’s Outstanding Universal Value and its implications for development.

Obj 1.3

Engage with strategic and other key plans to ensure the World Heritage Site and its Buffer Zone is appropriately acknowledged and protected in accordance with UNESCO’s Operational Guidelines.

ACT 1.3.1
Monitor and engage with key plans such as local development plans, transport plans, the highway network management plan, environmental strategies, economic strategies, corporate plans, neighbourhood plans etc, as they develop/are amended.

ACT 1.3.2
Through engagement with partners’ strategic plans, discourage unintentional urbanisation through interventions that do not require planning permission. This is particularly pertinent to telecommunications equipment, the highway network management plans and transport plans.

ACT 1.3.3
Ensure all agencies named in Section 7 acknowledge the Management Plan as new policies and plans emerge.

Obj 1.4

Promote appropriate conservation of heritage assets within the DVMWHS and its Buffer Zone.

ACT 1.4.1
Compile a composite ‘at risk’ list for inclusion on the DVMWHS web page, endorsed by the DWMWHS Partnership Strategic Board. To do this by identifying key buildings, structures and areas at risk:

• Review the DerwentWISE ‘at risk’ structures;
• Review the Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust and Derbyshire County Council Heritage at Risk lists.

ACT 1.4.2
Monitor the condition of buildings, structures and areas endorsed as ‘at risk’ by the DWMWHS Partnership Strategic Board, and report on change through an annual report.

ACT 1.4.3
Develop strategies with partners such as Historic England, to remove buildings, structures and areas from the Heritage at Risk List and to do this by:

i. Prioritising which heritage at risk to deal with;

ii. Understanding the issues and extent of the problem;

iii.Working with and supporting owners and the local planning authorities to explore options, including external funding such as the Architectural Heritage Fund, National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Historic England at Risk grant schemes.

ACT 1.4.4
Promote appropriate active use of buildings, structures and areas within the DVMWHS so that they are appropriately conserved and contribute to the vitality of the World Heritage Site.

ACT 1.4.5
Promote and ‘signpost’ building owners and managers to appropriately trained heritage and traditional skilled professionals and operatives, to support the appropriate conservation and maintenance of their assets. This could include supporting Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust in any training initiatives as well as using its crafts register.

ACT 1.4.6
Support Sites with specialist textile-related equipment to ensure that technically skilled operatives are available to maintain that equipment.

ACT 1.4.7
Encourage and support funding partners in re-establishing a conservation grant scheme for the communities of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site, to ensure continuing repairs and restoration.

ACT 1.4.8
Where ownership of an attribute or element of the WHS is unknown, identify bodies capable of its acquisition and support them in pro-actively carrying out its maintenance.

Obj 1.5

Due to its critical contribution to Outstanding Universal Value, assist in finding a viable and sustainable re-use of the components of the Belper Mill Complex. This should contribute to the vitality of the World Heritage Site’s economy and environment, and include facilities to support the World Heritage Site as a visitor destination.

ACT 1.5.1
Assist Amber Valley Borough Council and the owners in securing a robust and up-to-date buildings condition survey for the Belper Mill Complex.

ACT 1.5.2
Assist Amber Valley Borough Council, the owners and other appropriate partners to find an acceptable re-use of the Belper Mill Complex that contributes to the viability and vitality of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site (see also Objective 3.2).

ACT 1.5.3
Encourage partners, where applicable and appropriate, to employ their statutory powers if there is a lack of progress that cannot be justified.

Obj 1.6

Promote public realm projects that enhance the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage Site by restoring lost features and conserving eroded or damaged features.

ACT 1.6.1
Establish a consensus for a public realm improvement scheme for Mill Road/Lane at Cromford that facilitates the reinstatement of the aqueduct to Arkwright’s first mill and pedestrian movement across Mill Lane/Road between the Cromford Mill site and the canal wharf, integrating high vehicle warning signs, vehicle turning and the removal of modern highway signage/lining.

ACT 1.6.2
Establish funding sources for the public realm improvement scheme for North Street, Cromford, which reinstates the street’s historic paving.

ACT 1.6.3
Assist residents in the Cluster roads in Belper to realise an appropriate public realm improvement scheme that protects the historic character and significance of the area.⁴

ACT 1.6.4
Now development proposals are largely in place for the land west of the A6 in Belper, around Derwent Street, encourage the production of a public realm masterplan to ensure the area is coherent, usable and attractive.

ACT 1.6.5
Assist in the production of a public realm strategy for the Darley Abbey Mills site that protects its historic character and significance. This should incorporate an assessment of access via the river.

ACT 1.6.6
Encourage and support the implementation of the recommendations in the Willersley Castle Registered Park and Garden Grounds Landscape Conservation Management Plan.

ACT 1.6.7
Encourage landowners to sustain targeted maintenance on areas of land where trees were managed as part of the DerwentWISE Restoring the View Project.

ACT 1.6.8
Work with landowners to identify further iconic views which would benefit from tree management and develop the appropriate maintenance schedules, utilising the trained volunteers and capacity created by DerwentWISE.

⁴ The Cluster Roads Residents Group has made great advances with the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund in developing ways forward for the environmental improvement of the Cluster roads that secures their historic character.

Obj 1.7

Promote the appropriate stewardship of the physical movement and transport network of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and its Buffer Zone.

ACT 1.7.1
Ensure that the negative impacts of modern highway interventions, such as line-marking and signage, are minimised.

ACT 1.7.2
Assist the highways authorities in reducing light pollution in the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and its Buffer Zone so that it is more evocative of the time when the textile mills were first inserted into the Derwent Valley. Also, ensure that lighting from new development does not erode the rural character of the Derwent Valley at night.

ACT 1.7.3
Keep abreast of and engage with any rail electrification schemes and ensure that they do not negatively impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage Site.

Obj 1.8

Promote the appropriate stewardship of the relict 18th century rural setting and ‘natural environment’ of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and its Buffer Zone to ensure conservation of functionally linked attributes and elements, and promote biodiversity within this framework.

ACT 1.8.1
Promote the production of a land management framework that builds on established Landscape Character Areas and the historic landscape characterisation to inform the appropriate land management of the ‘natural’ relict 18th century landscape and promote biodiversity.

ACT 1.8.2
Support initiatives that promote the migration of water-bound species up the River Derwent so long as they do not negatively impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage Site. Initiatives that jointly promote up-river migration and the production of hydroelectricity will receive the most support.

ACT 1.8.3
The World Heritage Site Partnership will support and encourage appropriate initiatives for up-stream, i.e. outside the World Heritage Site, natural flood mitigation measures. It will also support flood mitigation measures within the World Heritage Site that do not impact on its Outstanding Universal Value. It is important that new development does not negatively impact on the flood resilience of the World Heritage Site.

Obj 1.9

Ensure owners and partners have plans in place to accommodate unexpected change, such as natural disasters and climate change.

ACT 1.9.1
Encourage owners and partners to have appropriate ‘disaster plans’ in place, including plans for reacting to flood and fire.

ACT 1.9.2
Support partners in commissioning and undertaking studies that enhance the understanding of impacts on the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and its Buffer Zone from climate change.

ACT 1.9.3
Ensure dissemination of any information generated through studies into the impacts of climate change to owners and partners in the World Heritage Site.

Obj 1.10

Ensure appropriate protection of the significant water management systems in the Derwent Valley.

ACT 1.10.1
Request Historic England review the listings of the weirs and associated water management structures within the DVMWHS.

ACT 1.10.2
Encourage the owners of the weirs and water management structures to understand their liabilities for maintenance, have an action plan for on-going care and have disaster planning in place in the result of any collapses.

ACT 1.10.3
Assist owners, where applicable, in applying for grant funding to restore the historic weirs and water management structures.

ACT 1.10.4
Encourage investigation of the opportunities for water power production and fish passage at the historic weirs if these allow for enhanced conservation and do not impact negatively on the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage Site.

ACT 1.10.5
Engage with partners, land owners and managers, regulatory bodies and international organisations to promote recognition at a local, national and international level of the significance of the historic water management systems in the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site.

ACT 1.10.6
Communicate and engage with landowners, partners, managers, regulatory bodies and local and international organisations to raise awareness and gain recognition and acceptance that the weirs and water management systems in the DVMWHS had a great impact on World History and are central to the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage Site.

Obj 1.11

Ensure appropriate protection of the significant agricultural buildings in the Derwent Valley.

ACT 1.11.1
Request Historic England review the listings of the farms and associated agricultural structures within the DVMWHS.

ACT 1.11.2
Encourage the owners of the farms and associated agricultural structures to understand their liabilities for maintenance and have an action plan for on-going care.

ACT 1.11.3
Assist owners, where applicable, in seeking grant funding to restore the historic farms and associated agricultural structures.

ACT 1.11.4
Support the owners of Crossroads Farm in securing a viable future for Crossroads Farm which recognises and enhances its contribution to the Outstanding Universal Value of the DVMWHS.

Obj 1.12

Encourage local planning authorities and other statutory bodies to use their statutory instruments, where appropriate, to conserve and protect the World Heritage Site’s Outstanding Universal Value.

ACT 1.12.1
Request Derbyshire Dales District Council investigates the option of enacting an Article 4 direction for Cromford Conservation Area, working with Cromford Parish Council  to protect its character and appearance as Arkwright’s principal industrial settlement.

ACT 1.12.2
Encourage local planning authorities, when reviewing their Green Belt boundaries and other designations to be mindful of the need to protect the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and its Buffer Zone, in particular its rural setting, and not reduce that protection.

Obj 1.13

Review the boundaries of the DVMWHS and its Buffer Zone.

ACT 1.13.1 Identify minor modifications needed to clarify the boundaries and eliminate any anomalies and submit these changes to UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee for adoption.