2.3 HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT CONSIDERATIONS The new development will sit in the centre of the World Heritage City in a highly visible location, surrounded by listed buildings, albeit at the lowest point of the City. It will therefore have to respond to, and not over-dominate, its surroundings. The rich historic context of the Rec will be an important influence on the design of the new building. The site for the new stadium lies within Bath’s World Heritage Site, within the Bath Conservation Area, and within the settings of nearby listed buildings and registered parks and gardens. Policy SB2 requires the undertaking of a detailed historic environment assessment, and where necessary evaluation, in order to identify and implement appropriate mitigation. This document will be submitted alongside the planning application and is being prepared in order to inform the proposals. In advance of that process being completed, this section sets out a summary of historic environment considerations that will be relevant to the development of the design. The principal historic environment designations relevant to the site are set out below. The historic environment chapter of the Environmental Statement for the project will set these matters out in more detail, including statements of significance, and assessments of contribution of the site to heritage significance. These assessments will inform the development of the design.
THE CITY OF
WORLD HERITAGE SITE
In December 1987 the City of Bath was inscribed into the list of World Heritage Sites. The World Heritage Convention, for the protection of World’s Cultural and Natural Heritage, which came into being in 1972, recognises properties of ‘Outstanding Universal Value’ which are part of the “world heritage of mankind as a whole” and deserve “protection and transmission to future generations”. Such properties are recognised through inscription on the World Heritage list by the World Heritage Committee, which consists of representatives from 21 States Parties. World Heritage sites are therefore single heritage assets with an international value that has been clearly articulated. Not everything within them contributes to OUV, but those attributes that do must be appropriately protected. Policies and guidance for the WHS are set out in two principal documents: • •
City of Bath World Heritage Site Management Plan, 2016-2022 City of Bath World Heritage Site Setting Supplementary Planning Document, August 2013.
The Outstanding Universal Value prescribed in the World Heritage Site guidelines include Bath’s Roman culture, the neo-classical 18th century buildings linked by green spaces and their setting in a green semi-urban bowl surrounded by rural hills. The landscaping of the crescents and terraces which range up Bath’s hillsides is a major attributre and the proposed development will need to demonstrate a positive impact on the heritage assets by ensuring that the development stands in harmony with those features of the Georgian townscape.
City of Bath World Heritage Site Setting
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Supplementary Planning Document August 2013
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Management Plan 2016-2022
2.3.1 WORLD HERITAGE SITE
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