English Heritage and the Local Historic Environment 

English Heritage, the government funded body charged with responsibility for looking after local historic landscapes and ‘heritage assets’, recently published a comprehensive planning paper that clearly outlines government policy and strategy for the region. ‘Putting the Historic Environment to Work: A Strategy for the West Midlands, 2010-2015’ sets out the importance of ‘caring for the irreplaceable assets that make the region unique’. It states that is a planning tool and a ‘key strategic document’ to help plan the future and prosperity of the region. Priority 5 is to ensure that ‘historic character is respected and historic buildings, landscapes and archaeological remains are conserved and enhanced when development or change is planned’.

This report clearly establishes why industrial wind farm development around the rich cultural and heritage centre of the market town of Bridgnorth, and its surrounding landscape and historic villages, is contrary to the policy set out by English Heritage.

‘The voice of the historic environment is not always loud and distinct. Sometimes it is overlooked by developing policy and plans’ writes Tim Johnson, regional director of English Heritage. He adds that maintaining and caring for the historic environment is a vital force for good in ensuring growth in the local economy.

The report shows the ‘important contribution’ of around 10% - and growing - that heritage and culture makes to the West Midlands contribution to GDP (well over £5 billion). ‘The historic environment needs to be championed’, adds Johnson, ‘so that the ‘best and most valued elements need to be looked after and passed on to the generations of tomorrow’.

National Planning Policy

National planning policy states that ‘substantial harm to .. grade I and II * listed buildings should be wholly exceptional. Excluding Bridgnorth itself, which is a historic market town of national heritage and tourist importance, there are over a dozen Grade II, Grade II * or Grade I listed buildings and scheduled monuments within the parish of Morville itself.

Policy specifically states that a setting of a building is a key element to be protected through planning controls. Notwithstanding the importance of proximity to listed buildings and the local landscape within which such historic buildings and the ancient settings form an essential part of visitor and tourism appeal, the proposed turbines at Meadowley are located in an area of highly significant landscape and heritage (specifics of such culture and heritage are dealt with in more detail in our brief village by village heritage survey).

Excerpts from 'A Strategy for the West Midlands, 2010-2015’ 

The Historic Environment of the West Midlands:

‘The varying and distinctive character of the region’s rural areas.. continues to be shaped by a complex interplay of cultural, historical and natural influences. This process of constant change has given the West Midlands an important legacy of historic buildings, structures, monuments, and landscapes – all of which continue to underpin the distinctive character of its conurbation as well as its towns and villages’.[p.6]

Conservation of Rural Landscapes:

Through Natural England, the government’s statutory advisor on landscape, £4 billion is being invested into an agri-environment initiative scheme for land managers to better understand and appreciate the importance of historic landscape. This is the largest investment in the protection and enhancement of archaeological sites (such as at Upton Cressett), historic landscape features and buildings in the farmed landscape. Over the past 21 years, such schemes have helped better foster a better awareness of landscape’. [p.9]

Respecting Character

‘The creation of new places and infrastructure, and the regeneration of existing places is essential to prosperity. Historic landscapes, historic buildings and archaeological remains can contribute to this. They can often provide economic opportunities…. New development or practises (must) respect the historic character of their surroundings’.[p.23]