Heritage Partnership Agreements in Wales
Heritage partnership agreements are voluntary agreements between owners and consenting authorities for the long-term, sustainable management of scheduled monuments and listed buildings.
The Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2023 provides for two similar types of partnership agreements. Part 2, Chapter 4 of the Act puts in place scheduled monument partnership agreements, while Part 3, Chapter 3 covers listed building partnership agreements. A heritage partnership agreement for scheduled monuments and listed buildings might appear to be a single undertaking between an owner and consenting authorities, but it will, in fact, bring together a scheduled monument and listed building partnership agreement in a single document.
An agreement can cover multiple assets and grant listed building and/or scheduled monument consent for an agreed programme of works to be carried out over an extended period of time. This will eliminate the need for repeated consent applications for similar works, saving time and resources for all parties.
Two sets of partnership agreement regulations supplement the provisions of the 2023 Act.
The Scheduled Monuments (Partnership Agreements) (Wales) Regulations 2024
The Listed Buildings (Partnership Agreements) (Wales) Regulations 2024
These regulations make provision for the consultation and publicity that the Welsh Ministers, in practice Cadw, or a planning authority must undertake before making a partnership agreement.
The guidance, Heritage Partnership Agreements in Wales, sets out the statutory elements required in an agreement and identifies best practice to promote consistency in the implementation of works as well as regular monitoring and review. The guidance includes a template to provide a framework for new agreements.
The guidance is aimed at owners who are considering a heritage partnership agreement and planning authorities who may act as a consenting authority in a listed building partnership agreement.
Cadw, acting on behalf of the Welsh Ministers, will act as the consenting authority for all scheduled monument partnership agreements and any listed building partnership agreements for buildings owned by local authorities.