English Heritage has published new three-part draft guidance on good practice and planning in a historic environment.

The guidance – to be consulted until 5 September – covers how planners should take heritage assets into account in local plan making, decision making and the setting of a heritage asset.

The document has been drawn up by English Heritage working alongside the Association of Local Government Archaeological Officers, the British Property Federation, Civic Voice, the Council for British Archaeology and the National Trust.

It has been published to clarify existing guidance and include new provisions such as Certificates of Lawful Proposed Works, which enable owners of heritage assets to obtain a certificate from a local authority to state that works they want to carry out do not require planning permission.

The new provisions were brought in through the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013, so they are not mentioned in current guidance, explained Dr Richard Morris from the Better Heritage Protection Team at English Heritage.