Government responsibility for the historic environment
In England, responsibilities for the historic environment can typically be found in three different areas of government:
- Planning: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
- Culture: Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)
- Environment: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
Within Scotland, responsibilities can be found within:
- Planning: Directorate for the Built Environment and the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals
- Culture: Directorate for Culture and Digital
- Environment: Rural and Environment Directorate
Within Wales:
- Planning: Planning Inspectorate
- Culture: Heritage Department
- Environment: Department of Environment and Sustainability
Within Northern Ireland:
- Planning: Department of the Environment
- Culture: Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure
- Environment: Department of the Environment
Alongside the government departments, each country has a number of national organisations with responsibilities over the historic environment.
- Historic England is the government's statutory advisor on England's historic environment, while Natural England is the statutory advisor on the natural environment.
- Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government.
- CADW is the Welsh Assembly Government's historic environment division.
- The Built Heritage Department of the Northern Ireland Environmental Agency maintain the heritage of the Northern Irish historic environment.Local authority archaeological and conservation teams also play a major role in UK heritage protection. They exist to record, protect and promote the historic environment in their area.
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