About heritageimpactassessment.co.uk
heritageimpactassessment.co.uk is built and maintained by Oliver Wakefield-Smith, Founder of Digital Signet. The site is independent: no consultancy listed in the directory pays for placement; no figure on the site is provided by a vendor without verification against the live source. The intent is a single defensible reference point for applicants in the 48-hour planning-clock window.
Editorial process
- Every page is reviewed at the time of publication and stamped with the review date.
- Every numeric figure is verified against the live primary source.
- Every legal assertion is cited to the controlling statute, regulation or NPPF paragraph.
- The whole site is re-reviewed quarterly; the next review is 22 September 2026.
How the scoping gate is built and tested
The scoping gate uses a decision matrix derived from the NPPF heritage paragraphs, LBCAA 1990 sections 16, 66, 72 and 1(5), and GPA 2 and GPA 3 methodology. Each verdict is mapped to the controlling clause and to a fee band sourced from the 2026 market evidence. The gate is regression-tested against published planning officer reports for at least one case per verdict per quarter.
Disclaimer
Nothing on this site constitutes legal or planning advice. The scoping gate, cost calculator and per-LPA cards are decision aids only. Final scoping should be confirmed against the LPA's published validation list and, where merited, with a credentialled heritage consultant.
Contact
For corrections, source updates and verification queries, contact Oliver at oliver@digitalsignet.com. Vendor listings, fee changes and per-LPA validation-list updates are particularly welcome; the quarterly refresh cycle accommodates corrections received at least four weeks before the next scheduled review.