HEAN 7 (3rd Edition, May 2026) , Conservation Area Appraisal Guidance
Historic England Advice Note 7, Conservation Area Appraisal, Designation and Management, is the primary methodological reference for assessing the character of conservation areas. The 3rd edition was published in May 2026. It provides the structural template LPAs use to write their own Conservation Area Appraisals, and that heritage consultants cite when assessing conservation-area impact in an HIA.
Structure of HEAN 7 (3rd ed.)
- Part A: Designation , the test for designating new conservation areas and the evidence base required.
- Part B: Appraisal , the structural template (location and setting, historical development, archaeological significance, prevailing built form and materials, key views, negative factors).
- Part C: Management , the action-plan format for protecting and enhancing.
- Part D: Article 4 directions , when and how to remove permitted development rights.
What changed from the 2nd edition
The 3rd edition (May 2026) updates terminology to align with the December 2024 NPPF, expands guidance on climate-resilience retrofit within conservation areas, and clarifies the relationship between Conservation Area Appraisals and Local Lists. The methodology backbone is unchanged from the 2019 2nd edition.
When consultants cite HEAN 7
Any HIA where the site is within or visible from a conservation area should cite HEAN 7 and the LPA's published Conservation Area Appraisal (where one exists). The appraisal is the definitive local description of what makes the area significant; ignoring it is a routine reason for officer push-back.
What to do when the LPA has not published a CAA
Many smaller LPAs have not produced a current CAA. In that case the HIA should construct a proportionate conservation-area character description using HEAN 7 categories and the underlying primary evidence (OS maps, listing descriptions, Pevsner, local archives).