HEAN 7 (3rd Edition, May 2026): Local Heritage Listing
Historic England Advice Note 7 is titled Local Heritage Listing: Identifying and Conserving Local Heritage. It is the primary reference for how local planning authorities and communities identify, list and manage non-designated heritage assets (NDHAs) through a local heritage list. The 3rd edition was published in May 2026 and reflects the December 2024 National Planning Policy Framework. It is a different document from the Conservation Area Appraisal guidance, which is HEAN 1.
Why HEAN 7 matters to a Heritage Impact Assessment
Local heritage lists record assets that a community values but that do not meet the threshold for statutory designation. Where your site is, or is near, a locally listed building or another non-designated heritage asset, the HIA has to assess it. Under NPPF ¶209 the effect on the significance of a non-designated heritage asset must be taken into account, with a balanced judgement having regard to the scale of any harm or loss and the significance of the asset. HEAN 7 is the reference that explains how an asset came to be on the local list and what makes it significant.
What HEAN 7 covers
- What a local heritage list is, and how it sits alongside statutory listing and conservation-area designation.
- The selection process and criteria a local authority uses to identify non-designated heritage assets.
- The categories that can be listed: buildings, landscapes, street furniture and public art.
- The steps involved in introducing a new local list or revising an existing one, adapted to the authority's resources and local context.
The 3rd edition is published alongside an accompanying toolkit and a set of case studies (both released in May 2026) that show how local lists can be adapted to different resource levels and local circumstances.
What changed in the 3rd edition
The May 2026 edition updates the advice to reflect the December 2024 NPPF and its treatment of non-designated heritage assets, and adds the standalone toolkit and case-study documents. Historic England positions it for all those involved in identifying NDHAs and maintaining local lists: local planning authorities, civic and amenity societies, and local communities.
How consultants use it in an HIA
Check the local planning authority's published local heritage list before scoping the assessment. Where the site or a neighbouring asset appears on it, treat that asset as a non-designated heritage asset, describe its significance, and apply the NPPF balanced-judgement test to any harm. Where an undesignated asset is not yet locally listed but plainly has local heritage interest, the HEAN 7 selection criteria are the reference for arguing whether it should carry weight in the decision.