LPA: Bath and North-East Somerset Council
Bath HIA Requirements , UNESCO WHS
Reviewed by
Oliver Wakefield-Smith
Founder, Digital Signet
Last reviewed 22 June 2026 · Refreshed quarterly
Direct answer
What does Bath and North-East Somerset Council require?
Bath and North-East Somerset Council validates heritage submissions under City of Bath World Heritage Site Setting Study (2013, updated 2023); B&NES Placemaking Plan policy HE1. The following checklist card summarises accepted formats, page-count guidance and common validation traps for this authority.
Bath and North-East Somerset Council validation checklist
City of Bath World Heritage Site Setting Study (2013, updated 2023); B&NES Placemaking Plan policy HE1.
Accepted formats
- Full HIA mandatory for all WHS-buffer-zone applications
- Statement of Heritage Significance for non-WHS Grade II
- TVIA for tall-building proposals
Page-count guidance
WHS applications routinely 25 to 60 pages; non-WHS Grade II 8 to 15 pages.
Common validation traps
- Failure to address the WHS Setting Study key views
- Inadequate treatment of Bath Stone materials specification
- Missing reference to the Outstanding Universal Value statement
Practical preparation steps
- Download the LPA's current local validation list before any submission.
- Read the relevant Conservation Area Appraisal or Statement for the site.
- Check for any Article 4 directions affecting the site.
- Where pre-application advice is available, take it , even where charged.
- Match the accreditation of the author to the asset grade (RIBA-CA or IHBC for Grade II* and Grade I).
Where the LPA's heritage process sits in the planning clock
The LPA's heritage officer is a statutory consultee within the 8-week determination clock for planning permission, the 8-week clock for listed-building consent, and the 16-week clock for major applications. The officer's response is usually written within 21 days of consultation; a strong HIA accelerates that response and reduces the risk of a Regulation 25 further-information request.