The Gardens Trust warns Government that proposed planning changes put parks and gardens at risk
The Gardens Trust has issued a detailed response to the Government’s consultation on reforms to the statutory consultee system, warning that proposals to remove their statutory role would significantly weaken protections for England’s historic parks and gardens.
They argue that abolishing the requirement for Local Planning Authorities to consult on planning applications affecting sites on the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest would be “directly damaging” to some of England’s most important landscapes. Registered parks and gardens receive only limited protection under current planning law, and the statutory consultation mechanism is a critical safeguard.
Of particular concern are Grade II sites, which make up almost 65% of the Register and for which the GT is currently the only statutory consultee. Removing their involvement would leave many of these landscapes, including some of the most accessible to the public, vulnerable to poorly informed development decisions. Their response also stresses that Local Planning Authorities do not possess the necessary specialist expertise to assess the landscape impacts of proposed developments in the absence of the Trust’s advice.
DGT will be responding and we will share our response as soon as possible. We urge members to respond to the consultation and demonstrate the strength of opposition to the proposals.
Full details, guidance on how to respond and links to the consultation are available here.
The consultation runs until 13th January 2026.