Short course
Harm in the Historic Environment
Course status:
Closed to new applications
Location:
Online or Rewley House 1 Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2JA
Dates:
29/01/2026 - 29/01/2026
Study format:
Online - live
Fees:
From £160.00 to £330.00
The National Planning Policy Framework, which incorporates England’s national heritage policy, requires that when considering the impact of a proposed development on the significance of a designated heritage asset, great weight should be given to the asset’s conservation. By implication, it identifies four levels of harm that may be caused to the significance of heritage assets: total loss (this is often overlooked but is written in to the NPPF’s Paragraph 193), substantial harm, less than substantial harm, and no harm. The course would explore the meaning and implications of this and of recent case law.
Presentations outlining the background and main issues will be followed by an open discussion session with the course directors and other participants. In the afternoon, those attending in person will take part in a group exercise assessing a case study on harm.
The course will be delivered in a hybrid format. The morning session is being offered for both in person and online participants. The afternoon session is offered for in person participants only.
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Accommodation
Please enquire at the time of booking for availability and prices with Continuing Education Residential Centre res-ctr@conted.ox.ac.uk, +44 (0)1865 270362,
Accommodation | Oxford University Department for Continuing Education
Please do quote the course name as a reference at the time of booking.
All bedrooms are modern, comfortably furnished and each room has tea and coffee making facilities, Freeview television, and Free WiFi and private bath or shower rooms.
IT requirements
If you wish to join the course online for the hybrid sessions only you will be offered the option to select this when you book. The hybrid sessions will be live streamed using Microsoft Teams and you will be sent a link to join the course. The course will be accessible online 15 minutes before the start time and we encourage all participants to join in good time.
Programme details
09.15- Registration for in-person participants
09.45- Course opens, Welcome
10.00- Introduction – including why harm matters
10.30- Legislation, policy, definitions and case law
11.30- Consideration of key issues
- Direct and indirect harm, and the contribution to significance made by setting
- Substantial and less than substantial harm, the sliding scale of harm, and the boundary between the two
- Who makes the decision on harm?
- Heritage impact assessments
- Implications and justifications for harm to heritage assets, including public benefits
12.30- Discussion and conclusions
13.00- Online course ends
For in-person attendees only:
13.00- Lunch
13.45- Afternoon case study: setting out case study
14.30 Group work on case study
15.15- Discussion of case study followed by concluding remarks
16.00- Course closes
Mr Henry Russell – Course Director
Lecturer in Conservation of the Historic Environment, Reading University
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| In-person tuition: 09:45 – 16:00 | £330.00 |
| Online tuition: 09:45 – 13:00 only | £160.00 |
| Hot Lunch (in-person attendance only) | £21.25 |
Payment
Payment of fees must be made in full at the time of booking.
Please note that businesses and organisations can be invoiced on provision of a Purchase Order and completed application form. These can be emailed to the CHTP Programme Administrator, email: cultural.heritage@conted.ox.ac.uk
Module code: O25P318PAJ