Local heritage protection

I read with interest the suggestion that local listing protects local heritage (Correspondent May/Jun 2019/166). Our experience at Broughton-inAmounderness Parish Council, north of Preston in Lancashire, is that it makes no difference. We included heritage in our neighbourhood development plan (adopted January 2019). All the work and research put into the list, which was adopted by the City Council in July 2018, made no difference to the officers’ reports and recommendation to the Planning Committee: it did turn down plans for the development of the old coaching inn (one of two at the crossroads) as out of keeping with the area, but it will still be demolished. My advice is that the designation is not worth the time, energy and work involved.

Pat Hastings, Preston