An overview of the repealed Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2016, its passage through the Senedd and subordinate legislation.
Contents
Overview
The Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2016 (‘the Act’) made various provisions to enhance the protection of Wales’s historic environment, including:
- amending the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Act 1979, primarily in relation to ancient monuments in Wales
- requiring the Welsh Ministers to compile and maintain a register of parks and gardens of special historic interest
- amending the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 in relation to listed buildings
- requiring the Welsh Ministers to compile and maintain a list of historic place names in Wales
- requiring the Welsh Ministers to compile and keep up to date a historic environment record for each local authority area in Wales
- establishing the Advisory Panel for the Welsh Historic Environment
For detailed commentary on the various provisions of the Act see the Explanatory Notes to the Act on legislation.gov.uk.
See the Act on legislation.gov.uk.
The Act was repealed by paragraph 193 of Schedule 13 to the Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2023. See the 2023 Act on legislation.gov.uk.
Subordinate legislation made under the Act
No subordinate legislation was made under the Act.
Statutory guidance issued under the Act
Under section 37 of the Act, statutory guidance, Historic Environment Records in Wales: Compilation and Use, was issued for local and National Park authorities in Wales and Natural Resources Wales in April 2017. Following the repeal of the Act on 4 November 2024, the statutory guidance is now issued under section 196 of the Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2023.
Consideration of the legislation by the Senedd
The Bill was introduced on 1 May 2015 by Ken Skates MS, Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism at the time.
The Explanatory Memorandum that was prepared by the Welsh Government (as revised at Stage 2):
The Act received Royal Assent on 21 March 2016.