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Enabling development
- is development which would normally be rejected as contrary to planning policy, but is entertained on the basis
that it would bring benefit to a
heritage asset. A typical example might be the granting of consent for housing
development within the policies of a historic building, on the basis that profits will be used to secure the survival
of that building. Now established as a useful and legitimate planning tool it is unusual in being firmly rooted in
financial considerations. Decisions relating to enabling development are always difficult, and in very basic terms
should only be considered, where no other source of funding is available, where the gains clearly outweigh the
disadvantages and, the objectives are clearly achievable and can be enforced by the planning authority.