<P> There have been several attempts to simplify the heritage planning process for listed buildings in England, which has still (at the time of writing in May 2011) to reach a conclusion . </P> <P> The review process was started in 2000 by Alan Howarth, then minister at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The outcome was the paper' The Power of Place' in 2000 followed by the subsequent policy document' The Historic Environment: A Force for Our Future' published by the DCMS and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DTLR) in December 2001 . The launch of the Government's Heritage Protection Reform (HPR) report in July 2003 by the DCMS entitled:' Protecting our historic environment: Making the system work better', asked questions about how the current designation systems could be improved . The HPR decision report' Review of Heritage Protection: The Way Forward' green paper published in June 2004 by the DCMS committed the UK government and English Heritage to a process of reform including a review of the criteria used for listing buildings . </P> <P> The Government also began a process of consultation on changes to Planning Policy Guidance 15 (PPG 15) relating to the principles of selection for listing buildings in England . After several years of consultation with heritage groups, charities, planning authorities and English Heritage, this eventually resulted in the publication of Planning Publication Statement 5' Planning for the Historic Environment' in March 2010 by the DCLG . This replaced PPG15 and sets out the government's national policies on the conservation of the historic environment for the England . PPS5 is supported by a Practice Guide, endorsed by the DCLG, the DCMS, and English Heritage, which describes how to apply the policies stated in PPS5 . </P> <P> The government's White Paper' Heritage Protection for the 21st Century' published on 8 March 2007 offered a commitment to sharing the understanding of the historic environment and more openness in the process of designation . </P>

Difference between grade i and grade ii listed buildings