9 HER Access and Charging Policy

Northumberland Historic Environment Record

Access and Charging Policy

Revised October 2023

Environment & Design Team, Development Services, Planning and Economy

Northumberland County Council, County Hall, Morpeth, NE61 2EF

email: [email protected]

Northumberland HER Access and Charging Policy 1

1. Introduction

1.1 Content of the Historic Environment Record

Northumberland County Council maintains the Historic Environment Record

for the county of Northumberland. The Historic Environment Record (HER) is

the primary source of information about the historic environment in the Unitary

Authority and Northumberland National Park Authority. It includes a database

that contains more than 28,000 records with information about remains from

the prehistoric period to the present day. These provide information on

nationally designated (conservation areas, listed buildings, registered parks

and gardens and scheduled monuments), locally designated and

undesignated heritage assets. Full details of the remit and content of the

record can be found elsewhere in the HER’s Information Policy.

1.2 Mapped data

The database is represented on digital maps held as Geographic Information

System (GIS) files. The maps contain geographical depictions of all sites on

the database, ranging from simple point locations to complex plots of

extensive sites such as ancient field systems. Maps provided from the HER

GIS are for information purposes only. Due to Ordnance Survey copyright

restrictions this mapping must not be reproduced in researcher’s own reports.

1.3 How do I access the HER?

The HER is based at County Hall in Morpeth. You can get information from

the HER in a number of different ways, such as by letter, email or telephone,

or make an appointment to visit in person.

1.4 Opening times

The HER is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. If you wish to visit in person

you will need to telephone first to make an appointment and make sure that

someone is available; please email archaeology@northumberland.gov.uk or

call 0345 600 6400. An appointment can normally be arranged within five

working days. (The HER Officer will endeavour to assist in establishing

whether a visit is advisable but cannot be expected to undertake detailed

assessment of the relevance of specific material).

1.5 Facilities

If you choose to visit the HER in person, we have a workspace available for

you to use. The HER Officer will assist you and can make photocopies or

scans for you. Details of charges for photocopying and printing can be found

in section 3. There is a range of additional resources available to visitors.

1.6. Searching the HER

Historic Environment Record (HER) searches provide information selected

from the record, normally for a defined area, although bespoke searches can

also be done for particular periods or types of records. The HER includes both

Northumberland HER Access and Charging Policy 2

digital and hard copy information and references to other sources held outside

the HER. It is constantly being enhanced and the absence of a record should

not be relied upon as indicating a lack of heritage interest, other national or

specialist sources may contain information not held or indexed.

2. Conditions of Use

2.1 Introduction

Northumberland County Council is committed to the protection, conservation

and enhancement of the historic environment. In order to ensure that

information from the Northumberland HER is used responsibly, those applying

to consult it are requested to provide details about the nature of their enquiry

and to follow the Guidance for Users outlined below. Please note that

permission to use the HER may be refused or limited in certain

circumstances.

2.2 Guidance for Users

1. Northumberland HER users are requested to inform Northumberland

County Council of the following, in writing or online by submitting the

form below:

(a) the subject and purpose of their enquiry;

(b) the use to which the information will be put; and

organisation to whom it is intended to pass HER information.

2. Northumberland County Council service charge is made for enquiries

to the Northumberland HER, but this is normally waived for enquiries

for non-commercial, educational or personal research, except where

searches require extensive work. The costs of paper, printing and

other incidental expenses may be charged to all users.

3. The Northumberland HER is the copyright of Northumberland County

Council. Some information held in the HER may also be the copyright

of others. It is the user’s responsibility to ensure that copyright law is

not breached.

4. Users are requested to inform, and to make their research available

to the Northumberland HER where new archaeological sites or data

are discovered as a result of their work.

5. Users are requested to make appropriate acknowledgement of the

Northumberland HER in any publication or report which has made

use of its data.

6. While efforts have been made to verify the data held in the

Northumberland HER, Northumberland County Council cannot

accept responsibility for the accuracy of any particular data and its

source.

7. Northumberland County Council accepts that there may be a

requirement to treat certain enquiries in confidence. Equally, the HER

Northumberland HER Access and Charging Policy 3

expects that users will not pass on information in an irresponsible or

unethical manner.

8. Northumberland County Council reserves all rights of Copyright

which are owned in the material provided. Dissemination to a third

party without the written consent of the HER Officer is a breach of

purposes only.

9. Access to all or part of the information requested may be refused in

certain circumstances.

9.1 Information may not be disclosed if:

(a) it relates to the subject matter of any legal or other proceedings,

actual or prospective (including Local Planning Inquiries);

(b) it relates to confidential, internal communications of

Northumberland County Council;

course of completion.

9.2 Information will not be disclosed if:

(a) it was supplied to the Council by another party who was under no

legal obligation to do so and could not have been put under any legal

obligation to supply it and has not consented to its disclosure;

(b) its disclosure would increase the likelihood of damage to the

environment affecting anything to which the information relates.

10. A request for information may be refused if it is manifestly

unreasonable or is formulated in too general a manner.

11. Every endeavour is made to respond to enquiries within five working

days.

2.3 Complaints procedure

If you have any complaint about the service you have received, please write

to: Environment & Design Team Manager, Conservation Team, Planning and

Economy, Northumberland County Council, County Hall, Morpeth, NE61 2EF,

or email [email protected], or telephone 0345 600 6400.

Alternatively, you can make a complaint through the Northumberland County

Council’s complaint form available on our website by clicking here.

3. Charging Policy

3.1 Search fee

A search fee is normally only made where the enquiry is for commercial or

profit-making purposes. This applies to consultations made in person or by

telephone, letter, or email. The fee is to cover staff time and will vary

according to the nature of the enquiry. Fees may be waived in certain

circumstances. For most other users, such as members of the public and

students carrying out personal research, there is no search fee unless the

Northumberland HER Access and Charging Policy 4

enquiry is particularly complicated or time consuming to deal with. In such

cases any charge will be agreed before the work is carried out.

3.2 Scale of Charges (fixed rate)

Our current fees are based around development types and are not subject to

VAT:

● Householder/Domestic development £25

● Minor development £50

● Major development £75

● Strategic development £100

Search fees are set out in the Northumberland Conservation Charging Policy

here. All fees are subject to review. Prices correct at 1 April 2023.

3.3 Screening opinion for Environmental Impact Assessment

In addition to charging for enquiries made for commercial purposes, we also

charge for enquiries for a screening opinion for Environmental Impact

Assessment (Agriculture) (England) (No 2) regulations 2006. A separate fee

applies to each holding. The charges are based on the size of the holding.

The current rates are as follows:

Band

Screening areas

Rate (no VAT)

0 - 30 ha

£35

31 - 75 ha

£70

76 - 150 ha

£140

150 ha +

£280

The current response time for consultations is 20 working days.

3.4 Incidental expenses

All HER users may be liable for incidental expenses such as photocopying,

printing and postage. The costs are as follows:

● photocopying or printing A4 or A3 = 10p/copy

● postage over large letter rate.

3.5 Method of payment

Payment for commercial enquiries is required prior to searches being carried

out unless this will result in unacceptable delays. Payment by debit/credit card

can be made online and details will be sent when confirming the search fee.

Details for BACS payments can be sent on request. Where an invoice is

raised payment for the HER search is to be returned directly to the Director of

Finance. Cheques should be made payable to ‘Northumberland County

Council’. When visiting in person and photocopying is the only charge, cash

payment is normally requested on receipt.