Protecting Outstanding Heritage Sites
The Outstanding Heritage Sites designation protects and enhances major urban and landscape developments.
The procedure for classifying outstanding heritage sites implies a partnership between the State services and local authorities.
The remarkable heritage site shall be classified by decision of the Minister responsible for Culture on the proposal or agreement of the municipality or the municipality after the opinion of the National Heritage and Architecture Commission.
The commitment of local authorities and the State is thus guaranteed from the classification of the remarkable heritage site.
Remarkable heritage sites are covered by management plans, the elaboration of which also involves the services of the State and the local authorities.
These management plans which ensure that heritage is taken into account in urban policies can be of two types:
- a backup and enhancement plan (PSMV),
- an architecture and heritage development plan (PVAP).
Both plans contain the written and graphic rules that apply to buildings within the perimeter of the Remarkable Heritage Site.
Unlike the PVAP, the PSMV can also protect architectural decorations located inside buildings.
These management plans must promote the requalification of degraded old neighbourhoods, support trade and social diversity. The so-called “Malraux” tax system, which provides tax benefits in the case of work, is one of the levers to achieve these objectives.
Finally, the appropriation of the heritage issues related to a territory by citizens is essential.
For this reason, the designation of Outstanding Heritage Sites implies:
- the participation of citizens in the public inquiry, which allows residents to freely express their views on the project. Throughout the duration of the public inquiry, citizens may examine the file and make observations taken into account by the Commissioner-Investigator in his report;
- the implementation of mediation and citizen participation tools that will, among other things, make the inhabitants, project promoters and tourists aware of the enhancement of the living environment and the preservation of heritage.
