Gardens Trust statutory consultee status

That this House is concerned by the Government's plans to remove the Gardens Trust as a statutory consultee; recognises that the statutory consultation requirement is an important provision within the limited protections that registered parks and gardens have; notes that removing the consultation requirement is directly damaging by reducing specialist input to the consideration of planning proposals; further notes that this signals parks and gardens are being, in effect, downgraded as heritage assets; acknowledges the grave concern for the future of Grade II registered parks and gardens; and calls on the Government to abandon these proposals and safeguard precious parks and gardens and their value to local communities.