Committee publication · Correspondence · 3 February 2026
Letter from Mark Bourgeois, Chief Executive, Government Property Agency, Cabinet Office, regarding Protecting built heritage oral evidence follow-up, 23 January 2026
From: Culture, Media and Sport Committee
Inquiry: Protecting built heritage
Summary
Mark Bourgeois, CEO of the Government Property Agency, provides follow-up information on two points raised during the Committee's 6 January 2026 oral evidence session on protecting built heritage. The GPA clarifies its adherence to heritage legislation through collaboration with Historic England and details its procurement approach to ensure heritage preservation training requirements are met on government construction contracts.
Key findings
- The GPA is not involved in drafting heritage legislation but strictly adheres to the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 and the National Planning Policy Framework through close collaboration with Historic England.
- The GPA has developed specific heritage guidance within its Government Workplace Design Guide in consultation with Historic England to balance operational requirements (accessibility, fire safety, mechanical services) with statutory heritage protections.
- The GPA awards construction contracts under the Public Contracts Regulations (2015) and Cabinet Office Procurement Policy Notes (PPN 06/20), using Social Value criteria to enforce training requirements relevant to contracts.
- For works on heritage assets, the GPA requires suppliers to evidence relevant training schemes and apprenticeships, though there is no dedicated heritage preservation procurement policy.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Mark Bourgeois, Government Property Agency, Dame Caroline Dinenage, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Historic England, Mark Chivers
Notable line
“… we strictly adhere to the legal framework; specifically the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 and the National Planning Policy Framework.”
Key Quotes
“While the GPA is not involved in the drafting of heritage legislation we strictly adhere to the legal framework; specifically the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 and the National Planning Policy Framework.”
“This guidance is key to ensuring that operational requirements including provisions for accessibility, fire safety, and mechanical services are implemented in a way that respects the statutory protections.”
“For works on heritage assets, we require suppliers to evidence relevant training schemes and apprenticeships.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗