7795 Review of Historic England's Urban Characterisation Programme: County-based Extensive Urban Surveys; Metropolitan Historic Landscape Characterisation; Urban Archaeological Databases

Historic England's (HE) programme of Urban Characterisation (known as 'urban archaeological strategies') was initiated in 1992. Initially, the work addressed mainly 'below-ground' archaeology and responded directly to opportunities in the wake of PPG16. In the quarter century since then much has been achieved and at this 25-year stage Historic England wishes to commission a project to assess what has been accomplished so far, and to frame the decision-making for future undertakings as part of the programme.