The credit crunch and the likelihood of a 2010 election has dampened hopes that the Heritage Protection Bill will be introduced to parliament.
The bill, which makes conservation an integral part of planning policy, was due to be mentioned in the Queen's speech at the state opening of parliament on 3 December.
But the secretary of state for culture, media and sport, Andy Burnham, has hinted that this may now be unlikely. Burnham said the next parliamentary session was likely to be dominated by "new priorities" to tackle the global financial crisis.
Supporters of the bill, which has been four years in the making, fear that if it is not introduced in this session, it will fall by the wayside in the run-up to a probable 2010 general election.
A Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) spokesman said: "You can reasonably assume that this is the last parliamentary session before the election. Events have also happened in the summer which might mean that things have to be tweaked."
But he added that the bill's relatively uncontroversial nature was in its favour. Decisions on what to include in the Queen's speech are not made until the final days before parliament's opening.
Under the legislation, English Heritage would take over the listing of important buildings, gardens and other national assets in England, meaning that it will designate them, rather than the secretary of state.
The DCMS and English Heritage both said that if the bill does not appear in the Queen's speech, some of its changes will still be implemented, as many do not need legislation to be enacted.
"Many of the objectives set out in the white paper could be taken forward by other means if a bill were not to be introduced in the next session," a spokeswoman for English Heritage said.
The bill, which makes conservation an integral part of planning policy, was due to be mentioned in the Queen's speech at the state opening of parliament on 3 December.
But the secretary of state for culture, media and sport, Andy Burnham, has hinted that this may now be unlikely. Burnham said the next parliamentary session was likely to be dominated by "new priorities" to tackle the global financial crisis.
Supporters of the bill, which has been four years in the making, fear that if it is not introduced in this session, it will fall by the wayside in the run-up to a probable 2010 general election.
A Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) spokesman said: "You can reasonably assume that this is the last parliamentary session before the election. Events have also happened in the summer which might mean that things have to be tweaked."
But he added that the bill's relatively uncontroversial nature was in its favour. Decisions on what to include in the Queen's speech are not made until the final days before parliament's opening.
Under the legislation, English Heritage would take over the listing of important buildings, gardens and other national assets in England, meaning that it will designate them, rather than the secretary of state.
The DCMS and English Heritage both said that if the bill does not appear in the Queen's speech, some of its changes will still be implemented, as many do not need legislation to be enacted.
"Many of the objectives set out in the white paper could be taken forward by other means if a bill were not to be introduced in the next session," a spokeswoman for English Heritage said.
