Department for Communities Northern Ireland - Historic Environment Division

Causeway Exchange, 1-7 Bedford Street
Belfast BT2 7EG

028 9082 9000

Historicenvironmentenquiries@communities-ni.gov.uk

www.communities-ni.gov.uk/topics/historic-environment

GOVERNMENT BODY

The Historic Environment Division [HED] of Northern Ireland's Department for Communities [DfC] has the statutory responsibility for the protection of the historic environment in Northern Ireland. The divisional aim is 'Helping communities to enjoy and realise the value of our historic environment'.

HED manages just over 190 monuments in the care of the Department for Communities. There are presently over 8,800 listed buildings of which over 900 are listed places of worship and over 1,900 monuments are protected through scheduling. In addition, there are over 16,000 recorded archaeological sites across NI.

HED carries out statutory duties in respect of the wider historic environment, notably protection and designation functions, offering financial assistance, providing general leadership for the historic environment sector and engaging stakeholders and communities.