IHBC NewsBlogs

image for illustration: Chris CC BY-SA 2.0 vis Wikimedia Commons

The newly launched National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) has been issued, setting out the government’s policies for plan-making and for making decisions on development proposals in England and how these are expected to be applied, and is under review by the IHBC.

IHBC Vice Chair and Chair of the IHBC’s Legal Panel Lone Le Vay said: ‘The NPPF is being circulated to the Legal Panel for comment and advice.’

Roy Lewis, IHBC’S Policy Committee Chair, said: ‘The Policy committee is setting up an online gathering of interim thoughts on the NPPF, to help inform more formal discussion and assessment by the IHBC’.

See England’s new NPPF

image for illustration: El Pollock / Model of Lutyens’ Catholic Cathedral, Museum of Liverpool (Wikimedia Commons)

IHBC members of all categories can enjoy the Lutyens Trust’s on-site explorations around Liverpool and Lutyens, across 6 & 7 November, all at Trust member rates, from Full and Day (7/11) Conferences to talks, walks and more.

IHBC members over 30 should select rates for ‘Member’ when booking HERE as follows, with options including:

– Members (Inc IHBC) Full Conference Ticket, 6 and 7 November 2026:  £120

– Members (Inc IHBC) Day Ticket, Saturday 7 November: £100

– Student / Under 30 Full Conference Ticket, 6 and 7 November 2026: £50

– Student / Under 30 Day Conference Ticket, Saturday 7 November 2026: £45

The IHBC’s celebrated annual Gus Astley Student Award close on 31 August 2026, so if you have relevant coursework from ANY UK taught course – under-graduate or post-graduate, completed by 30 September 2025 OR 30 September 2026 – just submit it online and on time to have a chance to receive a cash prize at the IHBC’s Annual School in Bristol/Bath in June 2027, on ‘Climate Change & Significance’.

image for illustration: IHBC

The IHBC is delighted to host a stall at the Heritage Network Conference 2026, on 28 September, with Northern Ireland (NI) Branch and National Office leads attending, so if you are there be sure drop by, and remember to encourage your colleagues and friends to come along too!

_{image: Worcester Cathedral interior by Steve McLeish for IHBC Annual School 2016}

This IHBC and our West Midlands Branch will join the next West Midlands Heritage Trust (WMHT) Careers Fair, which will come to Worcester Cathedral on 21 October 2026.

A major investment partnership between the National Trust and Rothschild Foundation will replace the Manor’s ageing gas boilers with the National Trust’s largest ever Ground Source Heat Pump System proving that historic houses can lead the way in decarbonisation.

The IHBC’s heritage business register HESPR – our Historic Environment Service Providers Recognition quality assurance service – sends members exclusive ‘News and Tender Alerts’, with the Director’s top taster for NewsBlog readers this week a call from a Church body for qualified Advisers etc. to tender for repair and regeneration of a Minster, to 04/09.

SEE MORE ON HESPR

JOIN HESPR, FROM £145PA (TO 2 EMPLOYEES)

Download sample weekly alert

A new chapter for HM Tower of London: learning, community and creativity at the heart of a historic transformation

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government has released updated survey data on how resilient English homes are to extreme weather, and reports on five things learned by new NESTA analysis by Charlie Meyrick.

image for illustration: Freshwater West Bay, Phil Dolby, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

A power cable linking UK and Ireland now passes near Bronze Age human burial remains instead of fictional grave on Welsh beach, reports The Guardian.