Author Archives: IHBC NewsBlog

Historic brick reservoir image wins award

Image of a covered reservoir has won the best architecture photograph of the year at the Arcaid Images Architectural Photography Awards 2016. The picture by Matt Emmett of the East London Water Works Company covered reservoir in London’s Finsbury Park … Continue reading

Posted in Sector NewsBlog | Comments Off on Historic brick reservoir image wins award

Scottish Civic Trust calls for entries to My Place Awards

Community groups have been asked to nominate favourite new buildings, conservation projects and people in its annual awards (closing date 31 January 2017). The Scottish Civic Trust is calling for nominations from local civic trusts, amenity societies, community councils and … Continue reading

Posted in Sector NewsBlog | Comments Off on Scottish Civic Trust calls for entries to My Place Awards

The Design Museum – regenerating a 1960’s architectural icon

Museums + Heritage says that after almost five years of restoration and refurbishment, the Grade II* Design Museum has been transformed into a modern multi-purpose space. Museums + Heritage writes: The first thing to appreciate when you make your way … Continue reading

Posted in Sector NewsBlog | Comments Off on The Design Museum – regenerating a 1960’s architectural icon

BDP wins Northern Estate programme

Firm is awarded architectural and lead design services for the creative adaptation and conservation of a number of historic buildings for the House of Commons. The Northern Estate consists of a series of significant Grade I, II* and II listed … Continue reading

Posted in Sector NewsBlog | Comments Off on BDP wins Northern Estate programme

Westminster City Council’s ‘Special Policy Areas’ gain approval

The London Council’s plans are given the go-ahead to management development in five unique specialist clusters. The five areas – Savile Row, Mayfair, Harley Street, St James’ and Portland Street – are deemed historically and culturally significant enough to received … Continue reading

Posted in Sector NewsBlog | Comments Off on Westminster City Council’s ‘Special Policy Areas’ gain approval

Churchill Barriers to be listed

Images courtesy of Fiona Newton Second World War structures at Scapa Flow have been recognised as being of national importance by Historic Environment Scotland. The barriers were constructed during World War Two as a defensive measure to prevent enemy ships … Continue reading

Posted in Sector NewsBlog | Comments Off on Churchill Barriers to be listed

Natural and cultural heritage sites help shape communities

Symposium on ‘Future Places: Using Heritage to Build Resilient Communities’ in County Down, Northern Ireland provided an opportunity to consider how heritage can contribute to the current Programme for Government and the Local Development Plans being drawn up by the … Continue reading

Posted in Sector NewsBlog | Comments Off on Natural and cultural heritage sites help shape communities

Property Flood Resilience Action Plan out

An independent report has been issued relating to flood protection, aiming to help with flood resilience. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) writes: The Property Flood Resilience Action Plan will see Government and industry help people better … Continue reading

Posted in Sector NewsBlog | Comments Off on Property Flood Resilience Action Plan out

IHBC feature: How Gloucester Cathedral is shrinking its carbon footprint

The Natural Stone Specialist recently reported on how Gloucester cathedral is installing 150 solar panels on its nave roof and aims to cut its energy bill by a quarter. The work is part of the cathedral’s £6million Project Pilgrim scheme … Continue reading

Posted in Sector NewsBlog | Comments Off on IHBC feature: How Gloucester Cathedral is shrinking its carbon footprint

IHBC’s Conservation Area anniversary celebrations fund update: Check out some of the ideas already coming in from civic trusts!

Take a look at some of the great ideas already received from local Civic Trusts on they can use the IHBC’s £2500 allocation to help local communities celebrate the 50th anniversary of Conservation Areas in 2017. Picture: First designated conservation … Continue reading

Posted in IHBC NewsBlog | Comments Off on IHBC’s Conservation Area anniversary celebrations fund update: Check out some of the ideas already coming in from civic trusts!

IHBC launches new Guidance Note: ‘Cemetery Monuments and the new British Standard’ (BS 8415)

IHBC’s newest Guidance Note (GN), entitled ‘Historic Cemetery Monuments Testing and the new British Standard’ (GN2016/4) has been published on the IHBC’s Toolbox. Bob Kindred, IHBC Research co-ordinator and author of this Guidance Note, said: ‘This is a short interim … Continue reading

Posted in IHBC NewsBlog | Comments Off on IHBC launches new Guidance Note: ‘Cemetery Monuments and the new British Standard’ (BS 8415)

Reminder – IHBC Scotland Branch AGM and ‘hard hat’ visit to Riddles Court: 25 Nov

IHBC Scotland Branch has announced its AGM (6 pm) and linked ‘Hard Hat’ visit to Edinburgh’s ‘Riddles Court, a Merchants House fit for a King’, on 25 November from 2pm on For details and more background and options see the … Continue reading

Posted in IHBC NewsBlog | Comments Off on Reminder – IHBC Scotland Branch AGM and ‘hard hat’ visit to Riddles Court: 25 Nov

IHBC’s ‘bigger picture’ NewsBlog: Government Response to BE Select Committee says ‘historic environment is a resource of significant cultural, social and economic value’

The Government’s response to the House of Lords Select Committee on the Built Environment (BE), says it ‘recognises that England’s historic environment is a resource of significant cultural, social and economic value’. The 44 page document is the response to … Continue reading

Posted in Sector NewsBlog | Comments Off on IHBC’s ‘bigger picture’ NewsBlog: Government Response to BE Select Committee says ‘historic environment is a resource of significant cultural, social and economic value’

Farewell Boleyn: Passing on significance… in footies’ historic environment

The demolition of the Boleyn Ground, former home to West Ham United Football Club, has given one lifelong Hammers fan the opportunity to have one final look around the grand old lady of London’s East End, while progress is being … Continue reading

Posted in Sector NewsBlog | Comments Off on Farewell Boleyn: Passing on significance… in footies’ historic environment

England’s areas with the most listed buildings: buyers expect costs at c.50% more than area average

Real estate agent Savills has looked at 350,000 listed buildings across England to find the areas with the highest concentration of listed properties per head of population. The company found that buyers expect to pay almost 50% more than the … Continue reading

Posted in Sector NewsBlog | Comments Off on England’s areas with the most listed buildings: buyers expect costs at c.50% more than area average

H&S in construction: 43 workers killed in 2015/16

Statistics from the Health & Safety Executive (H&SE) show a construction fatality rate of 1.94 per 100,000 workers, compared to 0.46 across all industries Looking at average figures over the years of 2013/4 to 2015/6, there were around 79,000 cases … Continue reading

Posted in Sector NewsBlog | Comments Off on H&S in construction: 43 workers killed in 2015/16

Property Flood Resilience Action Plan out

An independent report has been issued relating to flood protection, aiming to help with flood resilience. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) writes: The Property Flood Resilience Action Plan will see Government and industry help people better … Continue reading

Posted in Sector NewsBlog | Comments Off on Property Flood Resilience Action Plan out

More than a million homes possible on brownfield land, say CPRE

The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) says that suitable brownfield sites in England can provide up to 1.4 million new homes. The CPRE used the Government’s pilot brownfield register scheme to estimate that brownfield sites could provide between 1.1 … Continue reading

Posted in Sector NewsBlog | Comments Off on More than a million homes possible on brownfield land, say CPRE

English local authorities paid out nearly £12m in costs over lost planning appeals

Daniel Watney LLP gathered the data from Freedom of Information requests sent to the UK’s 418 principal local authorities. The property consultancy asked the authorities for the cost of appeal proceedings between 2010/11 and 2015/16. Cornwall Council paid out the … Continue reading

Posted in Sector NewsBlog | Comments Off on English local authorities paid out nearly £12m in costs over lost planning appeals

BBC features Heritage Crime

The BBC reported in September on how police forces in England have teamed up with heritage experts to crack down on gangs stealing valuable metal from churches and historic buildings. The BBC writes: Officers are working with Historic England to … Continue reading

Posted in Sector NewsBlog | Comments Off on BBC features Heritage Crime

IHBC’s ‘Top HESPR tender pick of the week’: HE’s ‘Listed Buildings Owners Survey’ 2016: closing 2 December

The IHBC’s commercial conservation services listing, HESPR – the Historic Environment Service Providers Recognition scheme – offers weekly HESPR Bulletins that bring tender opportunities together into one handy place, and the Director’s top pick for IHBC members this week features … Continue reading

Posted in IHBC NewsBlog | Comments Off on IHBC’s ‘Top HESPR tender pick of the week’: HE’s ‘Listed Buildings Owners Survey’ 2016: closing 2 December

Heritage Counts 2016 surveys the state of play in England’s heritage care… with IHBC’s help: LBCs rise but HE staffing doesn’t – so now more than 10 years of decline in HE services

Indicators in the latest Heritage Counts survey of England’s Historic Environment show that Listed Building Consent (LBC) applications are an increasing proportion of all applications submitted while, using data collected by the IHBC among others, overall local authority historic environment … Continue reading

Posted in IHBC NewsBlog | Comments Off on Heritage Counts 2016 surveys the state of play in England’s heritage care… with IHBC’s help: LBCs rise but HE staffing doesn’t – so now more than 10 years of decline in HE services

IHBC update for trustees on Year 1 of ‘CP20’: our Corporate Plan for 2015-20

The IHBC is making available to members the National Office report to trustees on progress in delivering the current Corporate Plan, ‘CP20’, at the end of the first of its five-year life. IHBC Chair James Caird said: ‘It’s important that … Continue reading

Posted in IHBC NewsBlog | Comments Off on IHBC update for trustees on Year 1 of ‘CP20’: our Corporate Plan for 2015-20

Government rejects calls from HOL Select Committee for a Chief Built Environment Adviser and community right of appeal

Recommendations, by the House of Lords (HOL) Select Committee on the Built Environment, for the creation of Chief Built Environment Adviser and a community right of appeal have been rejected by the Government. The recommendations were part of a Select … Continue reading

Posted in Sector NewsBlog | Comments Off on Government rejects calls from HOL Select Committee for a Chief Built Environment Adviser and community right of appeal

Parliamentary review: Call for Evidence – Basement Development

A call for evidence on basement developments has been issued as part of the parliamentary review of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 (closing date of 16 December). The Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCLG) writes: In response to … Continue reading

Posted in Sector NewsBlog | Comments Off on Parliamentary review: Call for Evidence – Basement Development