Category Archives: Sector NewsBlog

‘Natural England’s Strategy: Recovering Nature for Growth, Health and Security’ – with ‘nature as essential to sustaining growth and a healthy society’

A new strategy from Natural England – ‘Recovering Nature for Growth, Health and Security’, Natural England’s strategy – sets out how it will ‘move beyond protection to systemic, large-scale recovery of nature’.

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HE & ACE issue first parts of suite of guidance, templates and factsheets etc.

Arts Council England (ACE) and Historic England (HE) have launched online resources for their Cultural and Heritage Sector Decarbonisation Project Pilot, to ‘support cultural and heritage organisations responsible for historic buildings [to] better understand… decarbonisation plans.’

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Government’s Pride in Place: Strategy update

The Pride in Place Strategy will help build stronger communities, create thriving places and empower local people, argues Government UK.

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Winners of the Georgian Group Architectural Awards announced!

The Georgian Group Architectural Awards have included Beckford’s Tower and Gorhambury House among eight projects to win in scheme celebrating exemplary conservation of Georgian heritage.

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Joining the dots: A single EDI portal for the sector

The Construction Industry Council (CIC) blog by Rebecca Lovelace, Founder and Chief Dot-joiner Building People, Speaks to a single EDI portal for the sector

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Parliamentary Committee: Nature not a ‘blocker’ to housing; needed for ‘resilient towns & neighbourhoods’, and calls for housebuilding target changes and reduced VAT (for retrofitting)

Nature is not a ‘blocker’ to delivering new housing, but rather a necessity for building resilient towns and neighbourhoods, MPs argue in a House of Commons committee report on ‘Environmental sustainability and housing growth’, with responses from government due in … Continue reading

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Housebuilding around train stations will be given default ‘yes’, including in Green Belt, as: ‘Builders Speechless’

Government says that housebuilding near well-connected train stations will receive a default ‘yes’ in future if they meet certain rules, ensuring more homes are built.

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RTPI’s State of the Profession 2025 reports across UK: One in five planners expected to leave the profession within three years, with no clear plan to replace them

New findings from a survey of more than 2,500 planners by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) reveal that 20% of respondents in the United Kingdom expect to leave the profession within the next three years – with no clear … Continue reading

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TCPA Blog: Review of Homes England’s Healthy Homes Standard: Our homes are not islands

New Government design requirements and guidance for the Healthy Homes Standard (HHS), to be used by Homes England etc. on under the Affordable Housing Programme, is the subject of a Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) blog.

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Public Practice: Recruitment & Skills Report 2025

Public practice: This is our fourth annual survey and the first time we are including results from across the UK.

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NCT’s National Churches Survey – giving every church a voice

The National Churches Trust ‘National Churches Survey: giving every church a voice’ report shows both the scale of what is at stake and the hope that continues to shine through.

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New APPG for National Parks and National Landscapes launched

On Tuesday 21st October Barry Gardiner was nominated as Chair of the APPG for National Parks and National Landscapes, a new All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) championing access to and protection of National Parks and National Landscapes, which cover 25% … Continue reading

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Heritage Alliance awarded National Lottery Heritage Fund grant for Resilience Project

The Heritage Alliance has secured a significant grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to drive its aim of making the Heritage Sector stronger and more resilient.

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Historic England Reveals its Heritage at Risk Register 2025

Historic England has issued its Heritage at Risk Register 2025, which gives an annual snapshot of the health of England’s valued historic buildings and places, ‘helping ensure they can be protected and continue to be enjoyed…’.

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St Paul’s Crowned Best Cultural Experience at Toast the City Awards

St Paul’s Cathedral has won Best Cultural Experience in the City of London at City AM’s Toast the City Awards 2025.

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CIC announces approval of new British Standard on Sustainability Competence, with Call for Expertise

The Construction Industry Council (CIC) is has announced the proposal to use The Edge and CIC’s ‘Competence Framework for Sustainability in the Built Environment’ as the foundation for a new British Standard on sustainability competence, with new Call for Expertise.

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RICS: Optimism high for AI in construction but skills shortages and integration challenges adoption

The construction industry stands on the brink of a digital transformation driven by artificial intelligence (AI), according to a new global report from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS): ‘The AI in Construction 2025’ report.

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British Woodworking Federation (BWF) leads coalition across construction to protect future of apprenticeships

The British Woodworking Federation (BWF) leads a coalition of organisations across the construction sector to protect the future of apprenticeships.

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Sheerness Dockyard Church wins RIBA Reinvention Award 2025

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced Sheerness Dockyard Church in Kent, by Hugh Broughton Architects as the winner of its Reinvention Award, 2025.

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MPs to hold a debate on the 80th anniversary of UNESCO: 18/11

On Tuesday 18 November in Westminster Hall, MPs will hold a debate on the 80th anniversary of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

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THA’s Ecclesiastical Heritage Heroes 2025: Nominations Open to 30/11

The Heritage Alliance (THA) is calling for nominations for the Ecclesiastical Heritage Heroes Awards 2025, an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the sector’s invaluable voluntary workforce, open to 30/11.

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Landscape Institute opens Feasibility Study on ‘Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) Accreditation Scheme’

The Landscape Institute (LI) is exploring the possibility of creating a dedicated Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) Accreditation Scheme beginning with a Feasibility Study, looking at a formal route to address growing concerns from members on inconsistencies in standards … Continue reading

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Home Builders Federation – ‘State of Play: Challenges and opportunities facing SME home builders’: 89% highlight LA capacity constraints

The ‘SME State of Play’ report details the findings of one of the most comprehensive surveys of Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) housebuilders, conducted by the Home Builders Federation (HBF), Close Brothers Property Finance and Travis Perkins.

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NT’s Cultural Heritage Magazine Autumn/Winter 2025 issue

The National Trust (NT) has issued the most recent edition of its Cultural Heritage Magazine (Autumn/Winter 2025).

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UKRI RICHeS Access Fund addresses costs in supporting users and service providers with first call open to 10/12

The United Kingdom Arts and Humanities Research Council RICHeS (Research Infrastructure for Conservation and Heritage Science) Access Fund helps researchers, organisations and heritage professionals gain access to cutting-edge equipment, collections and expertise.

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