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IHBC’S NewsBlogs usually only summarise third party reports. Links to other sites may not be active so you may need to contact the host site for the original text.
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May 2026 M T W T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Monthly archive
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- Hear more from the RTPI – IHBC’s Newcastle School ‘Friends’ – as IHBC-member rates on offer to RTPI members for our Virtual Day School, 19/06 01/05/2026
- Need a MATE? Book your place now for our free online IHBC Accreditation guidance – Prospective assessors and MATE leads warmly welcomed too: 06/05; 19/08; 18/11 01/05/2026
- IHBC is planning for growth, so grow with us by volunteering, with our Committees, Boards and Branches, or Panels, Groups and more as suits – just let us know! 01/05/2026
- IHBC’s ‘Professional’ CPD Signpost: Why Language Matters In Climate Change Solutions 01/05/2026
- IHBC’s ‘Practice’ CPD Signpost: Tilbury Douglas first contractor to launch humanoid robot on a construction site 01/05/2026
- IHBC Director’s pick from HESPR’s £141K costed works this week: Heritage body seeks specialist illustrators, to 20/05 01/05/2026
- IHBC features ‘Heritage from the (charity) doorstep’: ‘Huge relief’ as National Trust exempted from consumer rights rule change 01/05/2026
- Griff Rhys Jones reveals 2026 Top Ten Endangered Buildings on BBC Radio 4 Today programme 01/05/2026
- New Historic Houses report finds that nine in ten heritage workers would recommend their career 01/05/2026
- Scottish Government supports HES chair amid resignation reports 01/05/2026
- ‘Our Place to Give’: Government’s new plan to unlock philanthropic investment into England’s most disadvantaged communities 01/05/2026
- IHBC features ‘Heritage from the Global doorstep’: European Commission and Europa Nostra announce the winners of Europe’s top heritage awards 2026, with public voting to 12/05 01/05/2026
- Need a MATE? Book your place now for our free online IHBC Accreditation guidance – Prospective assessors and MATE leads warmly welcomed too! 28/04/2026
- Top marks for IHBC’s latest Council as LA Conservation service talks, papers & film get 10/10 from nearly 20% of 120+ delegates, shaping the survey for our new parliamentary push 28/04/2026
- Don’t need your paper Context? Do everyone a favour and pass it on, ‘Spreading the Word’ to help the Conservation Professional! 28/04/2026
- IHBC’s ‘Practice’ CPD Signpost: Cadw on ‘Raising the baa for ecology’, as goats to make Blaenavon Ironworks their home 28/04/2026
- IHBC HESPR’s ‘News from the Sector’: The Times on ‘… sites face ruin as specialist skills dwindle’, + IHBC onPre-School Webinars & Virtual Day School 28/04/2026
- IHBC features ‘Heritage from the (LG) doorstep’: Dramatic fall in LGA staff morale linked to restructuring 28/04/2026
- Wales Infrastructure Delivery Research 2026: … structural issues need to be tackled to meet long-term infrastructure goals 28/04/2026
- HES: £19.5m for Scotland’s historic cities 28/04/2026
- MHCLG publishes Guidance to support Neighbourhood Planning 28/04/2026
- The Architectural Heritage Fund marks 50 years of social impact through conservation and adaptation 28/04/2026
- ‘Vanbrugh300’ update: A year-long celebration of Sir John Vanbrugh ‘England’s finest Baroque architect and dramatist’ 28/04/2026
- First wave of national Young Futures Hubs open to turn the tide under the National Youth Strategy, as ‘youth services decline’ 28/04/2026
- Local museums receive £4 million to improve accessibility to arts and culture 28/04/2026
Category Archives: Sector NewsBlog
CITB ‘Industry Picture’ report explores challenges and opportunities underpinning construction skills gap
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has released its Industry Picture 2026, with evidence on the challenges and opportunities underpinning the construction skills gap, to help understand the significant trends and challenges for construction.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged construction, heritage, industry, skills
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BEFS publishes the latest edition of quarterly POWF Newsletter
image for illustration: St Mary’s Church at Whitekirk by Jennifer Petrie, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons Built Environment Forum Scotland (BEFS) has published the latest edition of the Places of Worship (POWF) Newsletter.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged churches, ecclesiastical, research, Scotland
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Respublica reports on ‘A Modest Proposal for the Restoration of Neighbourhoods’
Research & policy body Respublica has issued a report offering ‘A Modest Proposal for the Restoration of Neighbourhoods’.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged civic, economy, neighbourhoods, policy, research
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Planning appeals – procedural guide: For appeals relating to applications dated on or after 1 April 2026
A new planning appeals procedural guide for appeals outlines the new process for making an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate as a result of The Town and Country Planning (Appeals) (Written Representations Procedure) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged appeal, government, local authorities, planning
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LG etc. Ombudsman warns councils are ‘losing control’ of planning enforcement as complaints increasingly reveal years-long delays
Unlawful developments are being left permanently in place across England because under-resourced councils are running out of time to act, a new report from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman reveals.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged conservation, councils, enforcement, government, local authority, planning, skills
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RIBA condemns ‘ill-advised’ ARB accreditation rule
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has responded to the Architects Registration Board’s (ARB) decision to keep the wording of its Accreditation Rule 4.2: Degree awarding powers, which it changed from ‘qualification awarding powers’ to ‘degree awarding powers’.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged accreditation, architecture, RIBA
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New £400,000 pilot fund launched to help Scotland’s cultural and creative buildings adapt to climate change
A new £400,000 pilot project has been launched to support pioneering projects that help organisations owning Scotland’s cultural and creative buildings respond to climate change.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged cultural heritage, funding, Scotland
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Historic England’s new sector newsletter: The Professional Edit
Historic England encourages heritage professional to sign up for its heritage Sector Newsletter: The Professional Edit.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged HIstoric England, newsletter
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‘Cultural Tax Reliefs Impact Review’ published by Arts Council
The Arts Council has published its independent report on the impact of Cultural Tax Reliefs – ‘Cultural Tax Reliefs Impact Review’ – produced by Nordicity, Ipsos and SafferyLLP.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged Arts Council, cultural, heritage, tax
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New CPRE exhibition marks 100 years of countryside protection
image for illustration: The Museum of English Rural Life, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons To mark the centenary year of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), a new exhibition at The Museum of English Rural Life (The MERL) … Continue reading
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged CPRE, Green Belt, rural
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Aviva Analysis indicates proportion of new homes built in flood areas rises to one in nine
One in nine (11%) new homes in England constructed between 2022 and 2024 have been built in areas of medium or high risk of flooding, according to new analysis from insurer Aviva, as Greater London and Essex have the highest … Continue reading
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged development, flooding, housebuilding, planning
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Protrade on ‘State of Construction Apprenticeships in 2026’
New analysis by Protrade reveals a 1.5% increase in new construction apprentices for 2024/25, representing the first year of growth since the 2021/22 peak.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged apprenticeships, development, government, housebuilding, UK
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IHBC Director’s pick from HESPR’s weekly works: Authority seeks conservation plans for iconic structures, to 27/03
The IHBC’s heritage business register HESPR – our Historic Environment Service Providers Recognition quality assurance service – emails members our exclusive ‘News and Tender Alerts’, with the Director’s tender taster for NewsBlog readers this week a call from a national … Continue reading
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged conservation, heritage, HESPR, professionals
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NCT’s Fact Check: What we know about the new funding for churches and VAT changes – and … ‘write to your MP’
image for illustration: Ballidon Church, Derbyshire by Ralph Mills CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons On the 22 January 2026, the UK Government confirmed the end of Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, to be replaced by a £92 million four-year-fund … Continue reading
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged churches, conservation, ecclesiastical, funding, government, heritage, repairs, VAT
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UKRI’s ‘Proof of Concept funding opportunity from 04/03’ + simplified research translation & commercialisation funding
With Proof of Concept funding opportunities open from 4 March, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is streamlining its research translation and commercialisation funding opportunities to make them clearer and more consistent.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged conservation, funding, research
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DB on NPPF Plan making and national decision-making policies
Designing Buildings National Planning Policy Framework 2025 draft review in brief with indicative responses.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged consultation, government, NPPF, planning
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IHBC President’s ‘Members only’ Invitation to next Virtual Council: Online, 8 April 2026, from 4.30pm – Scoping ‘Investigation’ of conservation in local government, with a call for suggestions etc.
IHBC members should have received their invitation from our President, Rebecca Thompson, to join in our new-style and ‘members-only’ online Council from 4.30pm on 8 April, when, as well as Charters & much more, we start to ‘investigate conservation roles … Continue reading
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged council, cpd, IHBC, professional
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IHBC’s ‘Evaluation’ Signpost: Poetry from concrete – Scotland’s fascinating historic concrete and brutalist architecture
image for illustration: Bernat Klein Studio 2010, Jonathan Oldenbuck, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Historic building conservation is for buildings more modern than you might expect, reports Scotland’s The Engine Shed.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged brutalism, concrete, conservation, heritage, Scotland
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Tell The Heritage Fund: Is your historic park or garden prepared for the climate crisis? TO 16/03
The Heritage Fund is asking the thousands of owners and managers of historic landscape parks and gardens across the UK to take part in a new survey about how the climate crisis is affecting the places you care for.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged climate change, conservation, gardens, guidance, HIstoric England, landscape, parks
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Consultation on new regeneration body for Greater Cambridge
A new consultation for a development corporation in Greater Cambridge has been launched.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged development, growth, housing, infrastructure, planning
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DCMS Honours Team on New Year 2027 (NY27) ‘Invitation to nominate’, information sessions and nomination form (to 31/03)
The DCMS Honours Team has circulated its Honours Information Sessions to support nominations for the New Year 2027 Honours List.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged application, DCMS, government, honours
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RTPI asks: Can England still build its utopian vision of a ‘new town’?
New research from the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) argues that the utopian ambition behind new towns doesn’t need to be abandoned, but rediscovered.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, development, government, housing, RTPI, towns
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New design guidance to raise the bar for new build developments
The government has published updated new build design guidance ‘to focus on design quality’.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, development, environment, government, housing
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