Monthly Archives: March 2010

The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) is creating a panel of 400 senior housing and regeneration professionals to provide expert insights into pressing industry issues, and if you’d like become a panel member then please contact Jo Bell:  0113 3949410. … Continue reading →

Historic Scotland is to post on its website its 2009 report into local authority ‘policies, staffing and resources for the historic environment’, by Geoff Peart Consulting with  Arup Planning. Key points include: Staff with some historic environment responsibilities totalled 203 … Continue reading →

George Musser, in an article entitled ‘Are old houses doomed? The conflict between historic preservation and energy efficiency’ explores conservation of old buildings and energy from the perspective of a scientific American, proving conclusively that we remain two nations separated … Continue reading →

Another large-scale digital mapping product of interest to planners and developers has been unveiled as Landmark Promap announced the GeoInformation Group’s UKMap service, an alternative to the Ordnance Survey. The initial roll-out provides 1:1000 large scale topographic mapping for the … Continue reading →

Key heritage interests in Wales, including the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) and the Civic Trust for Wales, are urging stakeholders to contribute to a consultation draft study into Wales’  planning process before the closing date of 8 April, … Continue reading →

British Waterways (BW) welcomes the UK Government’s announcement today in its Budget statement of plans to move England & Wales’ 200-year old canal network into a ‘mutual’ organisation, such as a charitable trust; & while the proposals relate only to … Continue reading →

European Culture Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou has suggested that historic sites across Europe that ‘symbolise European integration, ideals and history’ should be identified with The European Heritage Label as an EU-wide initiative. This proposal builds on a 2006 intergovernmental project involving … Continue reading →

Planning Aid England has recently operated a survey to explore ways in which to diversify its income stream to allow it to become financially sustainable in the future and to continue providing its services. This closed on 23rd March and … Continue reading →

Councils must think bigger and act quicker to reduce costs, or funding cuts will cause more damage to services and jobs than necessary, the stark warning in Surviving the Crunch, a report published on 23 March by the Audit Commission, … Continue reading →

New proposals to tackle greenwash and build consumer confidence in environmental claims and labelling have been announced by Defra on 23 March. Two consultations have been launched – one aimed at helping consumers identify goods and services that are genuinely … Continue reading →

Historic Scotland is challenging  the view that traditionally built homes, which comprise almost a fifth  of Scotland’s houses, are energy inefficient and a barrier to meeting Scotland’s carbon reduction targets in the housing sector. This is one of the issues … Continue reading →

Following the release by CLG on 23 March of the Planning Policy Statement on Planning for the Historic Environment (PPS 5) the IHBC reports on its assessment and forward planning. Dave Chetwyn, IHBC Chair, said: “We welcome the very real … Continue reading →

Planning Policy Statement  5: Planning for the Historic Environment (PPS5) has been launched. PPS 5 sets out the Government’s planning policies on the conservation of the historic environment.  This replaces Planning Policy Guidance 15: Planning and the Historic Environment (PPG15) … Continue reading →

With welcome core funding from Historic Scotland now secured, at £360,00 over for 3 years, Built Environment Forum Scotland (BEFS) now seeks a Director to lead it forward, and is working with its members to alert potential candidates. BEFS, Scotland’s … Continue reading →

The Government believes that the historic environment is an asset of enormous cultural, social, economic and environmental value. It makes a very real contribution to our quality of life and the quality of our places. This document is intended to … Continue reading →

The Penfold Review, set up to identify whether getting non-planning consents delays or discourages investment, has published its interim report. The press notice says: ‘The report draws on evidence received following the call for evidence that was issued in December … Continue reading →

Historic Scotland has invited every local authority in Scotland to join a planning scheme to improve and speed up the process of dealing with certain types of applications affecting category B listed buildings. This is part of a range of … Continue reading →

English Heritage, as part of its Heritage at Risk programme, is carrying out the first national survey of Places of Worship at Risk. On 30th June EH will announce the results of a sample survey that offers an insight into … Continue reading →

The Supreme Court has ordered Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council to register Coatham Common on the north side of Redcar adjoining the beach on the North Sea coast as a village green, reversing earlier High Court and Court of Appeal … Continue reading →

A Kent family tomb which was lovingly restored after falling into a dire state of disrepair has scooped a top conservation award. Eddie Booth (IHBC President) presented the Conservation and Craftsmanship prize at Kent Design Awards on 16th March. The … Continue reading →

A High Court judge has quashed the planning permission for a redevelopment scheme as it determined that the application should have been subject to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) legislation. Proposed by the Duke of Northumberland for the town centre of … Continue reading →

The Local Government Association list of 250 words that should not be used by the public sector when providing information to the public. Link to List on PlanningBlog

IHBC Projects Officer Fiona Newton welcomed the Big Lottery Fund award of £10,000 to Urban Regeneration Company Opportunity Peterborough, funding that comes as a Traditional Skills Grant under its ‘Awards for All’ grants scheme. Fiona Newton said: “The point is … Continue reading →

A comprehensive new report conducted by Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, analyzes the economic impact of the federal Historic Tax Credit since its inception in 1976, ‘clearly shows that historic preservation is a powerful tool for economic revitalization … Continue reading →

The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has appointed Jane Briginshaw as its new head of design and sustainability. She joins from Partnerships for Schools, where she is currently design director, after a period as head of design for the Department … Continue reading →