Monthly Archives: July 2010

HCA is holding an online debate to explore new ways to help bring more private sector homes back into use. Affordability issues, exacerbated by the current economic conditions have placed greater emphasis on the need to tackle empty homes. Currently, … Continue reading →

On Wednesday (7 July) Heritage and Tourism Minister John Penrose published the list of applications for the UK’s new Tentative List of sites for World Heritage Site status. From the Tynwald Hill Norse assembly site on the Isle of Man, … Continue reading →

PricewaterhouseCoopers claims UK firms are “biting the hand that feeds” through negligent approach to ecosystem services The threat to businesses arising from unchecked biodiversity loss is larger and more immediate than that presented by climate change. That is the stark … Continue reading →

The winners of the six 2010 British Archaeological Awards were announced to a packed audience at the British Museum this afternoon (19 July). Established in 1976, the British Archaeological Awards are a showcase for the best in British archaeology and … Continue reading →

Natural England (NE) releases research celebrating Local Authority best practice. In 2009, Natural England commissioned the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU) to research examples of environmental best practice amongst Local Authorities. Natural Leaders is the result of this research and … Continue reading →

The Heritage at Risk Register 2010 published today (Wednesday 7 July) by English Heritage shows a significant slow-down in the number of Grade I and II* buildings being saved from neglect and decay prompting fears that England might lose the … Continue reading →

The date and location of the next national Heritage Champion conference has now been confirmed. It will take place on 15 November at the Foundling Museum in central London. Whilst details of the programme are still being finalised, the day … Continue reading →

The MIA (Management of Industry Accreditation) route to getting CSCS Heritage Skills Cards will close at end of August 2010. If you are a contractor who works on pre 1919 and listed buildings you may find yourself not being eligible … Continue reading →

Darlow Smithson Productions and the BBC are currently developing a new six-part series about architectural heritage, to be presented by Dan Cruickshank. Each series will focus on one building to trace its social and architectural history and the methods and … Continue reading →

Information is now being gathered for The Guide to Planning Consultants 2010-11, scheduled for publication in September 2010. The Guide will be distributed in print to all readers of Planning magazine and all subscribers to DCS Ltd’s Development Control Practice … Continue reading →

A council leader has slammed his own planning committee after it denied consent to move and restore a Grade II listed farmhouse on the Welsh golf course which will host this year’s Ryder Cup. Celtic Manor Resort golf complex in … Continue reading →

A new interdisciplinary research project, led by the University of Bath, will monitor and predict the impact of floods and driving rain on historic buildings to try and protect them for future generations. The risk of flooding is likely to … Continue reading →

Natural England is urging farmers and land managers with Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) agreements due to expire on 31 July to renew them as soon as possible, in order to avoid a gap between agreements, and consequently, a gap in … Continue reading →

The Prime Minister has announced new plans – Structural Reform Plans (SRPs) – to hand power to the public with every department publishing a plan that sets clear priorities and measurable milestones. These Structural Reform Plans (SRPs) mean anyone can … Continue reading →

A new action plan for the radical shift of power from Whitehall to local councils and communities that will make the Big Society part of every day life was published by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles on 8 June. Today the … Continue reading →

Urgent action demanded to improve SAP for calculating energy use of new homes The government’s tool for calculating the energy performance of new dwellings cannot adequately meet the challenges of delivering low-energy and zero-carbon houses, concludes a new report. A … Continue reading →

The Penfold Review, set up to identify whether non-planning consents delay or discourage investment, has published its final report. This report, following the interim report in March, sets out recommendations to simplifying the planning and consents environment and includes proposals … Continue reading →

Housing minister Grant Shapps has confirmed that the Government is committed to bringing in legislation allowing the creation of Local Housing Trusts which would have powers to undertake housing development which would not need specific planning applications. Proposals for this … Continue reading →

£50 million will be invested in regenerating business and transport hubs and greening housing schemes, the Scottish Government said on 6 July. Whole zones of Scotland’s towns and cities will benefit from cash for major regeneration work including new business … Continue reading →

Prince Charles is set to launch his 19th charity on 22 July – the Prince’s Countryside Fund – with the aim of supporting the nation’s most vulnerable farmers and small rural communities to improve the long-term viability of the British … Continue reading →

New Labour’s Housing Market Renewal (Pathfinder) Initiative has resulted in the destruction of thousands of terraced houses across the north of England, ripping the heart out of communities and repeating the terrible mistakes of the 1960s and 70s, according to … Continue reading →

Maintenance Matters! a new web resource designed by Cadw, the Welsh Assembly Government’s historic environment service, for owners of historic and listed properties, is now live after its launch  in June, with a unique capacity for users to create and … Continue reading →

Forest of Dean District Council has lost its enforcement action over a building made of straw bales originally constructed for research and educational purposes by local resident Jim Wallis, who subsequently moved in and lived in the property. The straw … Continue reading →

At its Council meeting on Thursday 10 June Gordon Masterton OBE was appointed as the eleventh Chairman of the Construction Industry Council;  Keith Clarke, CIC’s former Chairman, now becomes Deputy Chairman in accordance with CIC’s rules & byelaws. Gordon Masterton … Continue reading →

The Government has promised further guidance on the implications of the Coalition’s decision to scrap Regional Strategies and suggested that the administration may use secondary legislation rather than wait for primary legislation to make the change in the planning regime. … Continue reading →