Monthly Archives: December 2010

Organisations and individuals are invited to offer views on priorities and policies that should be included in a new slimlined planning framework – the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) – before a draft is produced and available for formal consultation. … Continue reading →

UK Regeneration, the successor body to the British Urban Regeneration Association, has appointed Jackie Sadek as chief executive and Sadek, who was formerly chair of Bura, will begin her new role on 1 January. Sadek said: “I believe this is now … Continue reading →

A couple who were told a mystery farmhouse on the listed buildings register referred to their home – have taken their legal battle against the decision to London’s High Court. Robert and Tina Barratt bought Hayes Cottage in the village of Stone, Kent, … Continue reading →

A controversial seaside house branded an ‘eyesore’ will not have to be demolished, even though the building is larger than the original consent. Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority wanted the property near Newport pulled down but the owner successfully appealed the enforcement … Continue reading →

More than 95 per cent of English local authorities that responded to a national survey support the idea of Planning Performance Agreements (PPAs), according to an evaluation report. PPAs are frameworks to help local planning authorities and planning applicants agree … Continue reading →

Historic environment practitioners are invited to participate in a series of free open workshops, organised by the Southport Group, entitled ‘Making PPS5 work: realising the benefits of planning-led investigation of the historic environment’, which will take place on 24 and 25 … Continue reading →

Constructing Excellence in the North East Awards are open, with awards this year including the Heritage Award, Student of the Year, and Project of the Year. Held every year in May, the Constructing Excellence in the North East Awards are a … Continue reading →

In early 2011 English Heritage (EH) will be launching the Heritage List for England, a fully searchable database of all nationally designated assets, from buildings to battlefields.  This will be the first time that such information has been made available online and it … Continue reading →

The Abbey Road zebra crossing in north London – made famous after appearing on a Beatles album cover – has been given Grade II listed status. The crossing – the first of its kind to be listed – is being … Continue reading →

The UK’s professional body for conservation specialists, the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC), has welcomed new research by VisitBritain confirming again how the care and conservation of Britain’s built heritage underpins a key part of the national economy’s current … Continue reading →

An £80 million fund is at the heart of a new Government drive to boost private giving to arts organisations and create a new generation of philanthropists, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and … Continue reading →

Organisations, planners, lawyers, consultants and pressure groups have given a cautious welcome to the Localism Bill but highlighted considerable uncertainty over the detail of key measures. CABE CABE’s chief executive, Richard Simmons, said: ‘Despite all the headlines about neighbourhood planning, … Continue reading →

The Scottish Government has signed a funding agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB) to establish a new £50 million fund to support urban regeneration in Scotland, while the EIB has launched a Call for Expressions of Interest to run … Continue reading →

Riba Trust trustees and Riba councillors have spoken of their anger over the sudden scrapping of the Riba Trust. They are furious that they were not consulted about the plan, decided last week. And they have raised fears for the … Continue reading →

The Built Environment Forum Scotland (BEFS) launched its manifesto for the next Scottish Parliamentary Elections on 16 December 2010. BEFS has a vision for Scotland that by 2020 there is an ethos of quality of place across all public bodies, … Continue reading →

The Coalition’s ground-breaking Localism Bill includes measures to extend the new Community Right to Build across England under which any community organisation bringing forward new developments under this power will not need to make a normal application for planning permission, … Continue reading →

Turning tiny terraces into larger homes, rather than knocking them down and building one bed flats, could be one of the ways to respond to the re-think of the Government’s approach to physical regeneration in England’s ex-industrial cities, a report … Continue reading →

A Trustee for Scotland is being sought to join the Board of the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) / National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) with closing date of 5 January 2011. This is an opportunity to play a vital role in … Continue reading →

Urban planning needs to consider how older people use walking routes as well as public areas, concludes a Research Council UK-funded research project from the New Dynamics of Ageing Programme. Planning should include a smooth transition between walking, driving and … Continue reading →

The Localism Bill, including a ‘radical reboot of the planning system’, was introduced to Parliament on 13 December 2010. The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) said: “This Bill will shift power from central government back into the hands of individuals, communities and councils. … Continue reading →

English Heritage will recommend Rogers’ building ’the day it turns 30’ Richard Rogers’ seminal Lloyd’s Building is set to be listed next year at a “very high grade” to mark the 30th anniversary of its start on site, English Heritage has … Continue reading →

The European Commission is inviting interested parties to submit their contributions in response to the questions raised in the ‘Green Paper on the future of VAT– Towards a simpler, more robust and efficient VAT system’, with consultation closing on 31 May … Continue reading →

The Heritage Alliance’s Heritage Funding Directory (HFD) offers a comprehensive guide to sources of financial support (and more) for anyone seeking to undertake creative projects connected with the UK’s heritage and has been recently updated. Categories include the countryside, historic landscapes, … Continue reading →

Icon (Institute of Conservation), the Anna Plowden Trust and the Digital Preservation Coalition have announced the winners of the 2010 Conservation Awards: ‘Valuing Excellence’. The Anna Plowden Trust Award for Research and Innovation in Conservation was awarded to two projects this year … Continue reading →

Housing minister Grant Shapps and Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) chief executive Pat Ritchie have announced plans to recast the HCA as a smaller organisation in line with Government moves to reduce public expenditure and the size of arms-length bodies. The HCA’s … Continue reading →