Monthly Archives: November 2011

A project to save the last working Victorian pottery in the UK and create more than 100 new jobs in Stoke-on-Trent has secured commitments to receive £5 million of government and private funding, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) … Continue reading →

Scotland’s Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop is energetically making the case for reducing VAT for renovations, repairs and home improvements to just five per cent as she points out: ·   ‘Refurbishment of older buildings and areas, especially those of heritage value, … Continue reading →

The Localism Bill, which includes measures for major reform of the planning system in England, is now waiting for Royal Assent, as the Coalition’s Decentralisation Minister Greg Clark insists ‘we want to see more planning, not less’, and notes that … Continue reading →

Victoria County History (VCH) has announced the launch of a new website.   VCH says: Founded in 1899 and originally dedicated to Queen Victoria, Victoria County History (VCH) is an encyclopaedic record of England’s places and people from earliest times … Continue reading →

The London Borough of Southwark has announced that the main high street in Peckham is to become part of a new conservation area.   Search Planning Resource: LINK

ConstructionSkills, the construction industry sector skills council, has announced the availability of a Specialist Apprenticeship Programme for heritage roofing that has benefited learners across the south coast – with a third intake already planned for November 2011.   ConstructionSkills News … Continue reading →

From 6 April 2012 anyone leaving 10 per cent of their estate to charity can reap the benefit of reduced inheritance tax from 40 per cent to 36 per cent. Underpinning the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s (DCMS) ‘10 … Continue reading →

The Vernacular Architecture Group (VAG) has released details on its annual bursaries to its Winter Meeting, to be held on 7th – 8th January 2012 at the University of Leicester, with a closing date of 24 November for applications.   … Continue reading →

Some 82 percent of councillors believe that planning consultations only capture the opinions of the ‘most vocal people’ and 75 percent believe the ‘silent majority’ is overlooked in planning decisions, according to a recent survey.   The research, for planning consultancy … Continue reading →

The Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC), the professional body for built and historic environment conservation specialists, has announced the appointment of the guest judge for its 2011 Gus Astley Student Awards, Rory Cullen, Head of Buildings at the National … Continue reading →

The IHBC has agreed to co-sponsor COTAC’s forthcoming conference on ‘Improving Thermal Performance in Traditional Buildings’, scheduled for 15-16 November in Greenwich.   The conference is especially timely as it has been agreed that it will encompass discussions on forward … Continue reading →

Belmont House, Unst, had already been crowned Scottish Project of the Year in the RICS Scotland Awards in May and has now been recognised on a global platform as Commended in the Building Conservation category at the RICS Awards global … Continue reading →

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has agreed with Communities Secretary Eric Pickles that a grade ll listed cottage at the centre of an appeal case should be delisted.   This followed an appeal over an enforcement … Continue reading →

  England’s Heritage Open Days, the great annual celebration of our heritage, has moved into a new phase as the responsibility for the central co-ordinating services passed from English Heritage to the new national partnership of The Heritage Alliance, Civic … Continue reading →

English Heritage (EH) has commissioned research to establish the threats and risks facing local authority heritage assets in a climate where cutbacks and other pressures are causing local authorities to dispose of heritage assets, or transferring their management to other … Continue reading →

English Heritage (EH) is seeking applications from organisations with an excellent record of project management to develop this part-funded post for a three-year period, with completed applications to be submitted by 1 December, and the Support Officer to be in … Continue reading →

  The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) has announced the launch of National Maintenance Week from November 18th to 25th 2011. SPAB says: Regular maintenance is vital for all properties, regardless of age, scale or purpose. Now … Continue reading →

Skills Minister John Hayes has announced a review of the Skills Funding Agency and the statutory post of Chief Executive of Skills Funding, says the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS).   BIS goes on: The Government has committed … Continue reading →

Former director of design review at Cabe, Diane Haigh, leaves the newly merged organisation. Building Co Uk: LINK