Monthly Archives: March 2012

The IHBC has greeted England’s new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) with some relief, highlighting both the substantial improvements from the first draft and welcoming the potential the NPPF offers for people to lobby for improved capacity in local authority … Continue reading →

The new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) just launched by the Coalition government relinquishes central control for the detailed interpretation of sustainable development to local authorities, once again putting the decisions into the hands of the decision-makers. This was the … Continue reading →

The NPPF has placed final responsibility for the care of local places firmly in the hands of local people, and if they want to succeed, specialist support inside local authorities is essential: a conservation officer! Following the publication of the … Continue reading →

The Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC), the professional body for built and historic environment conservation specialists, is providing guidance on how you can identify your local Conservation Officer (CO) or service, if you still have one, and how important … Continue reading →

Anyone who cares about their local places must get to grips with their local plan, as the new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) offers only a short window of 12 months to get the plan fit for purpose under the … Continue reading →

Following the publication of the NPPF, and the withdrawal of other national planning policy, if there is a dispute over the interpretation of policy, the only other place it can be worked out will be in the courts, says the … Continue reading →

The Planning Inspectorate, which recognises the IHBC as an ‘Approved professional body’, is recruiting additional Inspectors to help deliver the national planning and appeal service. Highly-motivated professionals from a range of backgrounds and with expertise in planning and/or other land-use … Continue reading →

The Church of England (CoE) has written to the Chancellor to request an exemption for places of worship in the extension of VAT to alterations in listed buildings, claiming the Budget measure could cost the Church up to £20m per … Continue reading →

A family who illegally built a wooden house in Surrey woodland in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) have been granted a Certificate of Lawful Use by Mole Valley District Council. Horse trainer Daniel Brown, his wife Jessica and … Continue reading →

Scottish planning minister Derek Mackay has confirmed plans to link increases in planning fees for local authorities to performance levels, as part of wider plans to streamline the planning system. Search Planning Resource: LINK

An ambitious multi-billion scheme to regenerate 60 hectares of dockland in Liverpool has been approved by the city council’s planning committee, subject to a legal agreement. The outline application from Peel Holdings has been referred to the Government. Council leader … Continue reading →

Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s childhood homes in Liverpool have been listed at Grade II, celebrating the huge cultural and historic associations that the two houses have as the place where The Beatles composed and rehearsed many of their early … Continue reading →

A nationwide competition to find the UK’s City of Culture 2017 will be launched later this year, Culture Minister Ed Vaizey has announced. Derry-Londonderry will be the first ever UK City of Culture next year and will stage a series … Continue reading →

IHBC members, colleagues and others interested in conservation now may easily send key sector news and updates direct from the IHBC’s NewsBlogs to their favoured on-line networks by using the new links in our NewsBlog archive. Continuing the development of … Continue reading →

As part of the Budget announcements, HMRC has opened a consultation on its proposal to eliminate key current VAT relief for heritage work linked to Listed Building Consent (LBC), from October 2012, with the consultation to close on 4 May. … Continue reading →

Britain’s oldest heritage charity, SPAB (Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings) has been named as one of Europe’s most outstanding organisations involved in the protection and enhancement of cultural heritage, as its considerable contribution to the world of conservation … Continue reading →

In a presentation to England’s Nation Planning Forum (NPF), the principal cross-sectoral voice on planning issues in England, CLG highlighted the government’s commitment to conservation as second only to the ‘absolute commitment to economic growth’. In the presentation to the … Continue reading →

The attorney general has announced that he would uphold a high court judgement that the Wedgwood Museum’s collections could be sold to meet a £135m pension deficit inherited from the Wedgwood Pension Plan Trustee Limited, which went into administration in … Continue reading →

Northern Ireland’s Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy launched the revised Regional Development Strategy (RDS) 2035 at an event in the Waterfront Hall on 15 March 2012. The event attended by representatives of central and local government, the business community, environment … Continue reading →

MPs have voted unanimously in favour of keeping the construction Levy for a further three years, and approved a number of industry-led revisions to the CITB-ConstructionSkills Levy Order, on 19th March 2012. CITB-Cskills writes: This underlines the important role of … Continue reading →

The first comprehensive survey on the effect of crime on England’s historic buildings and sites, commissioned by English Heritage, has been released. The survey shows a worrying rate of damage and estimates that: Some 70,000 listed buildings – 18.7% of … Continue reading →

Extracts from Greg Barker’s speech at Ecobuild are provided below. Greg said: … When the Coalition was formed one of our first pledges was for this to be the Greenest Government ever. At the heart of this pledge- particularly given … Continue reading →

The RTPI has launched a major new initiative calling for a debate on five key questions relating to the benefits of having a Map for England to plan infrastructure and services and to enable decision makers at the local level … Continue reading →

Sustainable businesses will have the opportunity to provide information and data that will shape how the Green Construction Board (GCB) will deliver its plans for a low carbon built environment, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (DBIS) has announced. Business … Continue reading →

Prime Minister David Cameron has reaffirmed the government’s plans for a new generation of garden cities to help tackle the country’s housing crisis. Search Planning Resource: LINK