Daily Archives: 30/11/2012

The Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC), the UK’s professional body for conservation specialists, has launched a new web ‘starter guide’ to lead learners from all disciplines and sectors through the IHBC’s rich and accessible online resources, while also advising … Continue reading →

IHBC has highlighted recent statistics that confirm ‘conservation critical’ heritage applications – those specifically related to the control of designated places and fabric – amount to nearly 20% of the total in England, while conservation services have lost more than … Continue reading →

The IHBC has launched a new web-based commentary on listed building prosecution cases, prepared by IHBC Committee Vice Chair Bob Kindred and based on his database listing of cases, also available on the IHBC’s web site. Bob Kindred MBE said: … Continue reading →

The Northern Ireland (NI) Government has set out a new protocol, for ‘all central government departments and agencies’, requiring a skilled officer at ‘an appropriately senior level in the conservation or property management structure’, as it commits to setting example … Continue reading →

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) is looking to contract a single body or consortium to deliver a £9.7m package of neighbourhood planning support from next spring, as DCLG has indicated it may opt for two bodies to … Continue reading →

Doug Richard has set out a comprehensive vision for the future of apprenticeships in his independent report, ‘The Richard Review of Apprenticeships’ which calls on the Government to improve the quality of the programme and make them more focused on … Continue reading →

An expansion of the ‘one-stop-shop’ approach for considering nationally significant infrastructure projects to help boost growth and jobs is under consultation as part of the current legislative programme to ease planning constraints. Government writes: The Growth and Infrastructure Bill, currently … Continue reading →

A new report published today sets out practical ways for cultural organisations – particularly those outside of the capital – to improve fundraising. DCMS writes: The report, ‘Philanthropy Beyond London’, has been written by the chair of the Birmingham Opera … Continue reading →

Experienced practitioners and products are hard to find, reveals research from the Institute for Sustainability and UCL Energy Institute. BRE writes: More capacity is needed in the supply chain if it is to deliver retrofit at scale, in line with … Continue reading →

Relocating health services to town centres could ‘act as a springboard’ for wider economic regeneration of local areas, according to the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). RTPI writes: Richard Blyth, RTPI’s Head of Policy and Practice, gave evidence today (26 … Continue reading →

England’s planning minister Nick Boles has used a housing estate in Essex as an example of the ‘pig ugly’ contemporary building standards that he says make communities oppose new housing developments in their areas. Search Planning Resource: LINK

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is seeking the best examples of new British and international architecture as practices up and down the country are invited to enter projects of architectural excellence for the 2013 RIBA awards, with online … Continue reading →

Communities Minister Don Foster has announced the opening of bidding for a share of £300m funding earmarked for bringing thousands of additional empty homes back into use across England. Under the scheme 5,000 empty, and in many cases derelict, properties … Continue reading →

The planning decision on Costain and Grimshaw station revamp to stand after the judge dismissed a bid for a judicial review. Community group Bermondsey Village Action Group (BVAG) applied to the High Court for permission to launch a judicial review … Continue reading →

The Business Secretary, Vince Cable, has declared the Green Investment Bank (GIB) open for business as the Edinburgh and London-based bank will have access to £3 billion of public funding designed to kick-start private investment in green technologies as the … Continue reading →

UKAPT is one of the first successful recipients of an Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) ‘All Our Stories’ grant out of over 1,000 applications. Dr James Moir, IHBC member and UKAPT Director, has written to BPTs as follows: The £10,000 grant … Continue reading →