Monthly Archives: February 2013

The Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) has responded to the consultation on planning practice guidance in England, noting broad agreement with the recommendations despite reservations about the timescale, resource commitments, and the way some critical guidance may be withdrawn … Continue reading →

The Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) is supporting and presenting at an important RTPI regional event on the future of heritage planning, at the Steam Museum Swindon, on 4 July 2013, with reduced rates offered to IHBC members. Speakers … Continue reading →

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has launched its Catalyst heritage: building fundraising capacity grants with a new £2million investment programme designed to help organisations or partnerships of heritage organisations build their fundraising capacity and encourage more private giving. Grants of … Continue reading →

England’s housing and regeneration quango the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has appointed an infrastructure finance expert as its new permanent chief executive. HCA chairman Robert Napier has announced that Andy Rose had been appointed as chief executive and accounting … Continue reading →

The Law Commission has started consulting on significant changes to the legal regime surrounding rights to light. At this stage the proposals are provisional but the organisation has stressed that the Commission’s final recommendations to the Government will be strongly … Continue reading →

Historic Scotland (HS) and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), have provided an update on the planned merger, describing a new ‘lead body responsible for investigating and recording, with the business case for the … Continue reading →

Civic Voice has launched a new initiative aimed at promoting the rights of appeal for communities, developing on thinking around third party rights of appeal (TPRA), and is asking people to lobby their MPs on the campaign. Civic Voice writes: … Continue reading →

Following a national search run by English Heritage, Broadland District Council, working in conjunction with Ingham Pinnock Associates, has been chosen to carry out a Heritage At Risk Pilot Scheme. English Heritage asked interested parties to consider how best to … Continue reading →

The Brecon Beacons National Park has become the fifth location in the world to be granted International Dark Sky Reserve status making it Wales’ first accredited International Dark Sky Reserve. Designated reserves are areas recognised as possessing an exceptional or … Continue reading →

Nearly two-thirds of residents trust their local council and 72 per cent are satisfied with the way services are run according to a new research report announced by the Local Government Association (LGA), compared with just over a third of … Continue reading →

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has granted planning permission on appeal for two separate development proposals for a total of 289 homes at Tetbury, Gloucestershire, as the decision letter for the larger scheme acknowledged that it would cause harm to the … Continue reading →

A scheme to encourage more people to live in town centres should be ‘revitalised’ to help bring ‘after-hours vitality to the high street’, a report into supporting Northern Ireland (NI) town and city centres has recommended. Search Planning Resource: LINK

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has announced that all 20 candidate local authorities and city regions invited to be part of the second wave of the City Deal programme will now negotiate with the Government over new powers to allow … Continue reading →

Europe’s endangered monuments and historic sites will receive new support as Europa Nostra launches it’s ‘7 Most Endangered’ project in conjunction with the European Investment Bank, with a deadline for the submission of nominations of 15 March 2013. Inspired by … Continue reading →

The Heritage Open Days team will be bringing their expertise to volunteers across the country with a series of free training forums, helping local people consider creative ways to bring their activities to life. Sessions will run from 11am-4pm and … Continue reading →

A recent decision by the tax tribunal in favour of the British Film Institute could open the floodgates for more cultural charities to claim their admission fees should be exempt from VAT. Civil Society writes: Last year, the BFI brought … Continue reading →

Local growth minister Mark Prisk has announced he will set up a Future High Streets Forum to help implement new ideas and policies in line with recommendations from Mary Portas’ review of the high street. The forum will be made … Continue reading →

Seaside towns around the country are receiving a big cash boost for projects that will create thousands of roles for apprentices and volunteers, and bring new business opportunities to coastal communities. Twenty seaside projects in England will receive grants of … Continue reading →

Changes to planning law could see councils and neighbourhoods powerless to prevent factories, industrial complexes and warehouses being built in their communities, according to the Local Government Association. The Government has proposed that developers of facilities larger than 4,000 square … Continue reading →

The Local Government Ombudsman has criticised Bolton Council for flaws in the way it approved a planning application for a large residential development next to a man’s home. Planning Portal writes: Neither the council’s planning committee nor the complainant appreciated … Continue reading →

The Design Council Cabe has been appointed as the statutory adviser for major infrastructure projects. Design Council Article: LINK

A ‘heritage quartet’ of significant buildings, from the second-oldest cathedral in England to the 20th-Century icon that is the National Theatre, will benefit from the latest round of Heritage Lottery Fund funding. £11million will go towards upkeep, restoration and development … Continue reading →

Nominations are now open for the 2013 Arts and Business Awards, with a deadline of 8 March 2013. For 33 years the Awards have shone a light on the best examples of how business and the arts have come together … Continue reading →

The Cabe team at the Design Council, the Landscape Institute, the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and the Royal Institute of Architects (RIBA) have joined forces to produce an update to the widely acknowledged, industry standard guidance on delivering best … Continue reading →

Historic Scotland (HS) has made available for public comment its paper to the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Fiona Hyslop, on the current Policy Review, and the IHBC seeks any initial comments through its Linkedin Group. The HS paper … Continue reading →