Monthly Archives: April 2013

Senior Ministry of Justice civil servant Helen Edwards has been appointed as the Department for Communities and Local Government’s (DCLG) new director-general responsible for localism. UK Government Article: LINK Guardian Article: LINK

Nearly three quarters of adults visited a heritage site in the past year, according to figures published by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s (DCMS) ‘Taking Part’ survey. Moreover, 31% of adults visited a heritage site at least three … Continue reading →

The BDA’s 2013 Brick Awards is now open for entries, with award categories that cover craftsmanship and Refurbishment & Renovation Projects. BDA Brick Awards: LINK

The National Churches Trust is asking the UK’s churches, chapel and meeting houses to boost their collecting plates with donations via text or the Internet. The new campaign, in partnership with online fundraising platform JustGiving, commemorates the Trust’s 60th anniversary. … Continue reading →

The IHBC has strongly welcomed the opportunity to respond to the current draft of the revisions to British Standard (BS) 7913, the update on the 1998 ‘Guide to the Principles of the Conservation of Historic Buildings’, currently titled as the … Continue reading →

The Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) the UK’s professional body for building and historic environment conservation specialists, will be delighted to welcome members old and new at our stand at the 2013 StoneShow at Excel London from 30 April … Continue reading →

‘Heritage Initiatives’, an early member of the IHBC’s leading conservation services business register ‘HESPR’, has helped conservation regeneration projects in Brixton and Peckham secure £3.75m from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) towards Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) projects. Heritage Initiatives, working … Continue reading →

The new issue of Context, the journal of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) is now out, and looks at the heritage of leisure. IHBC’s Editorial Board Chair and Projects Officer Fiona Newton, said: ‘The heritage of leisure is … Continue reading →

The IHBC’s consultation consultant, James Caird, has drawn attention to recent English case law relating to legal interpretations of key heritage concepts such as ‘significance’, ‘special’, and ‘harm’ that, though tested under England’s former PPS regime, usefully inform current aspects … Continue reading →

The vision of the new body to emerge from the merger of Scotland’s two national heritage bodies primarily responsible for information and protection respectively – RCAHMS and Historic Scotland – has been set out, with the intention to create ‘an … Continue reading →

A new use class category should be introduced to allow councils to protect high streets from the growth of shops they regard as damaging to communities, the Labour Party has said. Out-law.com Article: LINK Search Planning Resource: LINK

The Department for Communities and Local Government is inviting bids from English seaside towns with economic development proposals which could benefit from the administration’s Coastal Communities Fund schemes, now in its second year. The amount on offer is £27m, an … Continue reading →

CITB has invested £10m into the construction industry today – to provide financial help for recession hit construction employers struggling to develop key skills that could lead the industry out of recession and back to growth. CITB writes: Available to … Continue reading →

Experts on natural stone are seeking a special recognition for one of the icons of Wales – its slate. The BBC writes: Slate. It is part of the look and feel of Wales, and now there are efforts to have … Continue reading →

England’s ministers have urged communities to list their local pubs as Assets of Community Value (ACV) and emulate the pioneering action of residents of south east London who have purchased their local. Regulars of the Ivy House pub, Nunhead, had … Continue reading →

The European Commission (EC) and Europa Nostra have announced the winners of the 2013 EU Prize for Cultural Heritage/Europa Nostra Awards, with winners including Kings Cross Station; Strawberry Hill; Martin Drury, and the South Pennines Watershed Landscape interpretation. Europa Nostra … Continue reading →

BRE has been appointed by Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) to carry out a major new research project to understand heat losses in the seven million solid wall homes in Great Britain. BRE writes: The project, funded by … Continue reading →

Newly introduced rules to cap claimants’ exposure to legal costs in environmental judicial reviews could lead to an upsurge in the number of planning-related legal challenges, legal experts have said. Search Planning Resource: LINK

Civic Voice is urging individuals and communities across England to contact their local MP to support an amendment to Government legislation to allow local councils to opt out of a proposed piece of national legislation. The amendment, introduced in the … Continue reading →

The IHBC reminds its Members, Affiliates and Associates that the institute’s membership e-letter now offers an opportunity for members to post brief updates on relevant work or practice information by sending concise details, with links as required, to the dedicated … Continue reading →

Increase your employability, discover new opportunities, and top up your CPD, all while still saving money: book online now to take advantage of the early bird booking rates for the IHBC’s 2013 School, on 20-22 June in Carlisle, on ‘Skills’. … Continue reading →

Bursaries to cover fees for the IHBC’s 2013 School on ‘Skills’, to take place in Carlisle in June, are currently available to IHBC members, so apply fast to make sure you can be considered, or join the IHBC online now … Continue reading →

David Start, Director of the Heritage Trust of Lincolnshire since its inception in 1991, has left the organisation at the end of March 2013 to enjoy a new lease of life in retirement, while Liz Bates, a Full Member of … Continue reading →

The listed Edwardian wing of a former hospital in Sheffield is to be demolished to make way for a new £81m university engineering department. Campaigners had been trying to save the Grade II-listed extension to the former Jessop Hospital. Sheffield … Continue reading →

A new Bill that aims to streamline and make regulation more effective has been introduced into the Scottish Parliament. The Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Bill will create more favourable business conditions for Scotland, bring greater efficiency and consistency to public services … Continue reading →