Monthly Archives: June 2016

A High Court hearing has been adjourned until 4 July to give the Surrey farmer who built a now-demolished illegal mock Tudor home at a green belt location more time to remove a patio, garden wall, steps and pond, as … Continue reading →

Trade body the National Pig Association (NPA) has complained that pig farmers are finding it increasingly difficult to get planning permission to replace worn-out buildings, which is leading to overuse of antibiotics. The NPA writes: ‘If government and its regulatory … Continue reading →

The Queen has announced the appointment of the former Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Peter Ainsworth, as Chairman of Trustees of The Churches Conservation Trust from July 2016.  The Churches Conservation Trust writes: ‘Peter has been UK Chair of … Continue reading →

The report of an independent review of the Scottish planning system, commissioned by Scottish Minsters in September 2015, has just been issued, entitled ‘Empowering Planning to Deliver Great Places’, with the aims of the review being ‘to provide an opportunity … Continue reading →

Built Environment Forum Scotland (BEFS) welcomes new research findings on the state of volunteering in Scotland’s historic environment sector in ‘Volunteering and the Historic Environment’, published on 1 June. BEFS writes: The report sheds new light on the scale and … Continue reading →

The Government has used its powers under the Housing and Planning Act 2016 to issue a holding notice on the Birmingham Development Plan. Planning Portal writes: ‘This intervention came after backbench MP Andrew Mitchell asked Communities Secretary Greg Clark to … Continue reading →

Outline planning permission granted by Stratford-on-Avon District Council to Nexus Planning for 140-hectare development in Warwickshire, the largest scheme ever considered by the council… The Planning Portal writes: The proposals, on behalf of Commercial Estates Group (CEG) and the Bird … Continue reading →

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has requested expressions of interest from parties who want to be involved in the administration’s new estates regeneration programme, with £140m available to target 100 estates around. DCLG writes: A panel chaired … Continue reading →

Proposals have been unveiled for an urban village of 1000 homes on the site of a former West Yorkshire munitions factory, near Boston Spa, latterly Thorp Arch trading estate, to be named Rudgate Village.  The Rudgate Village development will feature … Continue reading →

Differing national and local evaluations of the development of 150 new homes on Preston Road, Grimsargh, described as ‘basically building on open countryside’ has led to Preston City Council (CC) preparation to challenge the Secretary of State’s decision. Preston City … Continue reading →

The British Council has announced that the £30m Cultural Protection Fund to protect heritage overseas will be open for applications on the 27 June and launched a dedicated website offering further information about the Fund and how to register your … Continue reading →

The Church of England (CoE) has launched the Church Heritage Record, a digital database of church buildings integrated with a Geographic Information System (GIS), which can be used for planning and development control, but also fulfils an educational and engagement … Continue reading →

The winners of million-pound tourism competition to boost rail-related tourism across Britain have been announced with prizes ranging from £25k to £75K. The Department for Transport writes: ‘A host of innovative projects to boost rail-related tourism have been announced in … Continue reading →

Alongside other bursary opportunities, the National Heritage Training Group (NHTG) reports an extended closing date for applications for the lime mortar placement as part of its Building Traditional Skills Resilience Community in England Bursary Scheme, now open until 27 June … Continue reading →

The merger of The Prince’s Regeneration Trust and The Prince’s Foundation for Building Community, to become part of The Prince’s Foundation has just been announced, simplifying structures to strengthen the Prince’s provision of services for the built environment. Ian Marcus … Continue reading →

Placements offered by Church of England’s Cathedral and Church Buildings Division (ChurchCare) will give un-rivalled opportunities for practitioners to experience the work of the division and its committees, the Church Buildings Council and the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England, with … Continue reading →

Recommendations proposed in March by the Local Plans Expert Group to improve the local plan-making process have prompted an inquiry by the Commons Communities and Local Government Committee to determine what steps may be taken, with deadline for submissions on … Continue reading →

The Court of Appeal has granted permission to appeal to campaigners seeking to challenge Dover District Council’s grant of planning permission for a major development in the Kent Downs area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB). Read more….

Historic England and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport marked the centenary of the North Sea Battle of Jutland on 31 May with an advanced round of new, updated and upgraded listings to protect connections to the engagement. Historic … Continue reading →