Monthly Archives: September 2017

A London office block described as a ‘bright red hideous mess’ has been named the UK’s worst building in the Building Design Magazine (BD) 2017 Carbuncle Cup.

A £200m plan to build a bridge covered with trees over the River Thames in central London has officially been abandoned.

Despite the current housing crisis, a survey carried out by MFS indicates that househunters are opting for older properties over new-builds.

In its response to the latest Scottish Government ‘Position Statement’ on planning Built Environment Forum Scotland (BEFS) has expressed disappointment that the scope of the review has shifted from major reform to a series of procedural changes.

The Wiston Whole Estate Plan 2017-2030 was approved by the South Downs National Park Authority’s Policy and Resource Committee on 20 July 2017.

The Landscape Institute (LI) is investing in a large, cross-discipline review of education and practice in not just landscape design, but all areas and specialisms of the profession spanning management, science, planning and urban design, and will conduct the survey … Continue reading →

The ideas for restoring and presenting the famous Grade 1 listed 18th-century mansion Clandon Park, destroyed by fire in 2015, presented by six separate teams, are on display at Clandon Park until 1 October, one of which owner the National … Continue reading →

The Heritage Alliance (THA) has published a paper entitled ‘Rural heritage under threat: looking after our landscapes post Brexit’. 

Clive Aslet reports in The Times (limited access) about the impact of treasury taxation on Heritage Maintenance Funds (HMFs) – set up in the 1970’s – in deflecting funds intended for protection of heritage to the taxman.

Gary Barlow’s Grade II listed home is located close to fields where developers plan 54 new homes, and Barlow is backing neighbours who are opposed to the plans – the Parish Council also objected – arguing the development would spoil … Continue reading →

Residents in a ‘picture postcard’ village have been left devastated after thieves stole a traditional red phone box weighing three quarters of a ton from outside their homes.

The Joint Programming Initiative in Cultural Heritage and Global Change has announced a new funding opportunity of 4.5 million Euros for ‘transnational proposals’ with areas covered including ‘changing political and cultural environments’ and ‘environmental deterioration’.

This paper from the Scottish Government (SG) contains proposals for a new Climate Change Bill, to amend only those parts of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 that relate to emission reduction targets and associated reporting duties with a public … Continue reading →

Six buildings have been shortlisted for architecture’s least illustrious prize, courtesy BD (Building Design) – the Carbuncle Cup for the UK’s worst new building from the last year.

About 20,000 little-used red phone booths to be axed as mobiles reduce their relevance.

The Local Government Association (LGA) warns that the average new home in England will have to last 2,000 years if the sluggish rate of house building and replacement continues.

Prolonged battles by SAVE and partners to prevent the needless and wasteful destruction of tens of thousands of decent terraced houses in the north of England has received triumphant vindication with the opening in August 2017 of the first restored … Continue reading →

The BBC has recently run a feature on the softer benefits of heritage: ‘..the sights that mean the journey’s end is near and the comforts of home await, from towers to trees and works of art, favoured roadside landmarks that … Continue reading →

Workmen are believed to have caused a major fire scare after setting alight the roof of a luxury Category A listed hotel, the Nira Caledonia on Gloucester Place in Edinburgh’s New Town and World Heritage Site. image Fiona Newton, IHBC