Monthly Archives: January 2019

The number of libraries across the country has continued to decline as cash-strapped councils reduce their spending on the service and rely more on volunteers, a new survey has revealed. image LocalGov website

The British Council has launched a publication exploring ‘Soft Power’ entitled ‘Soft power superpowers Global trends in cultural engagement and influence’.

The National Trust has offered views on some of the key recommendations from the The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s recently released report on the Scrutiny of the Agriculture Bill. image: P Badcock

England’s Ministry for Housing Community and Local Government (MCHLG) continues to offer updates on documents linked to the review of ‘Building Regulations and Standards’ following Grenfell Tower findings, including most recently ‘Environmental monitoring following the Grenfell Tower fire’, air quality … Continue reading →

Lead with inscriptions dating to the 18th Century has been stolen from a church in the New Forest after thieves climbed 35ft (10m) up the bell tower of St George’s Church in Damerham to steal the lead sometime after New … Continue reading →

Historic Environment Scotland seeks views on the content and functionality of two ‘Managing Change in the Historic Environment’ Guidance Notes, before closing the survey on 15 February: Demolition of Listed Buildings The Use and Adaptation of Listed Buildings.

Cadw will be delivering a brand new website in 2019 and wants to provide a valuable information and services informed by a survey.

In a new report from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman Michael King, ‘Under Pressure’, councils have been warned not to let budget squeezes and disruption caused by change programmes land them in trouble with the Ombudsman’s office.

The BBC has reported on how a redundant riverside mill in southern Scotland could be turned into a ‘bricks and mortar festival tent’ for community events, with Dumfries Historic Buildings Trust (DHBT) behind the plans for Rosefield Mills, which it … Continue reading →

The decommissioning of Dounreay’s oldest nuclear reactor in Scotland  has taken a major step forward with the award of a multi-million pound  demolition contract. image: Open Government Licence v3.0

The BBC has reported that a public meeting has dis cussed ways to reopen Flintshire’s landmark Shotton Steelworks, designed by John Summers and placed on a list of the UK’s most endangered buildings.

Civic Voice has highlighted how ‘hundreds of conservation areas mark their 50th anniversary’ in 2019,  as it will continue to make the Big Conservation Conversation one of our main themes for the year. 

The CIOB’s – the Chartered Institute of Building – parliamentary reception on 12 December launched its report ‘Improving Quality in the Built Environment’, reporting on the outcomes of its Construction Quality Commission, set up to identify what promotes or prevents … Continue reading →

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), Local Government Association (LGA) and Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) on Thursday 13 December launched ‘Future Place’, a joint two-phase initiative to recognise, reward and encourage high quality … Continue reading →

The Charity Awards provides charities of all shapes and sizes with a window to showcase their efforts and the impact they have made and entries for 2019 accepted until February 22.

A new strategic framework for heritage science in the UK has been launched.

Three young architecture graduates have won the Society for the Protection of Ancient Building’s (SPAB) prestigious ‘new design in historic contexts’ award, the Philip Webb Award, for their separate schemes proving that with imagination and sensitivity you don’t need to … Continue reading →

The 2019 Planning Awards have been launched, with categories including an award for ‘best use of heritage in placemaking’ among 25 linked categories.