Monthly Archives: December 2020

Over 2,000 councillors have called on the Government to rethink its planning proposals, warning the changes will lead to an ‘unacceptable loss’ of local democracy and scrutiny. image: for illustration purposes only – Open Government Licence v3.0

A centuries-old village church, All Saints’ Church in Mackworth, Derbyshire, has been ravaged by a huge fire.

British Geological Survey (BGS) and Historic Environment Scotland (HES) have created the Building Stone Database for Scotland (BSDS) – an ‘to define and describe all of the building stones of Scotland’ – and is seeking volunteers to test the portal, … Continue reading →

The new ‘Have We Got Planning News For You’ (HWGPNFY: S2 E11) episode features Historic England (HE) CEO Duncan Wilson OBE (from 31:28), and also includes relevant content on Conservation Officers and more, offering NewsBlog readers stimulating and entertaining highlights … Continue reading →

Norman Foster has withdrawn his architecture firm from Architects Declare, lead in an industry commitment on climate change.

Following the collapse of the operators of Nottingham’s Broadmarsh shopping centre, INTU, and the return of the site’s lease to Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, a locally based charity championing wildlife in the city for over 30 years has … Continue reading →

The ESPON EGTC is launching a Call for Competition to contract a maximum of 20 early career researchers (PhD and/or Postdoc students) to promote the uptake of ESPON territorial evidence within the scientific community, with the call for competition to … Continue reading →

The draft Historic England Advice Note (HEAN) on Listed Building Consent Advice is open to public consultation and closes on Monday 21 December 2020.

The Society of Antiquaries of London (Soc Ants) seeks comments on a new manifesto that ‘proposes a new model [that]… offers a mechanism that will encourage collaborative working across all sectors of the profession, enhancing archaeological research and providing information … Continue reading →

J.R.R. Tolkien’s house on Northmoor Road, Oxford, where he penned ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy, will soon hit the market, so to preserve it for fans and writers, the actors who brought Tolkien’s worlds to film … Continue reading →

BEFS is looking for help in contacting MSPs about concerns over the Draft UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity)(Scotland) Bill’s definition of ‘environment’, which currently excludes cultural heritage, not only weakening environmental protections for the historic environment but also … Continue reading →

Opponents of the Stonehenge Tunnel have instructed lawyers to examine the legality of transport secretary Grant Shapps’ decision to give the scheme the green light.

Making developments more accommodating to nature will be crucial if the UK government is to meet its 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution and a selection of wildlife-friendly construction measures could help.

Many stone products are required to be CE marked, as part of Building Regulations and the law, even though it is sometimes ignored when it comes to stone, but once the Brexit transition period is over the European CE mark … Continue reading →

The winners of the 2020 European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards, Europe’s top honour in the field, were celebrated on November 10 with 21 winning achievements from 15 European countries.

A new draft Historic England Advice Note updating Historic England Advice Note 7: Local Heritage Listing (first edition, 2016) reflects the changes made to the Planning Practice Guidance in 2019.

The Tower of London’s New Armouries Building, which dates back to the mid-17th century, has been recognised by Muscular Dystrophy UK as the oldest public building registered on the Changing Places UK Toilet Map.

A blog from David Evans, Civic Voice Trustee and Chester Civic Trust, explores thoughts around the idea of Civic Societies as statutory consultees.