The Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) – alongside the Heritage Alliance – has been the subject of substantial reporting by Private Eye’s Piloti, as the issue of the proposed raid on VAT support for key heritage projects is making its way up the news headlines.
Comments from the IHBC’s Chair, Jo Evans, have been used to highlight Piloti’s concern that the new regime will only aggravate problems in the ‘present insane system’ that already ‘encourages neglect and destruction’.
Jo Evans, in her press comments, has highlighted how the VAT changes will ‘penalise further low-carbon, high-skilled maintenance and regeneration opportunities – often community-based when they involve the heritage sector – in favour of high-carbon alternatives already readily funded through more mainstream industries that focus on demolition, disposal and new-build.’
‘Is that what the government wants?’, Piloti asks, and concludes: ‘Perhaps it does’.
Following the report in Private Eye, IHBC Director Seán O’Reilly added: ‘Through the vibrant ‘Cut the VAT’ campaign, key parts of the mainstream construction sector – including builders, architects, trade bodies and quality developers – are also developing our case against the VAT changes and the missed opportunities those changes represent. There must be some substantial doubt over the capacity of the Coalition to retain this proposal as a credible move if it has any interest in jobs or the environment, or even in the voters that we know are so concerned about both.’
For background and perspectives on the IHBC’s position, and more links, see IHBC NewsBlog at: LINK
For the Cut the Vat campaign see IHBC NewsBlog at: LINK
For the Heritage Alliance initiative see IHBC NewsBlog at: LINK
