The IHBC has warmly welcomed recent research that pins down public endorsement and appreciation of the quality and value of conservation services by communities in Wales.
The report, entitled ‘Public Attitudes towards the Planning System in Wales’, was produced as part of the review of planning in Wales. It highlights the extent to which communities and individuals value the benefits of quality conservation services.
IHBC President Trefor Thorpe said: ‘It is refreshing to see such a vote of appreciation for the hard work of our members, especially when it comes directly from the communities they support. And there is an added satisfaction when, as here, it is based on a rigorous methodology backed up by the Government. This is a big boost for all our members in Wales as, whether working in local or central government, or in the private sector, they all play critical roles in securing this kind of positive feedback.’
IHBC Branch trustee Nathan Blanchard said: ‘This all makes for particularly interesting reading for conservation specialists working in the built environment. It is especially useful for providing important context to underpinning elements of the IHBC’s recent survey of conservation services capacity in Wales, as well as for pinpointing successes as part of the wider review of planning in Wales.’
‘Of all aspects of planning, the report demonstrates, conservation and preservation of the built and natural environment attracted the greatest level of satisfaction (56%) and lowest dissatisfaction (19%) across those involved in the workshops. This clearly points to a system that generally works well, and no doubt this is to some substantial extent as a result of the role of skilled Conservation Officers in local government.’
‘Clearly, by that measure too, reduction in or radical change to key staff will only damage the one part of the planning system that appears to be working better, and has least issues for its customers and clients.’
‘This success is even clearer when those responses linked to Haverfordwest identify the importance of conservation. This is probably down to a combination of a very active and strong team in Pembrokeshire and a recent THI, again raising the issue that where conservation-led investment is undertaken this raises the profile and community understanding of the value of conservation. By contrast where there has been no conservation-led regeneration, the value of conservation is not rated as highly because the communities are less aware of its potential.’
IHBC Director Seán O’Reilly reinforced the case through comparison with the situation in England: ‘The devastating drop in England’s conservation service infrastructure in recent years – exemplified by the 31% drop in overall capacity since 2006 – means that England’s government has had to look at dramatic alternatives to ‘correct’ the depredations wrought there.’
‘Unfortunately, with a long legacy of under-investment in England and, linked to that, client frustration, in too many places the benefits of quality conservation have been forgotten. To counteract the loss in service, government has fired off a scatter-gun of alternatives, of which the most asinine was the recent proposal by the DCMS for self-certification by the private sector of public interest.’
‘The IHBC and our diverse partners that also help care for our places are all clear about the potential for better processes – including improved transparency and the benefits of closer partnering between the private and public sectors. However the report from Wales is a timely reminder that the starting point for success in securing conservation in the public interest is a credible conservation service, local, informed and independent’.
Selections from the report:
1.8… Satisfaction was highest with conservation and preservation of the built / natural environment, ensuring energy supplies and how transport issues were being addressed, while satisfaction was lowest with economic development and town centre decline.
5.9.1 In general, participants recognised the conservation and preservation of the natural and built environment as an important asset to the economy in Wales. The small number of specific examples of planning’s role in this respect included: Cadw which was ‘doing a good job’; a local leisure resort which had involved schoolchildren in planting woodland (although it was also cited for allegedly destroying ancient woodland as part of the development); and Shire Hall in Haverfordwest, where a ‘rejected planning application’ from a local developer was welcomed.
For a background to the report see: LINK and LINK
Download the report here: LINK
