IHBC NewsBlogs

The IHBC has responded to the recent NPPF review, highlighting the needs of historic towns and cities, and championing the needs of the historic environment including archaeological issues affecting housebuilding.

The recent response highlights issues relating to housing development, including:

• Minimum densities at commuter hubs
• Strengthening development policy for small sites
• Market delivery
• Starter homes exception site policy

We strongly support the view that minimum densities should not be prescribed. Railway stations that are potential commuter hubs may be located in historic urban environments. In accordance with NPPF policy, the significance of historic areas need to be taken into account in determining planning applications and such considerations can affect the density of proposals.

The IHBC constantly monitors discussion papers issued by Government Departments and other national and regional organisations, together with Green and White Papers, proposed changes to policy and guidance and other consultations relevant to building conservation and heritage-led regeneration. The Consultations Committee formulates responses to these documents on behalf of the IHBC.  The Consultations process is therefore a key element in formulating the IHBC’s external policy on a range of issues. 

The IHBC Consultant Consultations Co-ordinator is James Caird, who is responsible for consolidating opinions from across the broad range of specialist interests and disciplines represented on our volunteer Consultation Panel.  The IHBC cannot comment on all consultations, but is always glad to hear opinions from both members and non-members. 

View the IHBC’s NPPF response 

Consultations, current and complete, are posted on the website

The IHBC offers congratulations to the new director of SAVE, Henrietta Billings. 

SAVE writes:
SAVE is delighted to welcome Henrietta Billings as our new Director.

Henrietta, who will start in the second half of March, has worked in the planning and heritage sectors for over ten years. She joins SAVE from the Twentieth Century Society, where she was Senior Conservation Adviser 2011-2016. Henrietta is a chartered town planner with extensive experience in private sector consultancy for a national planning firm, and a background in journalism.

At the Twentieth Century Society Henrietta played a key role in several successful high profile campaigns to save threatened sites, including that for Nicholas’s Grimshaw’s ‘Ship’ building in Plymouth (a campaign supported by SAVE), the Southbank Centre and the Paolozzi murals in Tottenham Court Road tube station. 

Henrietta says: ‘SAVE is a highly regarded, influential heritage charity and it is a huge privilege to be joining the organisation. The role SAVE plays in rescuing and also securing the long-term future of Britain’s buildings, from the grand to the ordinary, is more relevant today than ever. I’m looking forward to continuing and developing SAVE’s strong legacy of independent, innovative campaigning and taking the organisation forward into the next phase of its development.’ 

Marcus Binney, SAVE’s Executive President says: ‘Henrietta joins a golden line of SAVE Secretaries and Directors and we are thrilled to have her.’

SAVE’s caseworker Mike Fox, who has been with SAVE for three years, has been promoted to Deputy Director, and will be working alongside Henrietta.

The present director Clem Cecil, who has been at SAVE for four years, is going to become Executive Director of Pushkin House. 

Clem says, ‘I have had four exciting years at SAVE, on the frontline of heritage campaigning, involved in some of the most challenging cases in our sector, including Smithfield General Market, the Strand buildings and the Welsh Streets. I leave the organisation in safe hands.’

View the press release

IHBC members who are involved in funding work will be interested to learn of Big Lottery funding recently awarded to support a heritage festival.

The Big Lottery writes:
A midsummer music festival, a drama group for vulnerable people, a theatre group for youngsters, and a heritage festival are just four arts and cultural schemes to receive a Lottery funding award.  The community projects are among a wide range of the latest 184 projects across Scotland sharing over £1,440,188 of National Lottery funding from small grants scheme Awards for All Scotland. 

In the Scottish Borders, Hawick Reivers Association will use its £8,770 award to buy equipment to ensure the long term sustainability of heritage festival aimed at rediscovering Reiver ancestry through drama, music, and re-enactments.  Cath Elliot of the Hawick Reivers Association, said: ‘The grant will allow the purchase of much needed equipment which will be used for many years to come. The festival is very much a community event run by a group of volunteers. It is always our aim to keep as many of the aspects of the festival free to the public as possible, while maintaining a high standard of performance – and this award of the grant will allow us to continue to do this.’

An Awards for All Scotland spokesperson, said: ‘Today we have announced over £1.4 million of grants that will help communities across Scotland set up and develop a wide spectrum of projects run for and by local people. What is clear is the smallest amount of funding can often make the biggest difference to people’s lives. All of these grants are a great way to show the variety of projects that can be funded through Awards for All for people of all ages.’

Awards for All Scotland gives out grants of between £500 and £10,000 to projects that bring communities together to enjoy a range of activities. It is a partnership by sportscotland and Big Lottery Fund. The programme gives out grants of between £500 and £10,000 to projects that bring communities together to enjoy a range of activities.

Groups can download this form

Find out where funding has gone in your area

View the full press release

IHBC NewsBlogs on funding

Professor May Cassar, judge on the IHBC’s 2015 Student Award and Director of the UCL Institute for Sustainable Heritage, has selected as the winner of 2015 Gus Astley Student Award a dissertation entitled ‘EXPLORING THE VALUE OF HERITAGE: Urban exploration and the historic environment’, written by Samantha Stones, curator at English Heritage and previously a student under Harriet Devlin on the IHBC-recognised conservation course at the then Ironbridge Institute at the University of Birmingham. 

The Gus Astley Trust also selected for commendation entries to the 2015 award by:

• Anna Shelley, for her work on ‘Anne of Denmark as an Architectural Patron, 1603-19’, developed on the IHBC-recognised Building History MSt at the University of Cambridge, led by Dr Adam Menuge IHBC
• Andrew McBride, for his work entitled ‘Amongst the Ruins of Slains Castle – Is there a Future for Scotland’s ‘Dracula Castle’?’, written on the ‘Architectural Studies with International Study’ programme at the University of Strathclyde, with Cristina Gonzalez-Longo as tutor
• Rob Ward, for his ‘Assessment of Large Drystone Structures on the Ffestiniog Railway’, written while on the ‘Structural Engineering with Architecture’ programme at the University of Edinburgh, with Tim Stratford as tutor. 

All will receive cash prizes –£500 is awarded to Samantha, and £100 to the commended authors – and a free place at the IHBC’s Annual School in Worcester in June.

Details on all awarded submissions are offered below. 

Gus Astley Award: Samantha Stones
Professor May Cassar said of Samantah’s selection: ‘The 2015 shortlist for the Gus Astley Student Award 2015 was as strong as it was varied and interesting.  Its topics ranged from architectural conservation to energy efficiency, re-use of ruins, the lives of art patrons, building history and heritage engineering.  All could have been worthy winners.  However there can only be one winner and for me the most outstanding submission was the dissertation by Samantha Stones on ‘EXPLORING THE VALUE OF HERITAGE: Urban exploration and the historic environment.’

‘With her finger on the pulse of urban exploration of, and attitudes to, the historic environment, Samantha touches a theme that should make policy makers sit up and reflect.’

‘Samantha tells a story of contemporary alternative engagement with urban heritage which is both fascinating and an eye opener.’ 

Samantha Stones, Assistant Properties Curator (South) at English Heritage, said: ‘I am delighted and honoured to be the recipient of the 2015 Gus Astley Award.’

‘I chose to research urban exploration as a non-traditional approach to heritage and found surprising parallels in the language of exploration and the mainstream terminology of heritage values. Although urban exploration cannot be welcomed by the heritage community, there are interesting benefits to gaining an understanding of alternative and non-visible groups that are accessing and appreciating the built environment on their own terms.’

‘I’m extremely grateful to my colleagues at English Heritage for their support throughout my studies and career so far. In addition, particular thanks to Harriet Devlin for her sound guidance and encouragement throughout the Historic Environment Conservation course. Receiving the Gus Astley Award provides an exceptional end to a wonderful two years of study. 

Tutor’s introduction to ‘…Urban exploration and the historic environment’
Samantha’s work is introduced as follows by her then tutor, Harriet Devlin MBE, now Course Leader on the IHBC-recognised ‘Conservation of the Historic Environment’ programme at Birmingham City University: 

‘WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS THE NIGHT IS OURS. As night descends we creep out to explore the city and her secrets. We venture deep below into the sewers and the subways, dodging the trains which whistle by and jumping over the third rail. Nimbly we climb high above the streets, scaling the bridges, cranes and the rooftops, tiny specks unnoticed amongst the clouds. Welcome to sleepycity, where the urban infrastructure is our playground. Tell me more…’

This quote from Sleepycity.net is the opening of an extraordinary dissertation by Samantha Stones entitled ’Exploring the value of heritage.. Urban Exploration and the Historic Environment’.

Samantha, who works for English Heritage, was one of the last cohort of students from the Historic Environment Conservation postgraduate course at the Ironbridge Institute, and her choice of topic was edgy but important.  Does ‘heritage’ alienate; should we embrace other interactions with heritage even if they are potentially illegal and dangerous? If we wish to encourage new and diverse audiences to heritage – is this a legitimate route?

To gather primary survey data for this study Samantha contacted over 200 individuals via online forums, social media sites, and offline professional and personal networks.  In addition, in-depth interviews were carried out with urban explorers, heritage policymakers and owners. However, no practical fieldwork was undertaken! Sam did not abseil down a factory chimney or scale a wall topped with barbed wire.  Sam’s conclusions are interesting:

Despite the mainstream media attention on place-hacking and infiltration, the study found that the core of urban exploration activity share many similarities with the perceived traditional heritage visit and the sectors wider outlook. Urban explorers research historic sites to understand the history and significance of a building and acknowledge all types of heritage values. The unregulated nature of urbex allows a freedom of movement and experience that encourages the individual to follow their own intuition and interests; from military history to asylums, or tall structures to underground bunkers. The necessity for visible decay to attract some urban explorers to a site reflects the assigned aesthetic value for abandonment, but also illustrates a broader appreciation for abandoned buildings as a culmination of historic layers with a still-changing presence. In contrast to the historic house museum, an abandoned building is not preserved or conserved to a strict time period and urban explorers can avoid the use of curators as intermediaries. The urban explorer is experiencing the building as a part of its history rather than witnessing the past from afar. 

There are many barriers to the traditional heritage sector being able to embrace an activity that is unlawful, involves potentially high risks to personal safety and may be damaging to historic fabric. Alternative approaches to heritage, such as urban exploration, may not present the heritage sector with an easy route to a new audience, but can offer a new understanding of how groups wish to engage with the historic environment. To fully achieve audience diversification, the heritage sector must also embrace new technologies to ensure, not only that current online data is utilised, but that technologies can be optimised as gateways to heritage’ 

Neither condoning nor condemning, this study is an exciting exploration itself of an area many of us would be uncomfortable with and we are delighted that it has achieved recognition by IHBC through the Gus Astley Award.

Sam’s award is a great valedictory for the former course at the Ironbridge Institute – but the course continues under a different name as Conservation of the Historic Environment within the School of Architecture at Birmingham City University. Let’s hope this fosters equal original thinking!’

Gus Astley Awards 2015: Commendations
The following submissions were selected for commendation on behalf of the Gus Astley Trust.  All receive cash awards of £100 and free places at the IHBC’s 2016 Annual School in Worcester.

Anna Shelley, author of ‘Anne of Denmark as an Architectural Patron, 1603-19’, said: ‘I am really thrilled to be awarded a Commendation for the Gus Astley award, and it is very gratifying to receive wider recognition for this piece of work. I am most grateful too to my dissertation supervisor, Professor Deborah Howard, whose guidance and support was invaluable.’

‘My thesis explored themes within the architectural patronage of Anne of Denmark, Queen consort of James I, between 1603-19, their years in London.  Although Anne’s buildings and landscapes are for the most part lost, details of the commissioned works are well-documented in the records of the Office of Works and elsewhere. Above all, the project has shown me the value of looking again at well-worn material to reveal a fresh story and to gain new insights into early seventeenth-century architectural trends and practices.’

‘The IHBC marries my academic and professional interests, so it will be a pleasure to attend the Annual School in June!’

Anna’s tutor Adam Menuge IHBC said: ‘In the week that IHBC announced its recognition of the MSt in Building History this is a particularly welcome bonus for us.  Anna Shelley’s commended work exemplifies the research qualities on which all good evidence-based conservation depends.  She has an excellent career ahead of her.’

Andrew McBride, author of ‘Amongst the Ruins of Slains Castle – Is there a Future for Scotland’s ‘Dracula Castle’?’, said: ‘I am honoured that my dissertation has been chosen for commendation and to be offered a place at the IHBC annual school. It was very interesting to research and enjoyable to write the dissertation on Slain’s castle, since it’s one of my favorite ruins in Scotland! 

Andrew’s tutor Cristina Gonzalez-Longo said: ‘This is an outstanding work, providing an excellent discussion on the conservation of ruins and the implications in its conservation, focusing on Slains Castle, a victim of the roof tax avoidance.’

‘It considers different theories and a variety of examples (national and international), reflecting on how creative architectural projects could help in the conservation of ruins. It combines an excellent understanding of the topic, the use of carefully selected resources and examples as well as original analytical work.’ 

Rob Ward, author of ‘Assessment of Large Drystone Structures on the Ffestiniog Railway’, said: ‘This project was a perfect combination of my interest in historic buildings, my specialism – structural engineering and my love of drystone walls. Maybe not seen as an exciting topic by many, this project proved that they are far from dull.’

‘I hope that this work is continued by future students at the University of Edinburgh in collaboration with the Ffestiniog Railway in order to assist in their asset care programme and in order to support this important historic feature of industry and tourism in North Wales.’

‘I’d also like to say ‘thank you’ to the IHBC for considering my work worthy of a commendation and I look forward to attending the annual summer school.’ 

For more on the annual IHBC Gus Astley Student Award 

NB: Awards close on 31 July each year, but cover work submitted on any UK taught course during the previous two years.

For background to the Student Awards, and to submit 

The IHBC has endorsed the recent report from the National Policy for the Built Environment Committee highlighting risks in prioritising housing at the expense of other issues, with headline concerns including calls for:

• A new strategy for managing our historic built environment that recognises that our historic built environment is a ‘unique national and local asset, central to place-making’ and a ‘cultural and economic asset rather than an obstacle to successful future developments’.

• A Chief Built Environment Advisor
• Making design review mandatory for all major planning applications
• Helping Local Authority planning departments to be better resourced and the planning profession to rediscover the prestige it once had. 

The National Policy for the Built Environment Committee writes:
The National Policy for the Built Environment Committee recently asserted the importance of delivering a better built environment and criticises current government policy as unlikely to meet demand for either the quantity or quality of houses we need. The Committee is concerned about the quality of new developments, and about the risk of housing delivery being prioritised at the expense of other elements of the built environment.

Chairman of the Committee, Baroness O’Cathain said: ‘It is increasingly clear that we need to build more houses in England and we wholeheartedly support that objective. However if we build those houses in the wrong place, to a poor standard, without the consent of local communities we are only storing up future misery for the people in those houses and others nearby.  That is why we are recommending local authorities are once again empowered both to build new homes of their own, and to ensure all developments are of a suitably high quality. Spending a little bit extra on good quality design at the outset can avert massive costs to people, society and Government in the long-run.

‘The Government should review the National Planning Policy Framework to make sure developers aren’t using financial viability to play fast and loose with design quality and sustainability. If developers submit substandard plans local authorities should be able to ask them to think again without builders falling back on questionable viability assessments to get their way.  We are also calling on the Government to appoint a Chief Built Environment Advisor to work across government departments to integrate planning policy and act as a champion for higher standards and good practice. It’s important that the Government sets a good example and leads from the front on design quality.

‘Ensuring we have a better built environment in the coming decades is one of the key challenges facing government. It impacts on every area of our lives. The Government must now take that challenge seriously. We hope in responding to our report they will recognise that the drive for more homes must not come at the expense of quality. Everyone deserves a home but they also deserve a good quality home, in a good quality place, that meets their needs as individuals and families. We don’t think the Government’s policy as it stands will deliver that.’

Recommendations included in the report

• The Government should reconsider the proposal to include ‘starter homes’ within the definition of affordable housing as starter homes cease to include any element of affordability after five years.
• The Government should reconsider additional elements of the Housing and Planning Bill which would undermine the maintenance of mixed communities.
• The Government should appoint a Chief Built Environment Advisor to champion higher standards in the built environment across government departments.
• The Government should reverse its decision to do away with the zero carbon homes requirement and Code for Sustainable Homes.
• We need a new strategy for managing our historic built environment that recognises that our historic built environment is a ‘unique national and local asset, central to place-making’ and a ‘cultural and economic asset rather than an obstacle to successful future developments’.
• The Government should make design review mandatory for all major planning applications, in order to offset the long-term burdens and costs of poor quality design.
• Local Authority planning departments need to be better resourced and the planning profession needs to rediscover the prestige it once had. The Committee calls for more bursaries for planning students, and a greater emphasis on ‘proactive planning’ from local authorities.

View the news release and a video about the proposals

Anyone in or beyond the heritage, development and cultural communities can now try out our free 6-month ‘taster’ of the IHBC’s membership benefits by signing up for our email news update service, our NewsBlogs, and experience just one of the privileges being a member of the IHBC. 

For details see the IHBC NewsBlog

Sign up HERE

The deadline for nominating an entry for the Academy of Urbanism awards is 1 April, with a category for ‘local character’ which may particularly apply to the work of IHBC members. 

The Academy of Urbanism writes:
Help us promote and learn from places that demonstrate positive social, physical and economic urbanism – nominate a great City, Town, Neighbourhood, Street or Place for an Urbanism Award. 

Deadline for nominations for the 2017 scheme: 1 April 2016

What we look for

• Old or new, large or small, we look for places that encourage a high quality of life and perform well in the following areas: Leadership and Governance, Local Character, Amenity, Commercial Success & Viability, Environmental Sustainability, Community Health and Wellbeing and Connectivity.

How to nominate

• Using the form below, please list the name of each nomination together with a paragraph outlining what you think we can learn from the candidate. Unfortunately, nominations without any reference to learning potential will not be accepted into the process.

Anywhere I can’t nominate?

• Places that have reached our finalist stage before cannot be re-nominated for at least 10 years.

View the news release and links to the awards map and details of previous winners

Each central government department in England has devised a departmental plan, detailing work proposed from now until 2020.

We have summarised a range of issues mentioned within the plans which are likely to be of the most interest to IHBC members.

DCLG commitments include:

• Four objectives of:
  1. Driving up housing supply
  2. Increasing home ownership
  3. Devolving powers and budgets to boost local growth in England
  4. Supporting strong communities with excellent public services
• create a Brownfield Fund to unlock homes on brownfield land
• introduce new flexibilities that encourage local authorities to dispose of surplus assets and invest in services –
• fund the establishment of up to 100 pocket parks in deprived urban areas
• set up a Pub Loan Fund to help local people take control of pubs at risk of closure

DCMS plan includes commitments to:

• Spreading the benefits of our thriving tourism and heritage industries right across the country
• Keeping our major national museums and galleries free
• Attracting and retaining talent in the tourism industry
• Making sure apprenticeships work for the seasonal tourism industry
• Promoting the UK’s heritage and historic environment
• Working with the arts and culture sectors to emphasise the benefits of participation for all
• Supporting our world-class museums and galleries, exploring the case for introducing new tax reliefs
• Promoting an understanding of and access to the historic environment so that all people can appreciate and enjoy heritage assets
• Supporting arts and culture with funding through the Arts Council and BFI
• Articulating the benefits of access and participation, including through working with other government departments and partners
• Set challenging targets for VisitBritain and VisitEngland to ensure more visitors travel outside the capital

DEFRA’s plan includes commitments to:

• protect the Green Belt (working with the lead Department, DCLG), and maintain national protections for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, National Parks, Sites of Special Scientific Interest and other environmental designations
• promote rural policy across government and give a strong voice to countryside issues
• Enterprise Zones in rural areas (DCLG lead)
• better regulation and improved planning for rural businesses (DCLG lead)
• more housing (DCLG lead)

The Cabinet Office writes:
Each central government department has published their plan for how they will deliver the government’s priorities and manifesto commitments.

All 17 central departments have published detailed plans setting out how they will deliver the government’s priorities and manifesto commitments over this Parliament.

Launched recently (Friday), each single departmental plan brings together efficiency, spending review and activity plans into a single, clear road map for the first time. The plans will provide a new way of monitoring performance against department objectives and improve financial management across government.

Available on GOV.UK, the plans form a new framework to monitor and hold departments to account. For the first time, the public will be able to track a department’s progress against its objectives using a set of indicators and view updates on a wide range of government work including education, housing and employment, all of which have a major impact on the everyday lives of working families.

Each department has developed their own plan which sets out key objectives and how they will deliver these with the resources they have been allocated at the Spending Review. The plans include indicators to show progress towards achieving each objective. Each department will update their plan with new data, as this becomes available, or provide narrative updates on performance where more appropriate. They also include links to more detailed published data sources.

The formulation of single departmental plans has been led by John Manzoni, Chief Executive of the Civil Service, as a way of business planning for each department, identifying clear commitments, driving efficiency and detailing how they will be delivered. The plans reflect government’s priorities and outlines in detail how the department will become more efficient and further improve the effectiveness of services, including use of office space and digitising of services, cementing the government’s position as a digital leader.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Oliver Letwin said:  Single departmental plans will enable the public to see how government is delivering on its commitments, many of which will have a major impact on the everyday lives of people across the UK.

All 17 plans have been agreed between departments and the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury, which will allow the government to drive more effective implementation of its programmes and policies, track on-the-ground impact, and get the best results for the British public.

Minister for the Cabinet Office Matt Hancock said:  These plans are an important step in our commitment to being the most transparent government ever.  They are a valuable and vital tool for the Cabinet Office to use and providing challenge, support and expertise to each department, ensuring we are delivering an effective and efficiently run government.  We will hold departments to account to ensure we are delivering the promises we have made to the public, providing better services and delivering value for money for all.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Greg Hands said:  At the Spending Review, we set out how the government will deliver on its priorities, to eliminate the deficit, and deliver economic security and opportunity for working people.  Whilst we’ve already made significant progress in strengthening financial management across government, the introduction of the single departmental plans is the next step to ensuring departments deliver the government’s priorities.

The plans will not only increase transparency and accountability, but by focusing resources where they are needed the most, we will ultimately be able to guarantee greater value for money for taxpayers.

View the news release

View the DCLG plan

View the DCMS plan

View the DEFRA plan

View other departmental plans

The latest issue of the IHBC’s membership journal Context to be made publicly available online covers the IHBC’s 2015 Annual School in Norwich.

This issue has an overview of all the activities at the Annual School, and news from conservation around the world, including an article by the IHBC East Anglia branch sponsored delegate, Nadia Knifton.

Coverage of the school includes:

• Jonathan Foyle’s Keynote Address
• Kate Clarke on significance
• Sir Laurie on developments and plans at Historic England
• Cultural significance and the parish church
• Recognising community connections
• Jewish heritage
• Culture and significance
• Training
• Communities and change
• Skills 

If you have any suggestions for articles or other material for future issues of Context, please contact Fiona Newton at: editorial@ihbc.org.uk 

View Context 141 – IHBC Annual School, Norwich

View IHBC NewsBlogs covering the IHBC Norwich annual school

View information on the forthcoming Annual School – Worcester 2016, and resources from previous annual schools