The Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 currently have a number of heritage related research vacancies advertised (various closing dates).
The latest opportunities include:
IHBC Northern Ireland Branch Chairman Andrew McClelland – also a member of the IHBC’s new Council+ structure – recently presented at the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society and Irish Georgian Society Summer School on ‘Conservation without Frontiers’.
Andrew McClelland said ‘There are a number of thematic areas where central and local government, NGOs and professional bodies could work more closely together on a cross border basis on the island of Ireland to strengthen heritage conservation policies and practices in the face of ongoing challenges, particularly in the Irish Border Region. This includes in cultural tourism, traditional building skills training, strategic development projects such as greenways, and dataset mapping and shared digital inventorying’
View Andrew’s presentation online
IHBC Trustee and consultant, and lead author on the British Standard 7913, on historic building conservation, John Edwards, is preparing an article on the practical application of the Standard, and is seeking examples where the document – either in its current (2103) or earlier (19xx) form – has been useful to IHBC members and colleagues.
John Edwards said: ‘BS 7913 is about driving up standards and consistency for everyone involved with older buildings and by highlighting how useful it is we can ensure even greater use of this important standard’.
Any suggestions for examples may be sent to John at john@edwardshart.co.uk
Members may also be interested to note that another course on the application of BS 7913 will take place in Birmingham on 5 October, following two successful events in London and Manchester at which the IHBC hosted its services.
For details on purchasing the IHBC-branded, low-cost copy of BS 7913, with laminated pages making it especially suitable for heavy use on site, see http://ihbc.org.uk/bs/
A fort near Belfast is to be the first site in Northern Ireland and the third in the British Isles to receive a Fortress Study Group award for conservation.
The Department of the Environment Northern Ireland (DoENI) writes:
Grey Point Fort will on Saturday receive the Fortress Study Group (FSG), Pembroke College, Oxford award in recognition of the restoration and reuse of this unique State Care Monument.
This award is only the third site in the British Isles to be presented, and a first for Northern Ireland.
At a special event to mark the occasion the firing of one of the Fort’s restored coastal battery guns will take place at approximately noon on Saturday.
The Fortress Study Group is an international society concerned with all aspects of military architecture, fortifications and their armaments especially works constructed to mount and resist artillery worldwide.
Environment Minister Mark. H Durkan speaking about the significance of the Fort and its legacy said: ‘2014-18 is a particularly poignant time, marking the centenary of the First World War, a major event in world history that is directly connected to the history of Grey Point Fort.
‘Recent works at the site have included a community excavation late last year with over 200 local school children participating. This helped gather more detail about the training trenches, unearthed a machine-gun nest and the remains of barbed wire entanglements which will enhance visitors’ understanding and interpretation. Further conservation works are planned for this year.
‘This prestigious award, only the third to be awarded on these islands and a first for here, is clear recognition of the commitment that my Department, and particularly local volunteers and the community have for Grey Point Fort. It demonstrates the very powerful positive effect of greater community involvement in the active use and preservation of our rich built heritage.
‘Further, on Sunday the Fort provides an excellent vantage point for people to view the spectacle of the Tall Ship Parade of Sails. The flotilla on their journey to Whitehead leaves Belfast around midday. It will also afford visitors and enthusiasts the opportunity to explore and engage with the many exhibitions and stalls at the Fort.’
The Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) has released a report recommending changes to the planning system, moving away from an economic centred approach to place people at the heart of the process.
The Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) writes:
The planning system was invented to help provide a good home, for everyone, in a healthy, thriving place. But in the last few decades something has gone badly wrong. Instead of having people’s welfare as its priority, nowadays the English planning system puts economic growth above all else.
The Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) believes that this must change, and has today launched a radical new manifesto that seeks to put people back at the heart of planning.
Speaking today at the launch of the manifesto, at Queen’s University, Belfast, Dr Hugh Ellis, Head of Policy for the TCPA said: ‘We all care about the quality of our lives and condition of our communities. People need decent healthcare, schools, jobs, public transport, green spaces, locally grown food, low-carbon energy, affordable homes which are accessible and have enough space for kids to play, a creative culture, vibrant sports and the arts. These are all things that make life worth living. These are the things that all sections of society should be able to enjoy as a matter of course regardless of where they live or their ability to pay. These are the foundations of the good society. These are the things that planning can, and should, make happen. As we strive to put people back at the heart of planning, we are inviting organisations and individuals who, like us, think that the aim of planning should be to improve people’s lives, to sign up to support the manifesto.’
The Planning4People Manifesto which forms part of a year-long collaboration between the TCPA and the Webb Memorial Trust sets out what planning should be, highlighting the need to place people at the heart of planning proses and to emphasise social justice as a key outcome.
The manifesto also includes a number of key asks of Government, including the establishment of new national minimum standards for housing with mandatory minimum standards for accessibility and space.
Sixteen parks across the UK are celebrating their share of £34 million of Heritage Lottery Fund awards this week.
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) writes:
16 of the UK’s parks and cemeteries have received a much-needed £34million boost from the National Lottery and this month also sees the opening of Cardiff’s Bute Park.
The money will fix pavilions, bandstands and boathouses and spruce up these tired but important green spaces. An elaborate and unusual water gardens in Great Yarmouth and Belfast’s city cemetery are among the projects that will receive the cash.
HLF’s Chair Sir Peter Luff, on behalf of HLF and the Big Lottery Fund, said: ‘We love our parks but many of them have been around a long while and are in need of urgent attention. This money will make sure that people can enjoy them properly again, helping to give them a great future.’
Heritage Minister, Tracey Crouch, said: ‘This investment will breathe new life into each of these 16 historic parks, making them great places for people to enjoy. Britain’s famous green spaces are so important for giving people a place to get together, relax and exercise, and have a vital role in strengthening our local communities.’
The 16 parks and cemeteries receiving funding today are:
June also sees the opening of Cardiff’s Bute Park following £3.1m of HLF funding. This investment has meant there’s a fabulous new Summerhouse café to help refresh the locals and bring in income, the park’s quirky ‘animal wall’ is back to its former glory and a new education centre has been built from reclaimed bricks. Thanks to National Lottery players’ investment, annual visitor numbers have rocketed to over 2million since the project began and this stunning park now sits within Cardiff’s top attractions on TripAdvisor.
Mike Harper, Chair of the Bute Park Friends Group said: ‘Bute Park is a jewel in the crown for Cardiff and to see the recent investment into its improvement is hugely welcomed by all the many residents and visitors who enjoy the park day in day out.’
The Scottish Government has announced a new £4 million fund to help re-use of high street spaces and homes.
The Scottish Government writes:
A new £4 million fund will help bring abandoned homes and empty high street spaces back to life, Housing Minister Margaret Burgess announced recently.
The Scottish Government’s Town Centre Empty Homes Fund will help revamp empty homes and convert derelict commercial spaces into new affordable homes. Registered social landlords and developers can apply for funding, which will be administered by the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership. The Partnership, which is run by the housing charity Shelter Scotland, works with councils to help bring empty private-sector homes back into use.
Since 2010, the partnership has brought over 900 homes back into use and encouraged 17 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities to appoint dedicated empty homes officers.
Housing Minister Margaret Burgess said: ‘Town centres are a key element of the economic, social and environmental fabric of Scotland’s towns. We want town centres to thrive sustainably and meet the needs of residents, businesses and visitors. Good quality, affordable housing is at the heart of this vision and transforming empty, disused spaces into comfortable homes makes sense. There are an estimated 27,000 long-term private empty homes in Scotland and it makes sense to make the best use possible of these properties when homelessness still exists.’
Graeme Brown, Director of Shelter Scotland, said: ‘Many of the 27,000 long-term empty homes across Scotland lie in our town centres and are a blight on many neighbourhoods. Bringing them back into use with the help of this fund will be welcome news not only to the 150,500 families and individuals on waiting lists but also those in the private rented sector looking for affordable homes.
‘Making use of existing housing stock can make a real difference to people and communities. Because of their location, town centre empty homes are already well linked to employment opportunities and support services, making them places that people want to live.’
Members of the public can phone a free helpline to report empty homes in their communities, contributing to bringing them back into use. The public can report an empty home by calling 0344 515 1941.
The announcement comes as people across Scotland are being asked to take part in a national discussion about how the country can be a fairer and more equal place to live, covering topics including access to affordable housing.
The latest round of ancient monuments grant funding have now been awarded by Cadw.
Cadwy writes:
Precious ancient monuments and war memorials across Wales are being awarded a share of almost £287,000 of Welsh Government funding to restore and protect them for future generations.
Many of Wales’ ancient monuments are on privately owned land. These grants provide an incentive for landowners and occupiers to carry out repair work that may otherwise be left ignored, resulting in the loss of important parts of our heritage which help tell the story of our past.
The grants include almost £33,500 for Kendricks Cave in Conwy, one of the most important Palaeolithic cave sites in North West Europe. Rare artefacts recovered during excavations of the cave include a decorated horse jawbone, a find of international significance.
Recently the local town council have raised concerns about damage and anti-social behaviour around the site, and an inspection found the cave to be in an unpleasant state, filled with waste, including discarded needles.
The grant will fund the clearance and cleaning of the cave and secure it from further damage by installing security grilles, with lockable doors. It will also fund the creation of a 3D digital model of the cave to be displayed at Llandudno Museum and the Great Orme Visitor Centre to improve public understanding of the cave and its prehistoric origins.
Announcing the funds, the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Ken Skates, said: ‘All over Wales our landscape is scattered with ancient monuments which shape our communities and tell the story of our past. Without the right protection and management these precious monuments could be lost forever.
‘I recently introduced the Historic Environment (Wales) Bill which will legislate to better care and protect our important historic buildings and monuments. I am pleased that through these grants we are already supporting conservation projects across Wales which will lead the way in protecting our past for the Wales of tomorrow.’
Other projects awarded grants include maintaining the public access to Owain Glyndwr’s mount, work to support structural repairs to Llandaff Cathedral and work to preserve Neath War Memorial Clock and Bells.
The new Conservative Chairman of the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned of a construction skills shortage affecting housing supply, urging devolving of powers to local authorities to help address this issue.
The Local Government Association (LGA) writes:
Councils hold the key to ending the nation’s housing crisis and ensuring the Government’s pledge to build 275,000 affordable homes by 2020 is met, the new leader of local government in England and Wales will say today (30/6).
Cllr Gary Porter will use his first keynote address as the Conservative Chairman of the Local Government Association (LGA) to warn of a growing skills shortage in the construction industry which is holding back vital housebuilding.
Cllr Porter will also use his speech to more than 1,400 local government leaders, councillors and government ministers, at the first day of the LGA’s Annual Conference, to call for an end to restrictions hampering council efforts to build desperately-needed homes.
Demand for skills within the construction industry is up 54 per cent since 2013. However, there are 58 per cent fewer completed construction apprenticeships today than in 2009.
Councils warn this mismatch risks resulting in the construction industry being left without the skilled employees needed to deliver on the Government’s ambitions for housebuilding.
To solve this crisis, the LGA wants funding and responsibilities over employment and skills services to be devolved to local areas.
This would allow councils, schools, colleges and employers to work together and ensure young people and the unemployed develop the vital skills to build, essential for creating the homes and jobs our communities need.
Historic England has commissioned new research on how much archaeology, historic building and local history research is carried out by voluntary groups in England in a survey that closes on 21 August.
Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service writes:
The project will also assess the value or potential value this research has for enhancing Historic Environment Records (HERs) and Research Frameworks, which have to date often been poorer in their coverage of historic buildings than in other aspects of the historic environment.
We would particularly value the contribution of IHBC members who have worked with voluntary groups to this online survey, and would be grateful if members could pass it on to relevant recipients. The responses will enable us to better understand the contribution of such efforts to heritage research, and to make sure that local history, historic building and archaeological research is better valued.
There’s more information on the project, including definitions of what we’d like to hear about, at http://community-heritage-research.blogspot.co.uk/
You can also complete the survey by post – please contact Rob Hedge on 01905 765654.
The IHBC’s ‘Jobs etc’ page has had another exceptional week, as it is currently advertising a range of jobs offering total salaries of some £987,673 – including £180,000 estimated for 6 posts – across 31 full and part-time jobs, and for roles that range from surveying to projects and facilities management as well as more traditional posts such as conservation officers, architects and managers with heritage specialisation.
IHBC Director Seán O’Reilly said: ‘Of course the posts we’re advertising range widely across the specialist jobs market, so no-one should think that it’s not still a tough time for the sector, or that local authority capacity is not continuing to endure its crisis.’
‘For example we’ll have a new Research Note update coming out soon on our monitoring of local authority conservation jobs, carried out by Bob Kindred, our Research Consultant, which will offer a critical perspective on the situation there.’
‘All that said, it is of course great to see that the institute’s members and networks continuing to demonstrate the right skills, knowledge and experience to attract employers. Clearly the advertisers have huge regard for our networks and the way we can help them maintain credible corporate and business credentials, while also recognising the incredibly good value that we offer for our services: all from as little as £280 for charities coming to us direct, including web design!’
The IHBC has just launched the next stage in the evolution of its practitioner support ‘toolbox’, an integrated online resource for built and historic environment conservation practice that, with the new Beta (developing) Home Page, now offers easy-to-follow links – like trays and compartments in a toolbox – so that busy conservation practitioners can find their way through the huge diversity of resources shaping built and historic environment conservation.
IHBC President Trefor Thorpe said: ‘The launch of this Beta Home Page in our evolving ‘Toolbox’ marks the point at which practitioners and the wider public can see how the system will operate. Already it’s giving direct access to entire new bodies of information developed by the IHBC for the sector – including especially new resources such as our own research publishing programme of ‘Research Notes’ and our practice-based ‘Guidance Notes’ – as well as easing access to longstanding resources such as our consultation responses. And this is still only the start’.
IHBC Chair Mike Brown said: ‘The Toolbox, and its new Home Page is the central platform to our suite of support for busy conservation practitioners. As IHBC members face unprecedented challenges in funding, infrastructure and the capacity to secure competent advice and support, the ‘Toolbox’ could not be more timely or essential.’
‘The Toolbox also demonstrates how the IHBC continues to focus on supportive action for our members, as we continue to do all we can to build working interfaces across the huge diversity of conservation stakeholders and interests. Our Toolbox will play a key role in building the efficient and effective inter-disciplinary connections essential in any successful built and historic environment conservation.’
IHBC Director Seán O’Reilly said: ‘While the arrival of the Beta Home Page means the Toolbox is operational, that’s not to say it’s ideally structured as yet! Like any toolbox, we will re-arrange the headline areas and their links – like the trays and compartments in your toolbox – to best suit users’ needs. And we can add and subtract content and routes, as we learn what members and users want.’
‘Indeed it is also the first public statement in the delivery of our new Corporate Plan, as we shape a core service that is in turn shaped first by members’ needs, so do be sure to offer your thoughts on this and other aspects of our work through the feedback link.
Visit the Beta Home Page of the Toolbox and feel free to explore the links from there and feedback through our WebStarter.
The IHBC is extending its capacity to reach out to prospective members and heritage specialists with a new opportunity for non-members to add their names to our email alerts linked to our ‘Jobs etc’ service.
IHBC Director Seán O’Reilly said: ‘Reaching the right people remains critical to information-based services such as our ‘Jobs etc’ platform. To help extend our reach and accessibility beyond our core networks, and increase flexibility in our services, we’re now offering email alerts to non-members. All you need do is use our sign up form linked from our ‘Jobs etc’ page and when you receive your first email alert be sure to use our website links if you want to let others know about these opportunities.’
‘The more astute applicants for posts realise that simply joining the IHBC as an Affiliate online is by far the easiest way to help career progress – if they’ve not already done so – and they’ll know that cost is not a barrier as we offer such excellent fee support to those in need.’
‘Hopefully others will also come to realise that serious employers value membership of the IHBC very highly and that may well be the critical push for prospective applicants to make the necessary effort to get ahead in heritage conservation by joining the IHBC online now!’
Following busy times for the IHBC’s social media network at the Annual School in Norwich, the institute’s Twitter following has now reached over 5000; 5007 to be exact at the time writing!
IHBC’s Social Media consultant Alison McCandlish said: ‘Whilst numbers are not the only thing which counts in social media (quality as well and quantity also count!) it is interesting to see the spread of following on our LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook feeds, which have been very busy following our annual school event.’
‘We aim to continue to cover issues which count to our members, and our ‘digital reach’ now stretches across the globe with followers from many countries and many professions and companies.’
‘Thank you to all of you who follow us, do continue to share your news with us, and pass on the news from IHBC to your networks.’
View the IHBC Twitter feed and follow us at @IHBCTweet
The 39th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee meets in Bonn from 28 June to 8 July, opening with a video message about the threats to world heritage from terror attacks while also considering the designation of new sites (including the UK Forth Bridge and the state of conservation of existing WHS designations (including Liverpool).
UNESCO writes:
An appeal for the international community to counter the new threat of violent extremism and cultural cleansing was issued at the opening of the World Heritage Committee, which opened its session in Bonn, Germany, today. The Committee will remain in session until 8 July under the chair of Maria Böhmer, Minister of State at the German Federal Foreign Office and member of the Bundestag.
In a video message, German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke of the importance of heritage for our understanding of cultures.‘Heritage is under attack today. In Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen, we see the brutal and deliberate destruction of heritage on an unprecedented scale. This is a call for action,’ declared the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova.
‘Our response to ignorance and criminal acts, must also have a cultural dimension: Knowledge, the sharing of Islam’s millennial learning and wisdom, sharing the message of Palmyra, the Venice of the Sands, that is like a bridge between the legacies of ancient Greece and Rome, the Persian Empire and the Arab culture from ancient times to the present,’ said the Director-General before speaking of the launch in Baghdad three months ago of the #Unite4Heritage campaign.
Ms Böhmer for her part said that ‘the fury of terrorist organizations like ISIS in Iraq surpasses our imagination. World Heritage is the foundation of people’s existence and cohesion […]. It is the wellspring of social identity,’ she added, invoking the role of culture in peace building.
Hao Ping, President of the General Conference of UNESCO, and Mohamed Sameh Amr, Chair of the Organization’s Executive Board, gave voice to the commitment of UNESCO Member States to protect sites under threat.
During the opening session, participants at the International Young Experts Forum presented the outcome of their meeting, taking place from 18 to 29 June in Koblenz and Bonn. They read out the Declaration they adopted calling on States Parties to the World Heritage Convention to include teaching about World Heritage in national school curricula.
Thirty-six sites are nominated for inscription on UNESCO’s World Heritage List at this year’s session. They are (given here in the provisional order in which they are to be examined; though this order may be changed in the course of the session):
Natural sites:
Mixed natural and cultural sites:
Cultural sites:
During its session, the Committee will also examine the state of conservation of 94 sites already on the World Heritage List, and of the 46 sites inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger. Debates will be webcast.
A number of parallel events will be held during the current session, notably the launch of the Global Coalition for the Protection of Cultural Heritage: #Unite4Heritage, on 29 June.
Watch the livestream of events taking place over the duration of the conference
View a Liverpool Echo report on the consideration of issues affecting designation of the city
Watch Dan Cruickshank’s BBC4 documentary on ‘civilisations under attack’ on the threats to global heritage on BBC i-Playerat
Research funded by CITB shows that construction professionals are earning almost double the average national salary.
CITB writes:
Construction professionals are earning nearly double the national average salary, new research has revealed.
They are currently taking home £40,782, surpassing the national average salary of £28,186 by a huge £12,596, or 45%, according to recruitment firm Randstad.
Bringing in around £48,385, workers in London receive the biggest pay cheques. East England and North West England are also faring well, with average salaries in the construction industry hitting £38,343 and £36,149 respectively.
Labour shortages could be one of the factors driving up professional salaries, Owen Goodhead, managing director of Randstad Construction, Property and Engineering, suggests.
‘Pay reflects supply and demand – on a local level. Where demand is outstripping supply of the right workers, we’re seeing employers increasingly willing to offer a slightly better deal to attract the right person,’ he told Construction Manager.
Researchers compiled the data by analysing more than 870,000 CVs and salaries, before comparing regional average wages to those seen across the UK.
Mr Goodhead said that while London might be leading the way with the high volume of construction projects in the pipeline, cities in the North are also performing well.
He said: ‘Simple anecdotal evidence doesn’t do justice to the opportunities available on the construction projects that bristle and jostle for space along the London skyline and across the capital’s suburbs.
‘Manchester is leading the North West in a new frontier of economic growth, and big infrastructure projects are rolling out from the Thames Valley to Merseyside.’
The Los Angeles based Getty Foundation has announced $1.75 million of grants under the ‘keep it modern’ programme, including one project based in the UK, Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Hill House in Helensburgh, while members at last year’s IHBC Annual School in Edinburgh will recall being discussed by its owner, the National Trust for Scotland.
The National Trust for Scotland writes:
The Getty Foundation has allocated a grant of £95,000 towards the conservation of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s iconic Hill House in Helensburgh, Scotland.
The Getty Foundation has allocated a grant of £95,000 towards the conservation of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s iconic Hill House in Helensburgh, Scotland.
The award, which comes through the Los Angeles-based Foundation’s ‘Keeping it Modern’ architectural conservation grants initiative, will help the owners of Hill House, heritage charity the National Trust for Scotland, to deliver its conservation plan for the 1904 property. This is the first award under the initiative made to a building in the UK and one of only fourteen awards made this year, thereby confirming the international significance of the property.
Keeping it Modern is designed to support grant projects of outstanding architectural significance in relation to 20th century buildings. The Hill House, which was built for Glasgow publisher Walter Blackie and his family, was one of the most original pieces of architecture from the early part of that century, blending traditional Scottish vernacular styles with radical, new external finishes and interiors.
Mackintosh dispensed with many of the normal weathering details, such as projecting chimney and skew copes, relying instead upon harling to weather-proof these vulnerable areas. He used a then relatively untried cement-based harling applied at the behest of the client to give him a house devoid of ‘adventitious ornamentation’ with ‘grey rough cast’ to complement the grey Ballachulish slate roof finish.
Unfortunately, the Hill House has suffered from the effects of moisture penetration through its external plasterwork ever since it was built. In spite of many attempts over the years to deal with the problem, no solution has been found up to now.
The Conservation Plan that the Getty Foundation’s grant will support is intended to deal with moisture ingress for once and for all without harming or diminishing Mackintosh’s design in any way.
The new Chief Executive of the National Trust for Scotland, Simon Skinner said: ‘This is an exceptional act of generosity by the Getty Foundation for an exceptional building. Last year’s events at the Glasgow School of Art were a salutary reminder of the preciousness and importance to architecture of Mackintosh’s remaining buildings. Although many of the conservation challenges at Hill House stem from the original specifications, we are obliged for the sake of Scotland’s heritage to ensure that this striking and wholly innovative property is brought to the best possible condition for future generations to enjoy.’
‘The Getty Foundation’s grant allows us to materially progress our conservation plan for Hill House.’
The conservation plan is based on extensive investigation by structural and conservation specialists, and works are expected to be underway later in 2015 and through into 2016 to apply external finishes that will prevent further water ingress. The Getty Foundation award provides a much-needed catalyst for further fundraising towards the Hill House project.
View the full list of awards and details of the international properties benefitting
See the IHBC Edinburgh Annual School presentation, ‘Hill House harl: Getting under the surface of Mackintosh’, by William Napier, online
The latest figures for heritage participation have been released by the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) and cover the period of April 2014 to March 2015, noting that ‘74.4 per cent of adults had engaged with heritage in some way in the last year’.
The data covers regional and national cultural participation data across England, and also looks at regional trends in each sector (arts, heritage, museums and galleries, libraries, archives, volunteering and special events) as well as equalities data relating to trends in visits and digital participation.
In the chapter on heritage (p16) DCMS writes:
Key findings:
Download the key findings report
View a summary infographic of the heritage data
The world’s largest potash mine has been given planning permission by the North York Moors (NYM) National Park (NP) Authority.
The North York Moors National Park Authority (NYMNPA) writes:
Plans for the world’s largest potash mine were today approved by Members of the North York Moors National Park Authority (NYMNPA). The mine head at Dove’s Nest Farm near Whitby and much of its associated infrastructure will be within the North York Moors, a very sensitive and highly protected landscape.
Andy Wilson, Chief Executive of the NYMNPA said: ‘Today’s decision is the culmination of hard work, of thorough examination and in-depth discussions of the largest planning application this National Park, and indeed any English National Park, has had to consider.
‘I appreciate that there will be many disappointed by today’s decision but Members felt that the long term benefits for the local, regional and national economy were transformational. This truly exceptional nature plus the measures proposed by the company to mitigate harm and deliver widespread environmental benefits to the Park over a long period of time tipped the balance in favour of approval.’
Members acknowledged the considerable harm a development the size of the proposed mine will have on the special qualities of the North York Moors, particularly during the construction phase. They felt however that the projected long-term economic and social benefits to some of the most deprived parts of the region outweighed these concerns and provided the truly exceptional circumstances required by national planning policy to grant approval to a major development within a National Park.
The applicant, York Potash, estimates that the new potash mine could create up to 1,000 jobs and would also bring revenue benefits at a national level. Resources to compensate for the harmful impacts of the development will be paid by the Company over 100 years. The funding will be used for a variety of projects including tree planting and increased promotion of the wider North York Moors to potential visitors. The long term impacts of these would be of huge benefit to the biodiversity of the Park.
The NYMNPA will work closely with York Potash during the construction phase and beyond to ensure the detailed conditions associated with the approval of the plans are met.
The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) has released a new publication which explores the latest research around inter-disciplinary practice on the cultural value of built and natural heritage, and their latest annual report.
The lnternational Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) writes:
This publication is the fruit of the collaboration between IUCN and ICOMOS to improve their work and expertise in the framework of their World heritage programmes.
The Connecting Practice project aims to explore, learn and create new methods of recognition and support for the interconnected character of the natural, cultural and social value of highly significant land and seascapes. The World Heritage Convention is the leading international instrument for conservation that brings together nature and culture. Yet a range of obstacles to good performance exist and need to be addressed.
The project is a joint initiative between IUCN (lnternational Union for Conservation of Nature) and ICOMOS (lnternational Council on Monuments and Sites) providing the opportunity for exploring how to form a more genuinely integrated consideration of natural and cultural heritage under the World Heritage Convention – ‘bridging the divide’ that is often observed between nature and culture – overcoming the many unintended adverse outcomes that can result.
Design Council Cabe is looking to recruit a diverse range of people from architecture and built environment backgrounds, academics and specialists in public health and community engagement to join its Built Environment Experts (BEE) network, with applications due by 31 July.
Design Council CABE writes:
Our BEE members make up an unparalleled professional network that provides design support to projects throughout England and internationally. Our BEEs are vital to support Cabe in offering independent advice on design in the built environment, ensuring that we create buildings, places and spaces that improve everyone’s quality of life.
We recognise the importance and benefits of a diverse, multidisciplinary network, and we are committed to actively promoting equality and inclusivity throughout our work. We are an equal opportunities employer and take all reasonable steps to ensure that no applicant receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, ethnicity, marital status, disability, age, sexual orientation or religion/beliefs.
Historic England (Historic England) is launching a new project that aims to celebrate and explore lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) history and is inviting contributions to the mapping project.
HE writes:
We are teaming up with Leeds Beckett University and experts nationwide to explore and celebrate the relationship between lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) history and the country’s historic buildings and spaces.
The project aims to show that LGBTQ heritage is a fundamental and fascinating part of our national heritage. It will also improve knowledge of, and access to, this history through images, archive materials and stories that focus on the huge range of places and spaces lived, loved, worked and played in by LGBTQ people through the centuries.
The researchers will work with community groups, LGBTQ advisory groups and the general public, using crowd-sourcing as a technique for people across England to name important ‘queer’ buildings and places.
Plot your own LGBTQ heritage places on our interactive map and see what buildings and landscapes others are remembering.
View more information about the project
Find out some of the favourite places of LGBTQ celebrities
Conservation work on 20th century wall paintings at the Church of St Martin of Tours (Bilborough, Nottinghamshire) has been awarded the 2015 SPAB John Betjeman award, with St Mary in Nantwich being awarded a commendation.
The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) writes:
Sensitive conservation work to two remarkable recently rediscovered 20th-century wall paintings at the Church of St Martin of Tours at Bilborough in Nottinghamshire have won the prestigious 2015 SPAB (Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings) John Betjeman Award. The murals are the work of war artist Evelyn Gibbs (1905 -1991). The SPAB has also announced a commendation for repairs to the medieval choir stalls at St Mary, Nantwich.
The Society’s annual award honours the memory of church enthusiast and SPAB member Sir John Betjeman and is made for outstanding repairs to the fabric of places of worship in England and Wales completed in the last 18 months. Importantly, the award is always made to the winning building rather than to individuals.
Five shortlisted projects were visited by the SPAB judging panel in May and they were unanimous that the 2015 award should go to the recovery of the Gibbs wall paintings in the sanctuary at St Martin of Tours, hidden for 42 years. Although the church is largely medieval, today it is at the centre of modern housing estate and area of need. The wider significance of the project is that it has provided a much needed focus for education, community and aspiration.
Completed in 1946, the paintings depict the Annunciation and are positioned either side of the east window in the chancel, Mary to the left and Gabriel to the right. They are broadly in the tradition of 14th -century Italian murals, with the figures charmingly situated in the old village setting of Bilborough itself. The paintings were ‘lost’ during the construction of an extension in the 1970s.
Although their possible survival (beneath layers of emulsion) was identified in 1990s, no work was undertaken until they were rediscovered in 2009 by workmen re-wiring the church. A condition survey was carried out by specialist conservators Tobit Curteis Associates in 2010 which recommended a sensitive approach to the recovery of these important paintings – thought to be last surviving examples of monumental work carried out by Evelyn Gibbs.
The project was not straightforward, requiring the removal of a 1970s ceiling in the chancel.
Work on the paintings began in September 2014. The conservation team, Tobit Curteis, Bianca Madden and Claudia Fiochetti carried out initial cleaning and repairs, particularly to areas of the Mary mural where the original painting had sustained water damage. In addition, Gabriel had been marked by graffiti. Conservators Saskia and Joy Huning were also on site during the early weeks of the project to carry out colour matching and make full size templates of the original paintings.
While the team was able to recover the upper parts of the mural, lower sections had been damaged by the emulsion. The survival of the upper portions and an accurate photographic record – thanks to the involvement of Gibbs’ biographer Pauline Lucas – provided invaluable information for the successful re-painting of the damaged sections. The Hunings returned to the site in October once the conservation of the upper parts of the mural was completed. They worked particularly hard to blend the two new sections and to achieve Gibbs’ technique of applying paint, which was heavily influenced by her early etchings.
The work was completed on 31 October and on 11 November – the feast of St Martin – the church re-opened with an Armistice and thanksgiving service.
Hilary Wheat, St Martin of Tours project co-ordinator says: ‘The project was kick-started when an anonymous donation of £1000 in cash dropped through the letter box at the vicarage. We couldn’t believe it. We’re a small church in Bilborough in Nottingham, part of a deprived community. Areas get a reputation for hardship but it’s really nice to have some good news. Which is the theme of the painting really! The recovery of these remarkable paintings is an investment in the community, fulfilling their original purpose to bring beauty and hope to a time of austerity.’
SPAB judging panel spokesman Roger Mears says: ‘We were impressed not only by the quality of the conservation and artistic work carried out, but also by the careful assessment, testing and decision-making process which had informed the project. The judges discussed the approach taken to the damaged lower sections of the paintings and were satisfied that this had been justified both by the conservator and the artist. They were particularly impressed by how the complex aesthetic, technical and philosophical challenges had been approached and overcome; and by the commitment to community involvement and education embedded in the project. This has resulted in a space of beauty and serenity, but has also, very clearly, been a catalyst for wider benefits.’
SPAB’s John Betjeman Award takes the form of a commemorative scroll featuring a John Piper print of a church much-loved by Betjeman. This will be presented at the Society’s annual members’ meeting in July.
In Art in Living Form John Betjeman wrote: ‘There are something like twenty thousand Church of England places of worship in this country and of those far more than half are ancient buildings, that is to say each represents the gradual growth of a community. They are the history of English art displayed in living form, and most country churches have far more to tell to those who will look than have the local museums.’
The IHBC has just launched the next stage of its practitioner support ‘Toolbox’, an integrated online resource for built and historic environment conservation practice that, among other support to come, now offers easy access to the IHBC’s new Guidance Notes programme, one that covers wide-ranging issues extending from the negotiating practice to the specification of Planning Authority duties in England, as well as the use of injunctions.
IHBC Chair Mike Brown said: ‘The launch of this next stage in the IHBC’s ‘Toolbox’ marks another important step up in the institute’s support for members especially, but also for practitioners with more general interests in conservation.’
‘The Toolbox is being designed very much as a ready-to-use piece of conservation ‘kit’, to help skilled and unskilled alike more easily understand, access and secure the most useful and appropriate information they need to deliver conservation policy, practice and outcomes.’
‘Indeed, as we know, time is money for our own members too, so speedy access to knowledge, learning and advice all lie at the heart of our design of the ‘toolbox’. And of course as ever if you think you have ideas on the Toolbox that can help improve either our work or yours, do please get in touch!’
IHBC Policy Secretary David Kincaid said: ‘The practical implementation of conservation policy has long been one of the major challenges faced by our sector, and we hope that these guidance notes will begin to fill the critical gaps in practitioner support.’
Bob Kindred, IHBC’s Research Consultant, and Vice Chair of the IHBC’s Education, Training and Standards (ETS) Committee, said: ‘Our Research Notes & Guidance Notes programme offers current and recent research and advice into topics that we consider crucial to the promotion of good built and historic environment conservation policy and practice.’
‘In many specific areas of current policy and practice, there are information gaps. Our Notes necessarily reflect what is happening any one time and some of the work we are doing is in the form of crowd-sourcing to uncover good work that IHBC members and others are doing but not easily accessible to the sector. IHBC will always welcomes new case examples, feedback and comment for future revisions and periodic updates. This can come direct to me at research@ihbc.org.uk.’
Current Guidance Notes cover:
More will be published shortly and announced via the NewsBlogs
For links to the Guidance Notes see the IHBC Toolbox
For links to the Research Notes see the IHBC Toolbox
The UK government is planning to create new legislation which will result in the ratification of the Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.
IHBC ETS Committee Vice Chair Bob Kindred OBE, who was the Special Advisor to the House of Commons Culture Media and Sport Committee when it considered the ratification of the Hague Convention in 2008 said: ‘The decision by the government to ratify the 1954 Convention for the protection of cultural property in event of armed conflict, is very welcome. The Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport, John Whittingdale, was Chairman of the Committee when it scrutinised the enabling legislation [the draft Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill] during the Committee’s 2007-08 session and although the Bill was not enacted, we can now look forward to seeing the Convention and its two Protocols of 1954 and 1999 become legally binding and brought into operation as soon as parliament allows. It may also encourage more Commonwealth states to also sign up and will also strengthen our commitments within UNESCO.’
Historic England writes:
Government Tackles International Cultural Destruction.
Henry Owen-John, Head of International Advice at Historic England said: ‘We welcome Government’s plan to introduce legislation to ratify the Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. It is something we have consistently advised that Government should do – it will clearly state the UK’s commitment to the protection of internationally significant cultural property and the fund will help in the practical application of the Convention in places at risk of serious damage. Our role will be to advise government on the content of the forthcoming legislation, particularly in relation to the identification of buildings and monuments within the UK that will be covered by the terms of the convention.’
View more information on the protocol on UNESCO’s website
