IHBC NewsBlogs

New rural skills qualifications are to be launched in Scotland, which IHBC member David Mitchell (Historic Scotland’s Director of Conservation) has highlighted as vital for rural traditional building maintenance and repair.

The Scottish Government writes:
Brand new formal qualifications in rural skills are set to open for applications later this year, Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead has announced.

Backed by Scottish Government funding, the SVQ Level 2 and Level 3 courses will offer up to 20 students per year work-based training in all aspects of estate maintenance and estate management, including gamekeeping, forestry and factoring as well as heritage conservation.

The qualifications, the first of their kind in Scotland, have been developed by Scottish Land & Estates together with Rural Skills Scotland and mark a significant step towards a Rural Skills Modern Apprenticeship for diverse land-based businesses.

Mr Lochhead said: ‘Having a skilled workforce is key to unlocking Scotland’s economic potential, and having more skilled jobs in rural areas will help these communities thrive by creating opportunities for our young people to stay and make a decent living.  I am extremely pleased to confirm Scottish Government support for these new qualifications, which are a great way for those seeking to start or develop a career in land management to learn the necessary skills for use on any type of estate – be it private, community-owned or third or public sector.’

The SVQs will be integral to the Rural Skills Learning Ladder developed by Scottish Land & Estates, which aims to support skills development, progressive and meaningful career paths in the rural sector, as well as providing resources to raise awareness of rural land issues for use by schools.

David Johnstone, chairman of Scottish Land & Estates, said: ‘The qualifications were developed following feedback from employers and employees on the business needs of modern integrated estates along with difficulties faced by those in rural areas who wanted to undergo training and skills development. We are delighted to see the qualifications come to fruition. We hope that the programme will open up a number of opportunities for people to formalise their knowledge, progress in their careers or consider a new career path in the land based sector.  The qualifications are only one part of Scottish Land & Estates’ Rural Skills Learning Ladder and we look forward to working with the Scottish Government, Imbewu Scotland, Rural Skills Scotland, Historic Scotland, LANTRA and others to inspire young people to pursue rural careers and to ensure that we deliver career progression for those involved in the sector.’

Historic Scotland, Rural Skills Scotland and Scottish Land & Estates have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote the SVQ Level 2.

Stewart Christie, Chairman of Rural Skills Scotland, said:
‘Rural Skills Scotland Ltd. is delighted to be involved in today’s celebration event. Working in partnership with Scottish Land & Estates we have worked hard to develop the SVQ Level 2 Estate Maintenance and in doing so have produced a qualification which directly reflects the needs of rural employers.  Not only does it provide an opportunity for those already employed in the land-based sector to formalise their skills, but it also gives new entrants to the sector the opportunity to gain a nationally recognised qualification that employers will value. The significant benefit of this qualification is that it is entirely work based and can be tailored to meet the needs of both the employer and the learner. The support and endorsement from both Scottish Land & Estates and Historic Scotland to date has been invaluable for us as an organisation and we look forward to continuing our partnership with them.’

David Mitchell, Historic Scotland’s Director of Conservation, said: ‘Historic Scotland is very aware of the vital role that estate and other rural workers play in conserving, repairing and maintaining Scotland’s rural built heritage. To that end I am delighted we are working with Scottish Land & Estates and Rural Skills Scotland to ensure that the vocational qualifications being developed in this area will equip people with right skills and knowledge to undertake these works, to ensure that traditional buildings continue to contribute to the sustainable economic growth of Scotland’s rural economy.’

View the news release

IHBC newsblogs on construction education and training

More information on Scottish Land and Estates

More information on LANTRA in the UK

Stewart Murray, Assistant Director, Planning with the Greater London Authority has become the new President of the Planning Officers Society (POS).

POS writes:
Murray was elected at the Society’s Annual General Meeting held in Dorchester on Friday 19 June 2015. Murray is the 19^th President of the Society since its formation in 1997.

At the AGM Stewart stated that ‘my aim for the year is to elevate public sector planning as a positive force for change and delivery and ensure the message is promoted and influences the new Government in the coming reform agenda.’

Stewart re-joined the GLA after the 2012 Olympic Games in 2012, from London Borough of Redbridge where he had spent just over a year delivering the Capital’s first CIL. Before that he had worked for the London Borough of Barnet for some 8 years as Director of Planning, Housing & Regeneration.

Stewart is a Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute with some 30 years’ experience in local government in the Capital; he was formerly the Senior Vice President of the Planning Officers Society.  He is also a Trustee Director of the Planning Officers Society Board.

The Immediate Past President of the Society is West Dorset and Weymouth & Portland’s  Director of Planning & Environment, David Evans. The new Senior Vice-President is Anna Rose, Service Director for Planning and Transport at Milton Keynes Council. The new Junior Vice-President is Steve Ingram, Strategic Director Development and Growth at South Kesteven District Council.

POS website

The Museums Association has announced details of the successful applicants to its ‘transformer’ programme which helps mid-career heritage professionals trial and develop new ideas in their museum, with 27 appointees across the UK. 

The Museums Association writes:
The Museums Association (MA) has announced the successful applicants to its Transformers 2015-16 programme designed to support people in mid-career develop fresh thinking and experimental ideas at their museum in England, Wales and Scotland.

Projects being pursued by successful applicants include taking an iconic museum brand to an airport setting, building a national network to better understand and support neurodiversity, and using collections to generate corporate partnerships and develop corporate volunteering.

Participants in 2015-16 range from exhibition officers to chief executives, and come from a range of different types of museum across England, Wales and Scotland.

Jess Turtle, the MA’s project coordinator, said: ‘We are really pleased that the programme has again attracted such a high level of applications in its second year. There are some very exciting themes emerging, from activism to radical philanthropy. It is wonderful to see that museum professionals continue to respond to current challenges with such creativity. We have a very broad spread of regions, disciplines and types of museums in the cohort, which will translate into an incredibly rich learning experience for participants, the lessons of which can then be shared with the sector.’

The cohort for 2015-16 will be:

• Rachel Ball, Volunteer Manager, Royal Air Force Museum, London
• Denise Bowler, Secondary and Post-16 Co-ordinator, The Whitworth
• Kathy Cremin, Director of Co-operation, Bede’s World
• Becky Cund, Director of HR and Administration, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
• Nicola Cunningham, Exhibitions Officer, National Museums Liverpool
• Megan Dennis, Curator, Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse
• Jody East, Creative Programme Curator, Royal Pavillion and Museum, Brighton
• Shona Elliot, Lead Curator, Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museum
• Nicola Euston, Museum Manager, The Atkinson
• David Gelsthorpe, Curator of Earth Sciences, The Manchester Museum
• Rebecca Holt, Chief Operating Officer, Battersea Arts Centre
• Clare Hunt, Curatorial Manager, Southend Museum
• Halima Khanom, National and International Learning & Engagement Coordinator, Imperial War Museum
• Laura Lewis, Project Co-ordinator, Wardown Park Museum
• Kylea Little, Keeper of History, Discovery Museum
• Adrian Mason, Head of Marketing and Operations, Tullie House Museum
• Liz McCaffry Payne, Corporate and Trusts Fundraiser, Bletchley Park Trust
• Philip Miles, Museum Manager, Sheringham Museum
• Becki Morris, Collections Assistant, Heritage and Culture Warwickshire
• Diana Morton, Outreach and Access Manager, City Art Centre, Edinburgh
• Mhairi Muncaster, Development Manager, William Morris Gallery
• Alex Nicholson-Evans, Volunteer Development Manager, Birmingham Museums Trust
• Victoria Rogers, Museum Manager, Cardiff Story Museum
• Pollie Shorthouse, Executive Director of NCCL, Galleries of Justice, The Egalitarian Trust
• Caroline Storr, Heritage Development Manager, Salford Community Leisure
• Katie Taylor, Individual Giving Executive, Royals Museums Greenwich
• Caroline Worthington, Chief Executive, Bexley Heritage Trust

Transformers is funded by Arts Council England, Museums Galleries Scotland, The Federation of Museums and Art Galleries of Wales, and Amgueddfa Cymru (National Museum Wales) 

View the news release

IHBC NewsBlogs on museums

A building project undertaken by the University of Edinburgh’s new Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation (ECCI), Scotland’s only low carbon innovation hub, in association with Edinburgh World Heritage, is deemed to be the UK’s greenest historic building, has moved a step closer to implementation, with environmental improvement work taking place on historic steps in conjunction with a local artist to re-open the once neglected route.

The Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation writes:
Edinburgh’s High School Yards steps, leading form the Cowgate to ECCI, have been reopened to the public after 12 years of closure and are now the focus of an installation by Edinburgh artist Callum Innes. 

The historic steps, which link the Cowgate and High School Yards, were closed in 2003 after reports of anti-social behaviour. Their restoration is the result of an 18 month partnership project to revive the route between the City of Edinburgh Council, Edinburgh World Heritage and The University of Edinburgh.

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Lesley Hinds, who helped open the steps, said: ‘The incredible transformation of High School Yards steps is testament to the partnership working by all those involved in this project, including members of the local community.  The vast improvement to the area, featuring Callum Innes’ innovative artwork, will not only create a safer and more attractive atmosphere for those working, living and studying nearby, but will enhance this lesser-used end of the Cowgate.’

As well as significant conservation work, including the renewal of railings and the addition of gates to close the stairs off at night, the refurbished steps will feature a bespoke installation by Callum Innes.  Aiming to reclaim the area as a public space, the artwork uses an infrared camera to capture the movement of people as they climb the steps, projecting their silhouettes onto a large LED mesh screen above them, revealing a hidden section of the stairs.

Short clips of silhouetted movement, created by Innes in collaboration with young adults from the nearby Panmure St Ann’s Centre and artists Catherine Payton and Tom Nolan, also play on a loop when the stairs are empty.

Artist Callum Innes said: ‘By placing an infrared camera half-way up the steps we make a hidden part of the steps visible, relaying live footage of silhouetted figures to be superimposed onto the changing colours of the screen.   The installation directly engages both the architecture of the steps and the public for whom they serve. In conjunction with the development of the work, I wanted to involve local school children in creating recorded silhouettes that can run on the screen when the steps are closed, or at quieter times.’

Adam Wilkinson, Director of Edinburgh World Heritage, said: ‘This exciting project demonstrates again how neglected areas of the World Heritage Site can be transformed to the benefit to the city, through an innovative mixture of heritage conservation and public art and collaborative working. Our funding has helped to conserve these Victorian steps to the highest standard, but Callum’s work fundamentally transforms our perceptions of this space, adding both enchantment and safety. The High School Yards Steps have now been reclaimed as useful public space, supporting an oft-overlooked area of the Old Town.’

The regeneration of the steps was an important aspect of the design of the University of Edinburgh’s new Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation (ECCI) building at High School Yards, Scotland’s only low carbon innovation hub and the UK’s greenest historic building. ECCI Executive Director Andy Kerr said: ‘The regeneration of the steps opens up routes that connect the newly renovated ECCI building and surrounding area to the Cowgate, Drummond St and other parts of the city at large. ECCI’s core aims are built around bringing people together to solve the complex problems associated with climate change, so it absolutely fitting to have improved the connectivity and sustainability of the building in this way, and in such an innovative and creative way.’

The renovation of High School Yards steps was first proposed in 2013, when the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation opened to students, many of whom would use the route to access the Old Town.  By improving the appearance of the steps and limiting night time entry – gates will be closed between 8pm and 9am – it is hoped that anti-social behaviour, littering and graffiti will be deterred.

The total cost of the work is £214,536 and is jointly funded by Edinburgh World Heritage, the University of Edinburgh and the City of Edinburgh Council’s Neighbourhood Environment Projects budget, which offers local groups the opportunity to deliver projects.

View the news release and find out more about the project and low carbon work

The National Lottery public vote for favourite lottery good cause is now open, from 24 June – 29 July everyone may vote for their favourite project across 7 categories, including heritage.

The nominees in the heritage category (in random order) are:

• Mind the Gap – The Watercress Line (Hampshire)
• Together We Won the War (The Race Equality Centre, Leicester and Leicestershire)
• Newbridge Memo (South Wales)
• First World War in the Air (Royal Air Force Museum)
• Lincoln Castle Revealed
• Áras St. Columba Heritage Centre (Derry-Londonderry)
• Information Age (London Science Museum)

View more information on the heritage category nominees, and vote

View more information on all categories

IHBC newsblogs on funding

IHBC Awards etc 

The first allocations of Scottish Land Fund grants worth £172,000 in three different areas have been announced by the Big Lottery. 

The Big Lottery Fund writes:
Three community land initiatives in the Scottish Borders, East Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire are today (12 JUNE) sharing in Scottish Land Fund grants worth £172,000.

Minister for Land Reform, Aileen McLeod said, ‘ ‘I am delighted to see the latest round of Scottish Land Fund awards which will help six communities in south Ayrshire, the Scottish Borders, Aberdeenshire and the Western Isles bring land into community ownership.

‘These communities have developed their own plans for their local land which ranges from estates to small key pieces of land that will help them to transform their communities and bring a host of benefits; economic, social and environmental. I am looking forward to watching them develop the land on which they live and work to realise their goals and ambitions, as the Scottish Government seeks to support community land ownership and bring more land into community ownership by 2020.’

Set within a small rural community of just 200 residents, the Tweedsmuir Community Company (TCC) receives £127,500 to purchase a 1.14 hectare piece of land adjoining the historic Crook Inn – a building previously brought into community ownership back in 2013. The land includes a semi-derelict coach-house, former Hotel owner’s house, and listed outbuildings, as well as part of the former railway line, which took workers to the Talla Reservoir during its construction. Thanks to today’s Scottish Land Fund award, TCC will now own and develop the site, which in turn enable it to develop the breadth of proposals for the Crook Inn Community Hub.

James Welch, TCC Director, said: ‘The TCC is delighted with this substantial award from the Scottish Land Fund as it will dramatically increase the scope to develop and sustain our rural and isolated community, by enhancing the long term viability of the Crook Inn Community Hub. It will provide opportunities for employment, learning and training, social and cultural life and in the support of local business. It also provides scope for innovative new developments at this historic site.’

The site of a former primary school in Crossroads, East Ayrshire will be brought into community ownership, thanks to a grant of £30,500. The Crossroads Community Hub Ltd will purchase the site from East Ayrshire Council and establish a new community hub encompassing a community-managed farm shop, cafe, craft gallery, multi-use community space and learning centre.

View the press release

Information on Big Lottery grants available throughout the UK (with a ‘funding finder’ tool)

IHBC newsblogs on funding

1000 new homes to rent are now going to be available in London under the Build to Rent fund. 

DCLG writes:
Three multi-million pound deals will provide over 1,000 new homes specifically for private rent in London, Housing Minister Brandon Lewis announced yesterday (10 June 2015) at the London Real Estate Forum.  The homes will be built in some of the capital’s most sought-after locations – including the newest neighbourhood in Stratford’s Olympic Village site. 

Mr Lewis said the completion of these 3 deals will provide good quality rented homes for tenants ‘well into the future’.  The £1 billion Build to Rent fund is designed to help developers produce large scale, quality homes, specifically for the private rented sector.

Yesterday’s latest agreements will mean £252 million is invested in building 1,353 homes across key sites in London. These include:

• 903 homes for rent at Stratford’s Olympic Village
• 278 homes for rent at Newington Butts in Southwark
• 172 homes for rent across sites in Hammersmith, Westminster and West Kensington

Work on the homes will start straight away, and be completed in 2017 and 2018.  Each site will include a mix of 1, 2 and 3-bedroom properties, all located closely to underground stations.

View the press release

View more information on the fund

IHBC newsblogs on housing

A study of the first 100 completed large grant aided HLF projects has been released which documents their aims and impacts, featuring case studies from throughout the UK where grants were over £5 million. 

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) writes:
In our latest research study, we focused on the impact of our largest grants – those of £5million or more. One hundred and seventy-three of these ‘Major Grants’ have now been made, and the first 100 of them are complete. Many have been finished for a decade or longer, giving us the opportunity to review the long-term, sustained benefits that have been achieved.

• HLF has awarded £1billion to the 100 completed Major Grants. A further £2bn has been raised through partnership funding
• 94 million visits are made each year as a result of these Major Grants – (a 130% rise). The biggest increases in visits were from families and young people
• Local tourism businesses are receiving an extra £480m in revenue as a result of increased visits – creating an extra 9,600 new jobs
• In addition, HLF funding created 2,536 new jobs within 46 of the funded organisations
• 49 organisations extended their work with schools. as a result of their Major Grant, and 58 new education spaces – such as classrooms, lecture theatres and training rooms – have been created
• 54 organisations increased the number of volunteers they work with

Through these 100 completed Major Grants HLF has funded:

• 6 world heritage sites
• 16 Grade I listed buildings in England and Wales
• 5 Grade A buildings in Scotland
• 14 Grade II* listed buildings in England and Wales
• 10 Grade II listed buildings in England and Wales
• 2 Grade B buildings in Scotland
• 6 buildings that have been removed from the Heritage at Risk Register
• 4 scheduled ancient monuments
• 36 National Collections
• 8 designated collections
• 43 accredited museums
• 2 accredited archives
• 6 works of art now in public collections
• 3 historic archives that would have been broken apart
• 5 ships on the National Historic Register of Ships
• 7 of the top 10 most popular visitor attractions in England: the British Museum, National Gallery, Southbank Centre, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, the V&A and Somerset House
• 4 of the top 5 attractions in Scotland: National Museum Scotland, Scottish National Gallery, Kelvingrove and the Riverside Museum
• 65 visitor attractions in total: 23 in London; six in Manchester; three in Liverpool; two in Edinburgh; two in Glasgow; two in Bristol and one each in, Brighton, Cambridge, Canterbury, Cardiff, Chichester, Exeter, Falmouth, Harrogate, Hull, Leeds, Newcastle, Norwich, Nottingham, Oxford, Portsmouth, Reading, Sheffield, Swansea and Worcester

View the news release and download the studies

IHBC NewsBlogs on funding

A BBC report examines the forthcoming repair works at Buckingham Palace, and the possibility that HM Queen may have to move out whilst £150 million of work is carries out.

View the news report and video on the BBC website

View more information on the maintenance and repair of the Royal estate in the annual report

This year National Women in Engineering Day was celebrated on 23 June, and to coincide with this the Institute of Civil Engineering is offering free online access to articles that address the issues of diversity in the built environment. 

The Institute of Civil Engineers writes:
The second annual National Women in Engineering Day is being held on Tuesday, June 23, 2015 and looks to highlight the opportunities available for women in engineering, to increase diversity and inclusion.

ICE Publishing is supporting this initiative by making previously published papers that focus on diversity and gender issues in civil engineering free to read until June 30.

Kate Cairns, an Independent Sustainability Advisor, discusses the issues covered in these publications. She has over 20 years of experience in the field of construction and sustainability, and in bringing the two together. Kate is a Director of CEEQUAL Ltd, the assessment and award scheme for improving sustainability in civil engineering and the public realm.

She currently chairs the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) North East Sustainability Panel and is a member of the national ICE Sustainability Panel Executive Group, Cycle Working Group, and Fairness Integrity and Respect (FIR) group. 

Featured Articles:

• Heading the drive for women in civil engineering: a personal perspective- Katie Brewin Proceedings of the ICE – Civil Engineering 2014, 167 (1) 147
• The Equality and Diversity Panel, Institution of Civil Engineers Daniel Hooper- Proceedings of the ICE – Municipal Engineer, 165 (3) 125-126
• Planning for sustainable urban areas or everyday life and inclusion- Clara Greed- Proceedings of the ICE – Urban Design and Planning 2011, 164 (2) 107-119
• Improving public services through open data: public toilets- Jo-Anne Bichard & Gail Knight- Proceedings of the ICE – Municipal Engineer 2012, 165 (3) 157-165
• Women in water supply, sanitation and hygiene programmes- Julie Fisher- Proceedings of the ICE – Municipal Engineer 2008, 161 (4) 223-229
• Diversity training for engineers: making ‘gender’ relevant- Brian Reed & Sue Coates- Proceedings of the ICE – Municipal Engineering 2012, 165 (3) 127-135

View the full article with commentary and analysis, and download the articles

IHBC newsblogs on equality

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland (NI) has released the results of research into local authority arts and culture expenditure from 2006-2013, which includes heritage data, offering an insight into regional variations prior to reorganisation. 

The data also includes arts development and support, museums and galleries, theatre and entertainment and IHBC members will be interested to view the heritage data (which relates to ‘repair and maintenance of councils historic buildings and ancient monuments (including recovery of expenses), initiatives or services designed to develop or maintain an awareness of local history, grants to voluntary groups and special events to celebrate historical events.’ –table 1 page 4).

Heritage shows a peak of expenditure in 2010/11 and 2011/12 (p6), and each local authority has data on ‘culture and related services’, with Derry spending the most per capita and Magherafelt the least across the survey timeline.

Download the survey report

An independent consortium has published their report into the scenarios for major repair and renewal at the Palace of Westminster, highlighting the poor condition of many parts of the building and considering the impact of five different options to manage the building and its fabric. 

Deloitte LLP writes:
A Deloitte-led consortium with AECOM and HOK has published an Independent Options Appraisal (IOA) report detailing a range of scenarios for carrying out a major restoration and renewal programme for the Palace of Westminster.

Dr Richard Ware, programme director for Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal, says: ‘The Palace has reached a turning point in its history, with many features needing major renovation. These include antiquated heating, ventilation, water, drainage and electrical systems combined with extensive stonework decay, leaking roofs, corrosion and the need to improve fire containment. Even the intensive programme of urgent repairs carried out over the last five years is barely scratching the surface.’

The IOA specifies five scenarios across three potential delivery options. These range from a ‘do minimum’ multi-phased approach, to making significant improvements in an intensive single phase. The consortium’s potential delivery options of how the work will be carried out were identified as:

• A rolling programme of works over a significantly prolonged period of time, delivered around continued occupation of the Palace – potentially 32 years;
• A partial move out, while a programme of works is conducted over a shorter period of time, during which each House would, in turn, move out to a temporary location and return upon completion – potentially 11 years; and
• A full move out, during which the Palace would be fully vacated while works are undertaken over a more concentrated period of time, with the Houses returning upon completion – approximately 6 years.

The times and costs in the IOA are based on an assumed start date of 2020, on an assumed scope and are estimated in three bands: upper, mid and lower range. Mid-range costs are: (all figures rounded to two significant figures)

This table lists mid-range estimated costs for the full capital expenditure based on Q2 2014 undiscounted figures. Estimated capital expenditure includes construction works and delivery, temporary accommodation, programme management, future inflation, an allowance for risk, and VAT. A detailed breakdown of estimated costs for each scenario can be found in Volume One of the IOA. All calculations assume that temporary accommodation is relinquished once the programme is complete.

Alex Bell, IOA lead and partner at Deloitte Real Estate, says: ‘Our analysis indicates that the restoration and renewal of the UK’s most famous building will be a challenging and potentially expensive exercise, but that it could also generate significant benefits to Parliament and the UK more widely. Members and peers face unenviable decisions, although recent mega-project success stories such as London 2012 and Crossrail demonstrate the UK’s capability to deliver such projects successfully.’

John Hicks, UK head of government & public sector at AECOM, comments: ‘The report intentionally does not contain recommendations on which scenario to choose. As technical lead for the consortium team, AECOM has focused on helping define the ‘what’ in terms of scenarios and the ‘how’, as well as ‘when’ the project could be delivered. This focus, together with both capital and life cost, and robust analysis of the engineering challenges from replacement services to environmental issues, have been principal ingredients of the IOA report.’

Larry Malcic, design principal of HOK, adds: ‘Few landmarks can rival the enormous historic, cultural and political significance of the Palace of Westminster. The challenges involved in its restoration and renewal are unique. Our extensive understanding of the building’s architectural heritage, underpinned by our two decades of experience working at the Palace and across Whitehall, has informed the report’s findings on what each scenario would aim to achieve and how to manage such a complex design project.’

Bell concludes: ‘The Joint Committee is expected to make its recommendations early in 2016 with an anticipated decision in principle by members of both Houses in spring 2016. Once the preferred way forward has been identified, the scope will be firmed up and more accurate costs will be developed. The report should not therefore be regarded as a bid for funding in the future. The scale of the work required on the Palace is such that it will have to be planned several years in advance. The Restoration and Renewal Programme itself is unlikely to start before 2020/21.’

View the press release

View the report

Find out more about the Palace of Westminster works, including videos demonstrating why work is required

View a historical timeline showing the development of the buildings

King’s College London has withdrawn their plans to demolish 154-158 and the façade at 152-153 Strand. 

SAVE Britain’s Heritage writes:
SAVE is delighted with this news and salutes King’s decision.  We hope this action will lead to a happy outcome for the site and all involved.

In a letter to students and staff Principal of King’s Professor Edward Byrne, said: ‘I would like to inform you that we have decided to withdraw our application for planning consent for our Strand Campus. Part of the proposed redevelopment, which included the Strand façades, has been the subject of controversy over recent months.  However, we recognise the groundswell of opinion and are sensitive to the heritage values of our city. As a result we have today withdrawn our plans and will consider alternative options.’

SAVE is working with architect John Burrell on alternative drawings to show ways in which 152-158 Strand can be incorporated into the campus masterplan in a sensitive and imaginative way. These alternatives would ensure that the historic buildings and environment are preserved and enhanced, whilst still providing King’s with required expansion of academic space.

Today’s news comes after the planning application was called in on the 9th June for a public inquiry by Secretary of State Greg Clark. A sustained campaign led by SAVE and supported by many others, including the Victorian Society, the Ancient Monument Society, and LAMAS, saw over 10,000 members of the public sign a petition calling for the buildings to be saved.

Thank you to everyone who signed the petition and who wrote letters to the Secretary of State. This campaign is a real showing of what people power can achieve.

Clem Cecil, SAVE Director said: ‘SAVE salutes King’s decision to withdraw their application for the demolition of the Strand buildings following a strong public campaign led by SAVE. This is fantastic news for all those who love London. SAVE is working on a scheme for the site with an architect to show how with an imaginative and sensitive design approach these buildings can be brought back into use and the concerns raised by King’s about any challenges these buildings may present, can be resolved.’

‘The overwhelming support for our campaign by the general public indicated the strength of feeling people have for London’s historic streetscape. This is London’s main ceremonial route from Westminster to St. Paul’s – a group of these buildings have already been lost in the 1960s to make way for the King’s College brutalist building, it is vital that no more are lost. These are quintessentially London buildings if great character and charm that stand on their original, narrow medieval plots.’

SAVE news article

New legislation has been published by the Scottish Government (SG) which aims to address issues of land reform, including the creation of a Scottish Land Commission and great community right to buy powers. 

The Scottish Government writes:
Land Reform Minster Aileen McLeod has pledged to end ‘the stop start nature of historic land reform’ with the publication of legislation today.

The Bill is designed to ensure the issues of fairness, equality and social justice connected to the ownership of, access to and use of land in Scotland are given a permanent footing with the creation of a Scottish Land Commission.

This will be backed by a requirement on the Scottish Government to have a statement on rights and responsibilities over land, and issuing guidance to landowners on engaging responsibly with communities.

Alongside this structural reform, the Bill brings forward a number of practical measures that will make a real difference to communities. This includes giving communities a right to buy land to further sustainable development, which applies in both urban and rural Scotland.

It also proposes powers that will enable communities or individuals to find out information about owners and tenants of land where this would help them resolve the issues they face.

Key measures in the bill include:

• Ending rates exemptions for shooting and deerstalking estates;
• Creating a Tenant Farming Commissioner as part of the Scottish Land Commission, along with other modernising elements of Scotland’s tenant farming legislation;
• Encouraging better information and greater transparency on the ownership of land, through the land register;
• Strengthening the regulators hand in instances where land owners are failing to take their deer management responsibilities seriously;
• Improvements to both systems of common good land and right to roam.

The Bill will support the Government’s existing work to pass power to people and local communities, encourage and support responsible and diverse landownership and ensure communities have a say in how land in their area is used.

Land Reform Minister, Dr. Aileen McLeod, outlined details of the Land Reform Bill today during a visit to Carluke Development Trust, she said:

‘We cannot underestimate the crucial part land reform will play in contributing to the future success of communities across Scotland. Through the Land Reform Bill we want to ensure that future generations have access to land required to promote business and economic growth and to provide access to good quality, affordable food, energy and housing.

‘The introduction of the Bill is a significant step forward in ensuring our land is used in the public interest and to the benefit of the people of Scotland. It will also end the stop start nature of land reform in Scotland that has limited progress.

‘Tackling the causes and consequences of inequality is at the heart of this government’s work.

‘Land is one of our most valuable assets. Owning land can help realise the aspirations and potential of our communities, making a real difference to long-term sustainability, and building stronger, more resilient and supportive communities. Carluke Development Trust is a fantastic example of an ambitious local community who are trying to buy the town’s old historic mill and the land around it, to turn it into a community and tourist resource.

‘At the heart of these proposals is the principle of responsibility that comes with all land ownership, and while there are many exemplary landowners in Scotland, the message is clear, it is no longer acceptable to own land in Scotland and not take the public responsibilities that come with that ownership seriously. I know this Bill will be good for the people of Scotland, encourage greater public interest and participation in land and help our communities reach their potential.’

View the news release

View more information on the bill

View a video about Land Reform

The new issue of the Historic England (HE) designation yearbook (covering 2014- 2015) has now been published and is available online. 

Historic England writes:
The third annual Designation Yearbook features a wide range of buildings and sites added to the National Heritage List for England in 2014-15. The diversity of work undertaken by the Designation Department is showcased this year through projects including the revision of early schedulings, new schedulings of medieval settlements, and the listing of war memorials, later C20 Commercial offices, rural schools and pumping stations. Unusual listings include a1960s play sculpture, a skatepark, a bacon smokehouse and some unusual public lavatories. In March 2015 the List received its millionth visitor, a notable milestone.

View the news release and download the report

Cultural heritage counts for Europe has been launched, calling for all European countries to recognise the contribution which heritage can make to sustainable development (using indicators to show impact over time), integrate full heritage protection in their policies, and facilitate involvement of citizens in policy making. 

Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe partners write:
The partners of the EU-funded project ‘Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe’ (CHCFE) have revealed today main findings and strategic recommendations for tapping into heritage’s full potential by providing compelling evidence of the value of cultural heritage and its impact on Europe’s economy, culture, society and the environment.

Key findings show how adopting a holistic approach is an added value when measuring the impact of cultural heritage on employment, identity, regional attractiveness, creativity and innovation, economic contribution, climate change, quality of life, education and lifelong learning, and social cohesion.

In the report’s Executive Summary and Strategic Recommendations, the CHCFE Steering Committee calls for the elaboration of specific ‘heritage indicators’ to facilitate and improve the collection of cultural statistics which are key to support policy makers in evidence-based policy making; for the holistic impact assessment to be conducted as a requirement in all EU-funded heritage projects to better measure impact and monitor trends over a longer period of time. The Steering Committee also asks EU Institutions and its Member States at all levels of governance to integrate the care, protection and proper use of heritage in all related policies, programmes and actions and to include all stakeholders and civil society in developing strategies and policies for cultural heritage. Last but not least, it calls for the recognition of heritage’s positive contribution to regional and local sustainable development in the context of the mid-term review of the Structural Funds (in 2016-2017) and the preparation for the next generation of Structural Funds beyond 2020.

‘All available evidence confirms that heritage is a strategic resource for a sustainable Europe. We need to enhance our policy action at all levels. It is time to develop a truly integrated approach to heritage, maximising the impact of heritage policies on the local economy and society. This is one of my priorities,’ said Tibor Navracsics, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport speaking at the launch of the CHCFE’s final report.

In addition to the key findings and strategic recommendations, the nearly 300-page report provides a snapshot in time of the currently available and accessible data within EU Members States on the wide-ranging impacts of cultural heritage in Europe. The report’s publication release builds on the momentum of policy makers recognizing the potential of Europe’s cultural heritage, most recently with the 6^th Conference of Ministers responsible for Heritage organised under the Belgian Chairmanship of the Council of Europe (April 2015), but also the Horizon 2020 Expert Group on Cultural Heritage report Getting Cultural Heritage to Work (April 2015), the Conclusions on Participatory Governance of Cultural Heritage (November 2014) the Communication Towards on Integrated Approach to Cultural Heritage for Europe (July 2014), and the Conclusions on Cultural Heritage as a Strategic Resource for a Sustainable Europe (May 2014).

‘The CHCfE consortium began this project to address the absence of readily accessible data on cultural heritage and of a comprehensive overview of its value and relevance on the European level which is so crucial for sound policy making. We are all pleased to see the enhanced interest which cultural heritage has generated at the EU and international level and truly hope that important body of work will contribute to strengthening the dialogue between civil society and decision makers with a view to realising the full potential of cultural heritage as a strategic resource for Europe’s future sustainable development,’ states Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailovi?, Secretary General of Europa Nostra, on behalf of the CHCFE Steering Committee.

The project’s findings and final report were revealed at the CHCfE concluding conference held today at the University of Oslo and organised in conjunction with the Europa Nostra’s Annual Congress 2015. Keynote speakers including Tibor Navracsics, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Ingvild Stub, State Secretary of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Maxime Prévot, Vice-President and Minister of Wallonia’s Government. CHCFE project partners and heritage experts were also invited to present results and implications for evidence-based policy making in Europe to an audience of cultural heritage professionals, academics, researchers, and distinguished European political figures.

View the news release

Download the full report or executive summary

Read the conference programme from the launch of cultural heritage counts

The Minister for Skills (Nick Boles) has announced plans to introduce a new Enterprise Bill in Autumn relating to the creation of 3 million apprenticeships by 2020 and the status of an apprenticeship being seen as equal to a degree.

The term ‘apprenticeship’ will be protected in law, the government has announced today (14 June 2015). This will strengthen their reputation, help working people and ensure apprenticeships are recognised as a career path equal to higher education.

With over 2.2 million apprenticeships created since 2010 to help establish the UK as the fastest growing economy in the G7, the government will also enshrine in law its commitment to create 3 million apprenticeships by 2020.

With apprenticeships giving hope and opportunity to more young people, and helping all types and sizes of businesses grow in communities across the UK, the Skills Minister will legally protect the term ‘apprenticeship’ through the Enterprise Bill. This will give government the power to take action when the term is misused to promote low quality courses.

To ensure that more young people can benefit the minister has also announced that public bodies will now be set targets to take on more apprentices. Schools, hospitals, prisons and police forces will all be creating opportunities for young people to get on.

Skills Minister Nick Boles said: ‘If university graduates have their moment in the sun so should people who undertake apprenticeships. Businesses know their value so it’s high time they were recognised both by the public and in law as being equal to degrees.  We want far more employers to get involved in apprenticeships. This means making sure that we practise what we preach in government, so we’re going require all public sector bodies – schools, hospitals, prisons and police forces – to employ apprentices.’

UK Gov news

The Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) has released a research study into housing issues in England and Wales, painting a picture of the real issues which affect housing tenants and property owners across these areas where three people a minute now contact CAB about housing issues. 

The Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) writes:
Three people every minute are turning to Citizens Advice with a housing problem, new figures from the national charity reveal today.

In its new report Dispatches from the front lines of the housing crisis the charity presents a snapshot of local housing challenges from across England and Wales.  It also argues that there needs to be a wider debate about the housing challenges facing the nation.

The research identified a number of challenges including:

• People being driven out of towns in Pembrokeshire by poor housing standards and antisocial behaviour, but struggling with the higher costs of rural living.
• Post-war New Town planning decisions in Crawley resulting in not enough small homes for young people or those wanting to downsize.
• Homeowners in County Durham struggling to keep up mortgage payments and meet the costs of looking after their home.
• Young seasonal workers in Blackpool trapped renting in crumbling bed and breakfasts, whilst owners are unable to sell.
• People in Conwy, Enfield and Dorchester doing battle with spiralling private rents, up-front costs of moving and sub-standard homes rented out by private landlords.
• The impact of the growing student population in Exeter has on the local infrastructure.

Last year Citizens Advice helped people with over 430,000 housing issues, up four per cent on the previous year. Debt issues due to private rental arrears were also up by eight per cent to over 27,000.

The national charity is calling for a housing debate which looks beyond getting people onto the property ladder, involving everyone from local councils to builders, MPs and landlords.

Gillian Guy, Chief Executive of national Citizens Advice said: ‘People’s housing challenges vary by where they live. Across the country too many people are living in homes that don’t meet their needs – from private renters in a damp property or homeowners who can’t afford to move.  Housing is one of the top issues people turn to Citizens Advice for help with, but within this we see a huge range of different problems.

‘We need a broad-ranging debate about the different housing challenges facing the nation, one that moves beyond just trying to get people onto the property ladder. The new Government has the opportunity now to look at housing problems in the round and consider how best address the range  of challenges faced by renters and homeowners alike.

The new report brings together research by eight local Citizens Advice across England and Wales, presenting what is behind housing problems in their area. It finds that local housing markets, and associated challenges, are shaped by the histories, geographies and economies of places.

View the news release

Download the reports and regional summaries