IHBC NewsBlogs

The National Churches Trust has published a list and images on its Tumblr blog featuring the results of a survey of political party leaders favourite churches.

View the results

ITV have reported on the demolition of a in London, which was apparently to be the subject of imminent listing.

Telegraph article

The ITV news website contains photographs and video of the building

Londonist article

The Heritage Alliance have issued a ‘call to action’ in the run up to the general electing, urging people to write to their MP and outline their concerns for local heritage and the heritage sector as a whole

The Heritage Alliance (HA) writes:
Help ensure the future survival of England’s heritage by writing to your local parliamentary candidates about the value of heritage in your local constituency.

Belonging to one of the Heritage Alliance member bodies or as a reader of Heritage Update, you will be well aware of the challenges currently facing the independent heritage sector and how our heritage protection system is at crisis point.

Despite its huge contribution to the UK’s tourism industry and its ability to achieve remarkable economic and social outcomes, heritage has been subject to continued disproportionate cuts in recent years. Like the previous General Election in 2010, any incoming UK Government is likely to outline a fresh round of substantial cuts to departmental spending and public funding. It is critical that the independent heritage sector reminds both national and local political parties of the value of our heritage to help prevent future cuts.

We are therefore asking you to support our campaign by writing to your local MP/local candidates to remind them of the value of heritage in your local area.

Alongside promoting the value of our heritage, The Heritage Alliance’s manifesto is calling on all political parties to adopt specific policy measures that ensure that the protection, conservation, alongside factors contributing to the resilience and well-being of the independent heritage sector continue to be met through wider government objectives. Why not make your local MP/political parties aware of the issues affecting your organisation or local area and push for the proposed solutions?

We need to make sure that your local MP/party candidates know that a living, thriving heritage is important to you, your community, and the wellbeing of the UK as a whole.

Let us know that you have written to your local MP, and we will publish the local constituencies covered on our website.

Find out more about the Heritage Alliance manifesto

Visit The Heritage Alliance website download a draft template letter to send to your local MP

It has been announced that the winning commission for the restoration of Glasgow School of Art is Page and Park. 

Page\Park writes:
We are delighted to have won the commission to lead a team to restore the world renowned Charles Rennie Mackintosh Glasgow School of Art. The official Glasgow School of Art press release is below:

There was a major step forward in the restoration of the Mackintosh Building today, Tuesday 31 March 2015 as The Glasgow School of Art announced the appointment of the design team that will lead the project. A team led by Page\Park Architects has been appointed following presentations by a shortlist of five practices earlier this month.

The Glasgow based architects have an extensive track record in both restoring and reinvigorating major historic buildings. They have also worked across the spectrum of Mackintosh’s designs from the domestic at the Hillhouse, through commercial at the former Glasgow Herald offices – now the Lighthouse, to his finest cultural and academic work at the School of Art itself – as lead designers for the Heritage Lottery Fund supported Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2007-9)

‘The team assembled by Page\Park Architects impressed us not only with their deep knowledge of the building, but of the wider work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh,’ says Professor Tom Inns, Director of The Glasgow School of Art. ‘They displayed a superb methodology to the task of restoration – in particular their Room by Room analysis of the structure, materiality, craftsmanship and intent of Mackintosh in designing, specifying and overseeing the construction of his masterwork. ‘They also bring an understanding of the building’s particular importance to Glasgow – its people and history – as well as of its status as an international design icon.’

‘Although the design team will lead the programme, the GSA will have a fundamental role in the development of the detailed restoration plan. We were particularly impressed by the openness of Page\Park to work in partnership with the GSA as we set out on an exciting journey of discovery.

There will be many fascinating questions to be addressed as we undertake this complex restoration project. We are looking forward to working in partnership with Page\Park Architects and the design team to explore how we can best meet the needs of the GSA in the 21st century whilst remaining true to Mackintosh’s astonishing vision.’

‘Page\Park Architects are delighted to have won the commission to lead a team to restore the world renowned Charles Rennie Mackintosh Glasgow School of Art,’ says David Page, Head of Architecture at Page\Park Architects . ‘We have, over many years, had the privilege to work on and in the context of the Mackintosh legacy, the highlight of which will now be the opportunity to bring The Glasgow School of Art into splendid re-use for its students and staff, the people of Glasgow and the huge audience beyond the city.’

Page\Park Architects have ongoing relationships with key crafts specialists and artists in Scotland and wider afield, and presented exciting proposals for expanding the legacy of the restoration by working with a new generation of creative talent. They will also establish an external expert advisory panel for the restoration. Further details on the composition and role of the panel will be released in the coming weeks.

The design team will now work with The Glasgow School of Art to develop the detailed plan for the restoration. Work is expected to start on the building in early 2016 with the hope that the majority of the spaces will be up and running for the 2017-8 academic year.

View the news release

IHBC newsblogs on GSA

The first national marine plan for Scotland has now been published, detailing the planning framework for maritime areas and sectoral plans for offshore energy.

In addition to the new plan, mapping data of particular interest to IHBC members from the National Marine Plan interactive (NMPi) includes data on the historic Environment and Cultural Heritage  (Designated Wrecks; Listed Buildings (Coastal); Scheduled Monuments (Coastal); Historic MPAs; Protected places Vessels designated as Controlled Sites / Protected Places under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986).

The Scottish Government writes: Scotland’s first ever National Marine Plan has been published recently by Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead.  The plan sets out a single statutory planning framework for all marine activity in Scottish waters. This will include policies for the sustainable management of a wide range of marine industries, including those which are long established such as fishing and ports and those more recently emerging such as offshore wind and marine renewable energy. It also includes sectoral plans for offshore wind, wave and tidal energy in Scottish waters and removes the options for offshore wind development in the Solway Firth.  The framework covers all of Scotland’s seas out to 200 nautical miles and applies to existing and emerging activities as well as devolved and reserved functions. The plan will be reported on within three years of adoption.

Mr Lochhead said:  ‘Our seas provide energy, food and recreation and many other crucial goods and services. This is why it is so important the marine environment itself is at the heart of the plan, ensuring it remains a prized asset for future generations.  The Scottish Government is committed to supporting the economic activity of the marine industry while ensuring the marine environment is protected and enhanced.  I am delighted to have adopted Scotland’s first ever National Marine Plan following a consultation process, it is an important step towards achieving sustainable management of our important marine resources.  This marks the beginning of a long term commitment to protect our seas for future generations and I would like to thank the wide range of marine interests who have been involved in the development of the plan. We now have an easy to use framework with planning information available online through National Marine Plan interactive.’

Dr Shona Turnbull, Coastal Planning Officer for Highland Council said: ‘The Highland Council welcomes the introduction of the National Marine Plan. Given the large geographic extent of the Highland coastal and marine area and the variety of industry and wildlife it supports, having a national integrated framework to support sustainable development of activities in this area can only be of benefit. We look forward to working with Marine Scotland on the next stage of developing the three regional marine plans for Highland.’

Andrew Bachell, SNH’s Director of Policy & Advice said: ‘We welcome the plan. We support its strategic objectives and its commitment to put the marine environment at the heart of the planning process. The plan provides a useful high-level framework, setting the scene for more detailed spatial plans at the regional level.  Marine plans should steer development to the best locations, helping to safeguard the health of Scotland’s rich and diverse seas and all the benefits they provide.’

Lindsay Leask, Senior Policy Manager, Scottish Renewables said:  ‘Offshore renewable energy holds huge potential for sustainable development in Scotland, which is already home to some of the most advanced wave and tidal technologies in the world, and a developing offshore wind sector. It is also an incredibly powerful tool in the fight against one of the greatest widespread threats to the health of the marine environment – climate change.  As such, Scottish Renewables supports the development of the National Marine Plan and the plans for offshore wind, wave and tidal energy and welcomes the Plan’s commitment to building a globally competitive Scottish offshore wind and marine renewables industry.

View the National Marine Plan interactive (NMPi)

Download the new National Marine Plan

IHBC newsblogs on maritime issues 

View the press release

From 2 April major changes to the Welsh housing system have been implemented, with new powers and financial controls given to local Councils. 

The Welsh Government writes:
The Welsh Government has brokered an historic agreement with the UK Treasury which will result in greater investment in Wales’ council housing.  From 2 April, the eleven local authorities in Wales which have retained their social housing stock, will exit the UK Government’s Housing Revenue Account Subsidy (HRAS) system and become self-financing.

Councils will be given more powers over their housing stock which will enable them to keep all the rental income they receive from tenants.  Councils will have control over their housing assets which are forecast to generate around £18 billion of rental income over the next 30 years. This will be invested locally to help improve existing homes and build hundreds of new council homes.

Communities and Tackling Poverty Minister, Lesley Griffiths, said yesterday:‘Many hours of complex negotiations and a great deal of hard work has gone into securing this agreement, which will have a very positive impact on Wales’ council housing stock.  Each council will be better off every year and will enjoy new freedoms which will provide them with the incentive, flexibility and control to invest further in their housing stock.  The increase in councils’ housing revenue as a result of this deal will allow them to improve their existing properties and build new council houses. Today’s historic deal will, therefore, also have a direct impact on tenants who will benefit from living in more comfortable, higher quality homes.’

The HRAS exit follows the Welsh Government’s recent announcement of their intention to end Right to Buy, which allows eligible social housing tenants to buy their home at a discount of up to £16,000. The policy has resulted in the sale of 138,423 Welsh council homes since 1981 – a 45% reduction in the social housing available when the policy was first introduced.

The Minister added: ‘We are taking action to protect and enhance our social housing to ensure the people who need it most have access to a good quality, affordable home.’

The HRAS Exit has been widely welcomed by councils. Cllr Dyfed Edwards, Welsh Local Government Association spokesperson for Housing said:‘Welsh Councils are looking forward to the end of the HRAS system and the introduction of greater freedoms in how Councils manage and invest in their housing stock. The 11 Councils involved have worked closely with Welsh Government in achieving this agreement and are excited about the investment opportunities that will result from it.’

IHBC newsblogs on housing

View the news release

A new a £50,000 competition has been launched by BRE to help investigate new technologies which can assist in measuring heat loss from solid wall properties, with a closing date of 15 May. 

BRE writes:
BRE is launching a competition to identify tools and technologies that can rapidly and accurately measure the heat losses from solid wall homes in the UK.

There are over seven million solid wall homes in Great Britain that could benefit from insulation. Insulating these types of homes is one of the greatest challenges for energy efficiency policy, but it also potentially offers some of the most significant energy and carbon savings for occupants.

Policies to deliver this work rely on modelled estimates of savings from solid wall insulation, but a tool that could measure the heat transmittance through walls would mean savings could be  based on robust, up to date and accurate data.

In order to improve the quality and speed of measurements BRE is seeking innovative solutions for rapidly and accurately measuring wall U-values.  The competition opens on 16 March and runs through to 15 May.  The winning solution will receive up to £50,000 of funding to support further testing and development of working prototypes.

‘Dealing with solid walls is one of the biggest challenges to delivering energy efficiency in our existing homes.  This competition aims to establish a tool that energy assessors can use to quickly and accurately measure the heat losses.  Accurate measurement allows us to find out just how effective interventions have been and base future interventions on robust and accurate data.’ says John Riley, Director, Housing and Energy at BRE.

‘We are looking for solutions from all kinds of places and we’re particularly keen on technology transfer from companies outside the built environment’ says Riley.

The competition forms part of BRE’s current solid wall research programme which is funded by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

View more information on the competition and details of supporting materials 

IHBC awards etc pages 

BRE news

The new coastal community teams are taking shape, with twelve communities about to embark on the pilot scheme and new submissions invited.

DCLG writes:
The first pioneering towns to pilot dedicated coastal teams that will kick-start local economies and create jobs were announced recently.  Twelve coastal communities from Penzance to North Tyneside will set up teams to drive forward their long-term vision to revitalise their area and make the most of its potential to create new businesses. 

Coastal towns and villages often have individual projects underway that seek to boost the local economy – such as a publicly funded skills scheme, a high street revival programme or plans by the council – but they can often work in isolation.  These teams will bring all these elements together and ensure that for the first time local people, councils and businesses are coordinated in tackling the specific challenges each place faces and developing a strategy for future success.

Coastal Communities Minister Penny Mordaunt:  Supporting seaside towns to unlock their enormous potential, boost local economies and contribute to the wider area is an important part of the government’s long-term economic plan.  These coastal teams will be crucial in driving forward ideas, harnessing local expertise and tapping into new business opportunities which will benefit the entire community. This includes taking advantage of our new heritage revival fund to boost neglected coastal assets and attract private investment.  I urge other seaside towns to come forward and create one of these new innovative, forward-thinking teams to ensure they make the most of their potential.

Along with each being awarded £10,000 to kick-start work, the teams will also be able to bid for a share of the new £3 million coastal revival fund to support or restore local heritage and facilities which benefit the wider community and the surrounding economy.

More details of how other areas can become a Coastal Community Team have been published recently (20 March 2015).

The coastal teams build on the hugely successful town team model for high streets which is successfully revitalising town centres across the country and will receive advice and support from the Coastal Communities Alliance.

Nicola Radford from the Coastal Communities Alliance said:  This is excellent news and the Alliance is delighted to play a key role in leading the Coastal Community Teams programme. This programme recognises the important role local communities play in attracting visitors and investment to coastal areas. I look forward to seeing the innovative ideas and successful initiatives that will arise from the creation of these teams.

The pioneering coastal teams are:

• Blackpool Council, Lancashire: the Blackpool Coastal Communities Team will comprise of public, private and community groups. It will also support delivery of the Coastal Communities Funded ‘LightPool’ scheme which will deliver a major impact on the visitor economy offer and support the retail sector.
• Brighton and Hove Seafront, East Sussex: the Coastal Communities Team will bring together public, private and business expertise to support the city council in developing a new Seafront Investment Plan that will help the seafront fulfil its potential and benefit the city as a whole.
• Eastbourne, East Sussex: the Coastal Community Team will build on the significant momentum already developed to enhance the economic, environmental and social regeneration of the town. The council is keen to work with the team delivering overarching projects that contribute to these regeneration objectives.
• Felixstowe, Suffolk Coastal District Council: will engage existing community networks and groups around a holistic, place-based plan to achieve a true sustainable community and include the development of key heritage assets within the town.
• North Shields Fish Quay, North Tyneside Council: the grant will be utilised initially to refresh existing partnerships as well as bring together key partners, who will use their knowledge and expertise to deliver the Fish Quay vision for the area.
• Hull City Centre, Kingston upon Hull City Council: the Coastal Community Team will build on existing partnerships and have a vital role in providing a strategic overview, boosting the local economy and reviving the heritage of the local area.
• Ipswich, Suffolk: the Coastal Communities team has identified 9 priorities and will work with all their key partners to achieve their ambition of Ipswich being represented as East Anglia’s premier waterfront town.
• Jaywick, Tendring District Council: the Coastal Communities Team will ensure that through the development of both emerging and existing partnerships, community lead regeneration will generate much needed economic stimulation and improvements to infrastructure.
• Lincolnshire County Council: the Coastal Communities Team will work with businesses and communities near the 2 new visitor centres and the Seal Colony in the North to tap into this expanding market and help them to provide quality facilities, develop their marketing offer, and increase footfall.
• Lowestoft: The Coastal Communities Team will complement existing partnerships which are tackling the town’s key challenges and will support the development of key heritage and cultural assets in the town such as the East of England Park at the UK’s most easterly point.
• Penzance, Cornwall Council: Penzance Coastal Community Team will support delivery of key regeneration projects and build on the initial Coastal Community Fund investment in Jubilee Pool and trigger wider economic and physical regeneration of key sites across Penzance.
• Redcar-Coatham, Redcar & Cleveland borough council: The Coastal Communities Team will foster long-term, community-led regeneration. The area is currently investigating how a Community Plan can be delivered which combines a strategic plan for local growth with the active participation of the local population.

The government is committed to supporting coastal communities and our £116 million Coastal Communities Fund is funding 211 projects across the UK. The fund is creating almost 12,400 jobs and providing more than 6,000 training places and apprenticeships.

The latest project to receive funding was recently revealed to be Lancashire council which will receive £240,000 to unlock the heritage potential of Lancaster’s historic St George’s Quay. The funding will be used to restore the cobbled surface around the historic eighteenth century warehouses and providing links to heritage sites like Lancaster Castle and green spaces in the city centre.

19 of the 39 Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) are in coastal areas and as part of the government’s growth deals, over £700 million has been committed to projects in these areas to improve transport infrastructure, broadband connectivity, improving flood defences and improving opportunities for local people.

8 out of the 24 enterprise zones are in coastal areas which offer incentives for businesses to start up or expand including Business Rates relief, superfast broadband and simplified planning. Coastal enterprise zones have delivered over 5,300 jobs to date and helped to secure nearly £275 million of private sector investment to coastal areas. Two new additional enterprise zones in coastal areas – Blackpool and Plymouth – were announced in the Budget.

Bidding prospectus for Coastal Community Teams

IHBC newsblogs on funding

IHBC newsblogs on coastal heritage 

UK Gov news

Europa Nostra have issued a call for submissions as part of their ‘most endangered’ heritage list, which aims to highlight the plight of key heritage assets and urge action on their condition. 

Europa Nostra writes:
The 7 Most Endangered programme identifies endangered monuments and sites in Europe and mobilizes public and private partners on a local, national and European level to find a viable future for those sites.

‘The 7 Most Endangered’ programme was launched in January 2013 by Europa Nostra with the European Investment Bank Institute as founding partner and the Council of Europe Development Bank as associated partner. It was inspired by a successful similar project run by the US National Trust for Historic Preservation. ‘The 7 Most Endangered’ is not a funding programme. Its aim is to serve as a catalyst for action and to promote ‘the power of example’.

Entries can be submitted by Europa Nostra’s country representations, member and associate organisations as well as by established public and private bodies active in the heritage field located in countries where Europa Nostra is not yet represented.

An international advisory panel, comprising specialists in history, archaeology, architecture, conservation and finance, meet to discuss over the applications and shortlist the most endangered monuments and sites. The final list of 7 sites is selected by the Board of Europa Nostra.

Heritage and financial experts from Europa Nostra and the European Investment Bank Institute follow up and undertake ‘rescue missions’ to the 7 sites, together with the nominators. The multidisciplinary teams assess the sites and help formulate a feasible action plan for each of them, in close cooperation with national and local public and private stakeholders.  The results and recommendations of these missions are summarised in reports that are presented during a public event and made available on this website.

‘The 7 Most Endangered’ has the support of the Creative Europe programme of the European Union, as part of Europa Nostra’s networking project ‘Mainstreaming Heritage’.

View the news release and a video featuring previously nominated sites

IHBC newsblogs on heritage at risk

CADW is funding the annual Open Doors festival in Wales, as part of Europe wide Heritage Days programme (which includes Heritage Open Days and Doors Open Days), and has issued a call for events and participating buildings, with a closing date to apply of 1 June.

CADW writes:
Organisations, local history and community groups, and private owners, are among those being called upon to join the celebration of Wales’s brilliant buildings, by taking part in Open Doors 2015

For the second year running, we will fund and organise the annual event, which offers visitors free admission, special events, and a rare peek inside some of Wales’s hidden gems, throughout the month of September.

Part of the European Heritage Days programme, which takes place in 50 countries across Europe, Open Doors is the largest volunteer event in the heritage sector in Wales, attracting nearly 2,500 volunteers and 34,000 visitors last year.  A wide range of buildings have opened their doors to visitors in previous years, including castles, TV studios, museums, and even a prisoner of war camp. Events have included heritage trails, guided tours, lectures, exhibitions and concerts, delivered by hundreds of volunteers across Wales.

Ken Skates, Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism said: ‘Wales has a wealth of fascinating buildings, from medieval castles and industrial architecture to the pioneering design of the Wales Millennium Centre. It’s these buildings that give our cities, towns and villages their sense of place and character. We’re encouraging all types of sites, across Wales, to open their doors and help showcase our country’s diverse heritage.’

Dr. Ffion Reynolds, Heritage and Arts Manager at Cadw, who leads the Open Doors event, added: ‘I would encourage anyone who owns or works in an interesting property, or who has an interest in heritage, to get involved in Open Doors. Together we can offer the people of Wales a unique opportunity to explore and enjoy the stories behind their local sites this September.’

To register for Open Doors, your event should meet one of the following criteria:

• A building or site in public or private ownership that is not normally accessible to the public;
• A building or site that normally charges an entry fee, but which will waive the fee on this occasion;
• A building or site that is routinely open (a church, library, museum etc.) and will be organising a special event (e.g. a talk, exhibition, access to records and treasures);
• A free event (a walking tour, lecture, exhibition, concert, memories, historical re-enactment) that in some way engages with the local heritage.

The deadlines for Open Doors 2015 are:

• 1 June: Registration closes
• 1 August: events will be visible on the Cadw website
• 1-30 September: Open Doors.

The event can take place over a day, a weekend or over the whole month, but needs to take place during September.

View the news release

For more information and to register for Open Doors 2015, visit the Open Doors website

The National Piers Society have voted Cromer as pier of the year, following a National Piers Society members vote. 

View a news article on the Pier success (Eastern Daily Press)

View the Cromer Pier website and find out more about its history

A historic building in Ayrshire which is a community theatre and arts venue is now benefitting from new funding from the Scottish Government (SG) Social Growth Fund and People and Communities Fund, and shows how historic buildings can use funding from multiple sources to help meet modern requirements whilst also retaining their historic character and promoting skills development to benefit local communities.

The Scottish Government writes:
Long term plans to restore Ayr Gaiety will take a step forward thanks to a significant funding boost, Social Justice Secretary Alex Neil has announced.

A £500,000 loan from the Social Growth Fund will be used to repair the historic theatre’s stall seating and to invest in new lighting and sound technology.

This comes on top of £90,000 from the Scottish Government through the People and Communities Fund for 2015/16, which aims to help communities tackle poverty and inequalities in their area.

The £500,000 loan is one of the first allocations of funds through the £16 million Social Growth Fund. Since the fund opened in May 2014, £150,000 has been allocated to the Factory Skatepark in Dundee, £1 million to iPower to combat fuel poverty, and £250,000 to Kelvin Valley Honey.

Mr Neil welcomed the funding boost on a visit to the theatre. He said: ‘This loan will help the Ayr Gaiety Partnership regenerate its fantastic historic building. By renovating the theatre and improving the experience for audiences I’m confident that this will have a knock-on effect on the local economy, encouraging more people to visit and spend money in Ayr.  It’s exactly the type of community led project that the Scottish Government is supporting across Scotland.  We recognise that social enterprises strengthen our economy and support our aims of creating a fairer society, but we need to have the right environment for them to flourish. That is why it’s crucial for us to provide direct support and investment through schemes like the Social Growth Fund.  This Fund encourages our entrepreneurs and enterprising organisations to think of innovative ways to tackle inequalities and help us to deliver a better Scotland.’

Since re-opening the theatre just over two years ago, the Ayr Gaiety Partnership has sold over 120,000 tickets, started a major skills and employment initiative, established work with young people across Ayrshire and taken on programming of four more venues.  This investment for Ayr Gaiety is part of the overall £2.4 million refurbishment of the theatre, with plans including improvements to the heating and ventilation and renovation of the entrance and foyer.

This funding highlights the Scottish Government’s support for our culture and heritage and demonstrates our commitment to maintaining and improving our cultural infrastructure.  Ian Welsh chair of Ayr Gaiety Partnership said: ‘This investment couldn’t have come at a better time for us. We now need only around £300,000 before we can go ahead with our plans, so we are now on the ‘home straight.  With a fully restored theatre we will be able to put on an even better programme of shows and put our business on a sustainable footing.  More than this, a modernised and fully equipped theatre will play a key role in our plans to provide training and employment opportunities to young people. It will boost the innovative BA in technical theatre we launched recently with the University of the West of Scotland. And form the core of an ambitious programme to provide practical training in stage technical skills which will eventually see hundreds of young people securing qualifications and jobs.’

The £16 million Social Growth Fund is comprised of £8 million of loan repayments from recipients of the Scottish Investment Fund which have been reinvested by the Scottish Government, and £8 million from Big Society Capital.  The Fund is managed by Social Investment Scotland (SIS).

Alastair Davis, Chief Executive of SIS, said: ;Ayr Gaiety Theatre delivers many social and economic benefits to the local community and we are delighted to assist with its renovation plans.  This funding commitment from the Social Growth Fund has paved the way for significant commitments from other funders which have enabled this project to come to life.  Once the renovation is complete, the theatre will provide Ayrshire with a truly first class facility, which will deliver positive social impacts for many years to come.’

View the news release

Find out more about Social Growth Fund opportunities

Find out more about Ayr Gaiety Theatre and its historic building 

IHBC newsblogs on funding

New funding available to help with releasing the value in Local Authority (LA) public sector property assets has been announced by Public Sector Plc (PSP).

Public Sector Plc (PSP) writes:
The MJ Future Forum on 26 March received a major announcement by Public Sector Plc (PSP) to make available via its major funders Talisman Global Capital up to £500m for the next tranche of public sector organisations who wish to secure an additional property option and access funding through the application of PSP’s governance framework and processes.

PSP, using its unique Relational Partnering approach (where relationships come in advance of commitment) has established ten pathfinder partnerships who can now access private sector funds to review property and land portfolios, create capital and revenue streams, and regenerate town centres. All of these councils now have an additional option when looking at their strategic land and property opportunities.  These ten ‘pathfinder’ authorities work collectively as the Local Government Council Consortium Group [CCG] and seek to share knowledge, experience and improvement opportunities collectively for the benefit of the existing and new public sector partners joining the group. Over the last 12 months there has been an increased emphasis on exploring the potential to benefit the existing partnerships through regional collaboration and to provide greater access to the funding by the broader public sector.

This private sector funding is available to unlock the added value of public sector property assets. It will provide the investment needed to develop projects and initiatives which generate revenue and capital income, and revenue savings from the property portfolios of public bodies. Authorities are under no obligation to commit their property at the outset.  Following the experiences of the pathfinder partnerships, public sector bodies are invited to express an interest.

Organisations who express an interest can work with the CCG who will share their knowledge in respect of the uses of this hybrid partnering model.  PSP’s validation process will be applied to any proposals to demonstrate that they will be commercially viable and as good as, or better than, other conventional options available to the council or organisation. Only then will projects be taken forward by mutual agreement. The investment needed to take projects forward will come from the monies made available.

The expression of interest process will run from the 26th March 2015 through to the end of 2015. Organisations expressing an interest will be contacted with a view to jointly exploring the opportunities available.

More information on this initiative 

View the press release

View case studies of the uses of PSP funds

IHBC newsblogs on Local Government reform

IHBC on funding

IHBC members involved in historic building research will be interested to know that new awards have been given to three archive services on Scotland, which join others in the UK in showing that they reach the high standard recognised by the Archive Service Accreditation.

The Scottish Government writes:
Three of Scotland’s archives have received recognition for the standards of their vital work to maintain Scotland’s important historical documents

This evening, The Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop MSP, will present certificates to the first three Scottish archives to attain United Kingdom Archives Accreditation.

The three archives receiving this award are Falkirk Archives, the main repository for Falkirk Council’s historic records; Lothian Health Services Archive, based at the University of Edinburgh, and the National Records of Scotland.  The archives accreditation process has been created by archivists from across the UK. They acknowledge organisations that provide a high level of service to users, preserving collections in line with UK standards and who are committed to sustainable services and ongoing improvement.

Archive Service Accreditation is a UK-wide quality standard that offers a benchmark to gauge performance, recognises achievement and drives improvement within the archives sector.  In Scotland, accreditation is overseen by the National Records of Scotland and the Scottish Council on Archives.

Fiona Hyslop, the Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, said: ‘Good archives are essential to understanding the rich history of this country. They also support our hugely successful Scottish family history sector and ensure knowledge is available to future generations. I warmly congratulate the three archives on their success and their outstanding work to keep Scotland records safe for others. This government values culture and history and has strongly supported the archives and records sector, most notably in passing the Public Records (Scotland) Act, 2011.’

Tim Ellis, Chief Executive, National Records of Scotland, said: ‘Archives Accreditation will be a major tool to drive improvements across Scottish archives, so I’m delighted to accept this award on behalf of National Records of Scotland. I’m also very pleased on behalf of our colleagues in Falkirk Archives and Lothian Health Services, and look forward to further successful Scottish applications in the coming months and years.’

Dr Irene O’Brien, Chair of the Scottish Council on Archives, said:

‘Opening up the unique assets that are archives requires a laser-like focus on how that is to be secured. Achieving archives accreditation is a robust measure for services that succeed both in meeting user needs and ensuring efficient management of available resources. Accreditation of three services in Scotland marks out the path for others to follow.’

View the news release

Find out more about archive accreditation

View a full list of all UK accredited archive services

IHBC newsblogs on archives

The Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) has announced details of a company start up which aims to revolutionise the way in which development projects in the UK take place, by allowing easy access to data regarding information on ground conditions and archaeology.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) writes:
A new UK start-up company is about to revolutionise the way in which civil engineering and construction companies choose where to build, by telling them what’s under the ground before they start digging. The information could potentially save companies millions of pounds by avoiding ancient burial grounds and other archaeologically important sites. 

When any big construction project starts, or a major road or rail line is cut through the British countryside, there needs to be an archaeological investigation to ensure that historic sites are not destroyed. This can cost a company substantial amounts of money and add long delays in construction time.

Democrata, a data-analytics company based at the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire, has been given access to the world leading high performance computing and big data analysis capabilities of the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) Hartree Centre at Sci-Tech Daresbury in Cheshire, to develop a way to predict the risk of such delays. The company won access to the Centre as part of a competition run in conjunction with the Open Data Institute, which enabled them to access to some of the UK’s best big data analysts and facilities.

Lee Hannis, Business Development Manager for the Hartree Centre, says, ‘We have the facilities, the skills and the people that enable the project to work. The Democrata team recognised the business opportunities of using open data to create something commercially viable. The Hartree Centre has provided the people who can deliver the data analytics and visualisation to accelerate that process, to the point where Democrata now has something tangible to demonstrate to its customers.’

Using the Hartree Centre’s expertise and facilities, Democrata has mapped the whole of the UK using a 3D geovisionary programme originally developed for the British Geological Survey, and added a programme of predictive algorithms to identify where historic artefacts might still be found.

Democrata Chief Executive, Geoff Roberts, says, ‘We take disparate data sets, standardise them and link them together. With this project we visualise the output in geovisionary – so we plug all of the data into this mapping system and are able to fly over and through the UK landscape to see the level of risk in any location visualised in colour-coded layers.’

The company has drawn data together from sources such as Defra, English Heritage, Scottish Natural Heritage, Ordnance Survey, the Land Registry and many more. Using the Hartree Centre’s supercomputers and big data analytics platforms, its aim is to bring together vast amounts of disparate data created for one specific purpose and make it accessible to companies that do not currently use data and analytics to help plan their programmes of work.

In collaboration with environmentalists, academics, archaeologists, impact managers and engineering solutions providers, the Democrata concept is also being further developed for a number of different market sectors – for example, the different stakeholders and phases of a construction project, and identifying important archaeological areas that should be protected.

‘We can help companies move into parts of the market that they are currently not so strong on’, says Geoff Roberts. ‘We do the conceptual work using open data and the Hartree high-performance computers to predict exactly what will happen if they want to build something in a specific location. It helps the company to design and manage their project in the most efficient and cost-effective way.’

Susan Smith, Head of STFC’s Daresbury Laboratory, which houses the Hartree Centre, says, ‘It’s gratifying that STFC has been able to help Democrata to deliver their business concept through the Hartree Centre’s facilities and skilled people. The concept will not only benefit the companies which use it but will, in the longer term, also have a positive impact on the UK’s economy and cultural heritage.’

View the news release

IHBC members working in the fields of industrial heritage and museums will be interested to know that the Arts Council England (ACE) has announced the opening of its PRISM fund, which can fund conservation of items relating to science, technology and engineering.

Arts Council England (ACE) writes:
The PRISM Fund, which helps to support the acquisition and conservation of heritage objects from the fields of science, technology, industry and medicine, has just reopened for applications.

The fund was established in 1973 in response to the growing concern that technological change was resulting in the loss of much of Britain’s industrial heritage. It has since gone on to help hundreds of non-national museums and preservation groups in England and Wales acquire or conserve thousands of objects of industrial or scientific importance. All fields of science and industry are eligible, including natural history, medicine, engineering and geology.

The maximum grant amount for projects is £20,000, with a match funding requirement of at least 10%. PRISM is open to museums, archives and charitable groups in England and Wales and supports a huge range of objects, including medical instruments, boats, steam engines, archives, trams agricultural equipment and more.

Applicants to the PRISM Fund do not have to be Accredited organisations but they do need to have charitable purposes and exist for the public benefit. Rather than funding on-going maintenance costs we support specific projects; and we are particularly mindful of the long-term sustainability of access and care to the object.

PRISM is a rolling fund and has no deadlines

A parallel fund for the purchase of objects relating to the arts, literature and history is administered by the Victoria and Albert Museum.  Corresponding schemes are administered in Scotland and Northern Ireland by National Museums of Scotland and the Northern Ireland Museums Council respectively.

Read the news release

Find out more about the fund

IHBC newsblogs on funding

If you know a potential historic High Street award winner why not encourage an entry to the second Great British High Street competition which has now been launched through the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), with a call for entries by 17 July. 

DCLG writes:
The government recently (13 March 2015) launched the second Great British High Street competition giving towns and cities the opportunity to win a share of £50,000.

High Streets Minister Penny Mordaunt called on communities across the country to enter the competition and celebrate their success in transforming towns and cities into great places to shop and socialise.  The first Great British High Street competition last year saw 135 communities battle it out to be crowned the nation’s best. Belper in Derbyshire emerged as the overall winner.

Penny Mordaunt said she wanted to see even more entries this year with communities for the first time having the chance to vote directly for their best loved high street.  She said: High streets are a vital part of our economy supporting thousands of jobs in retail and leisure but they are also the heart of all communities providing a great place for friends and family to meet.  There is so much amazing innovation happening on our high streets. We want to reward the great work that is being done to improve these crucial assets as well as showcase ideas which can be a springboard for others to try.  The first competition last year was a tremendous success and I want this year to be even better.

The competition is designed to help revitalise high streets by promoting the great work that is being done and sharing good ideas across the country.  As well as the cash prize, winners will also receive dedicated support and mentoring from industry experts which could range from one to one coaching to advice on digital marketing.

The competition categories are:

• best city centre high street
• best town centre high street
• best market town high street
• best coastal community high street
• best village high street
• best parade of shops
• best London high street

The nominations will come from throughout the UK and a shortlist will be announced in early August. Those shortlisted will be visited by the Future High Streets Forum judging panel made up of industry leaders from across retail, property and business.

Residents will be able to vote online when shortlisted candidates are announced.

A renewed focus on our high streets has led to a revival in many areas across the UK with latest figures showing that year-on-year average weekly retail sales increased by 4.8% in January.  This was the 23rd consecutive month of retail sales growth and the longest period of sustained year-on-year growth since May 2008. Overall vacancy rates are now at their lowest level since 2010 and reoccupation rates for the high street are much higher, at 70%, than they are for shopping centres or retail parks.

Details of how to enter the competition can be found at: www.thegreatbritishhighstreet.co.uk 

View the news release

IHBC newsblogs on town centres 

IHBC Awards etc pages

Transport for London (TfL) reports that its new initiative to find property development partners (whose estate includes many listed property opportunities) has received a huge response to its initial tender invitations.

Transport for London (TfL) writes:
The Mayor and Transport for London (TfL) launched a search for property development partners as part of an ambitious programme to generate £3.4bn in non-fares revenue over the next decade. As the first stage of the tender closed on 19 March TfL had received over 50 pre qualification questionnaires (PQQ) from a broad range of leading property companies. The revenue generated will be reinvested back into the transport network and help TfL and the Mayor to bear down on fares.

TfL owns around 5,700 acres of property in London, making it one of London’s largest landowners. The tender was to identify a number of Framework Development Partners to work with to realise the maximum value of its assets to generate long-term revenue to reinvest back into the transport network. TfL is now assessing the PQQ responses and will invite successful parties to the next stage of the procurement process. Those that are shortlisted will be asked to participate in competitive dialogue, then a selected number will be invited to submit final tenders. TfL expects to appoint partners in late 2015.

TfL is strengthening its property development team and is currently recruiting senior development professionals. Once the Framework has been established TfL will work with the property developers to take forward 50+ sites with development potential across the Capital. The sites that TfL will bring forward will have around 10 million square feet of development potential.

Graeme Craig, Director of Commercial Development at TfL, said: `We have had a fantastic response to our tender. We have started evaluating the PQQs and the number and quality of companies who have submitted is impressive. When we have our Framework in place it will provide the opportunity to develop some of our assets across the Capital to help us realise the long-term value of our estate whilst creating the houses, jobs and economic growth to support London’s growing population.’

With London’s population at a record high of 8.6m and forecast to reach 10m by 2030 it is vital that public authorities such as TfL use their assets to develop the full range of infrastructure requirements that will be needed, whilst generating revenue to keep the growing population moving.  The TfL Property Partnerships framework is worth up to £3.6bn. Over the next ten years TfL is expecting to generate net proceeds of £3.4bn to reinvest back into its transport network, of which a third is currently assumed from property development. Other members of the GLA group will also be able to use the framework for their own sites.

View more information about the scheme

IHBC newsblogs on property news

Read the press release

Creative England have released new research into the heritage tourism potential of sites featured within films, while the Scottish Government is urging ‘Outlander’ fans to go and see Inverness castle which formed the backdrop to the film. 

Creative England writes:
Filming in the UK has reached record levels. 2014 saw a massive increase in film production in the UK, a 35% increase on 2013 and the highest recorded figure ever.

As a result, screen tourism is a growing phenomenon, with more and more locations across the country benefiting from a booming screen industry.  The report ‘Quantifying Film and Television Tourism in England’ produced by OlsbergSPI for us in association with VisitEngland looks at the impact of screen tourism across England outside of London and shows that our filming locations are attracting domestic and overseas visitors in abundance.

The research surveyed visitors at eight locations across the country: Alnwick Castle (famously home to Harry Potter’s Hogwarts), the village of Bampton (Downton Abbey), West Bay (Broadchurch), Castle Howard (Brideshead Revisited, Death Comes to Pemberley), Holkham (Shakespeare in Love, The Duchess), Lyme Park (Pride and Prejudice, The Awakening) Puzzlewood (Merlin, Doctor Who) and Wollaton Hall (The Dark Knight Rises).

• Screen tourists brought between £100 million-£140 million to the economy in 2014.
• The most popular locations can attract up to £1.6 million every year from international tourists
• Alnwick Castle (famously the home of Hogwarts for the first two Harry Potter films) generated £4.3 million in screen tourism spend in 2014.
• Other sites attracting significant levels of screen tourism included Bampton, with £2.7 million estimated, and West Bay (Broadchurch).

The report also proves that screen tourism is relevant for all types of content, from period drama to dark, contemporary stories, family fare to fantasy and sci-fi.  And dark stories are not necessarily a barrier to the screen tourism trend.  Broadchurch may have hinged on the murder of a child but 30.8% of international respondents were core screen tourists, along with 6.9% of domestic respondents. This suggests that compelling, high-quality screen experiences can induce tourism regardless of the plot or tone.  It also proves that screen exposure can help drive tourists to the English regions. Currently, London claims a higher share of all international tourist spend than the rest of England – with a 53% share of international tourism spend, against England’s 35% (2013 study by Deloitte/Oxford Economics).  With more and more film and high-end TV dramas choosing to film outside of London (Far from the Madding Crowd, Dad’s Army, Wolf Hall and Poldark are all recent examples) screen tourism can only help increase this figure. 

View the Creative England press release

View the Scottish Government news release

Download the Screen Tourism report

Fritchley Tunnel in Crich, Derbyshire has been granted scheduled ancient monument status by Historic England; the tunnel which was built 1793 by Benjamin Outram is believed to be the earliest surviving railway tunnel in the world.

View the SAM entry

One of Historic England’s (HE) first publications was launched recently, offering guidance on the repair and conservation of historic farm buildings (with examples from the West Midlands and South East) and provides a summary of planning regulations applicable to agricultural properties. 

Historic England (HE) writes:
A new guide for owners of farm buildings has been published today by Historic England.  It takes owners through the process for successfully changing buildings while retaining and enhancing historic character and significance. Getting the design right, including the siting of new buildings and other changes is fundamental to this process.

Most surviving traditional farm buildings date to the 19th century, but may be much older and they play a vital part in defining England’s distinctive and diverse landscapes. As agricultural practices and the rural economy change, many have become unsuitable for modern farming and without a use they rapidly fall into disrepair and are lost. Historic England’s research has shown that only a third in some areas remains in agricultural use.

Over 80% of traditional farmsteads in the West Midlands, for example, have survived to some degree. The area is characterised by cattle houses built as early as the 16th century, distinctive cider mills and some barns built before 1550 on the large estates of gentry or prosperous farmers. Several farm buildings on the Bromesberrow Estate on the edge of the Malverns have already been successfully converted for commercial use and Historic England’s new guide will inform how those elsewhere on the estate, including a pair of 19th Century buildings and a medieval barn, could be given new life whilst retaining their special character.

Gilbert Greenall, owner of Bromesberrow Estate, who piloted the advice, said: ‘Without the farmstead guide I would never have appreciated the fascinating history of the site and how this might help breathe new life into these ancient buildings. The 1884 ordnance survey map showed the buildings lost over the last 70 years, helping demonstrate to planners what could be achieved by new buildings on the site and how these might be arranged to protect the existing historic buildings which are in part from the 15th century, giving them a sustainable future.’

Countryside in the South East is known for its specialised farm buildings such as oasthouses built to serve the hop industry which boomed from the 18th century, but it has one of the highest concentrations of surviving early barns in England. Hazelden Farm in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which has more of these mostly timber framed barns than almost anywhere in Europe, has been developed and enhanced using this new guide because it led to a better understanding of the farm’s most important elements and new, sustainable uses for its historic barns and oasthouses.

Last year the Government changed planning laws to extend permitted development rights to the residential conversion of agricultural buildings. Historic England wants people to continue to use and enjoy historic places and therefore encourages the conversion of redundant buildings in ways that retain local distinctiveness. Ultimately Historic England’s aim is to stop traditional farm buildings disappearing from the landscape.

Brandon Lewis, Minister of State for Housing and Planning, said: ‘Farms are a vital part of our landscape and define the character and quality of an area, but in some places their nature is also changing. This government has put in place a planning system that reflects that and is flexible towards buildings changing their uses. That’s why we are protecting farm buildings and the openness of the countryside but allowing buildings that are no longer suitable or needed to be converted to other uses without the need for planning permission. This will bring jobs and growth to the countryside as disused agricultural buildings are converted into shops, restaurants, small hotels, offices and much needed new homes and direct development away from green field sites. And that’s also why we are supporting Historic England’s farmstead assessment framework, which will be very helpful in encouraging the adaptation and improvement of these farms whilst conserving their historic value and significance.’

Sir Laurie Magnus, Chairman of Historic England, said: ‘Given their importance to our heritage and to the local character of our rural landscapes, we are concerned about the rate at which traditional farm buildings are being lost. Although most will not meet the criteria for protection through listing, that does not mean that they are without value. Conversion will not be appropriate for all buildings, or in all circumstances, but it is our belief that – if approached in a sensitive way as set out in our advice – conversion can provide a suitable route for many. If done correctly, conversion can enable these buildings to be retained for future generations and, very importantly, it can help to breathe new life into rural communities.’

View the news release

Download the document 

IHBC newsblogs on farm property