IHBC NewsBlogs

In a move presaged in recent political statements, England’s Government has announced the transfer of architecture policy function from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) adding weight to the the public roles of architecture, but significantly reducing the critical mass of heritage interests in DCMS, a change emphasised by the re-location of the national property portfolio to the newly non-governmental organisation (NGO) English Heritage.

The Design Council writes:
Design Council welcomes the transfer of architecture policy function from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport(DCMS) to the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) as a positive move in its mission to promote high-quality design in the built environment. DCLG will now be responsible for promoting high-quality design in the built environment.

Clare Devine, Director of Architecture and the Built Environment at Design Council, said: “This is a practical step which we wholeheartedly welcome. Given that the department already looks after the means to deliver good quality places – the planning system, local government finance and the Community Rights programmes – it is a positive move to bring these together.”

For the past 15 years, Design Council has worked closely with DCLG and departments across Whitehall to deliver better outcomes through the planning system.

Devine continued: “We hope this move will mean that the delivery of high-quality places moves up the agenda across government. We urge any incoming government to ensure the Minister for Planning and Housing, with this new brief, has a seat in Cabinet.”

Design Council article

The reforms to local government in Northern Ireland (NI) took effect on 1 April 2015, with the former 26 Councils being replaced by 11 councils. 

The Department of Environment Northern Ireland (DoENI) writes:
As well as a reduction in the number of councils, councils are being given more powers and responsibilities. The changes, which represent the biggest shake up in local government in Northern Ireland for over 40 years, will modernise it and provide more effective and efficient services to ratepayers.

Environment Minister Mark H Durkan said: ‘April marks a new era for local government here. It represents real opportunities for change and improvement.  This is about strong local government. It is about changing the way our councils are structured and the functions they provide. It is about giving councils more powers and flexibility to shape their areas and communities. It is about improving services to benefit those that use them.’

Acknowledging the roles that people have played in the programme, the Minister added: ‘A remarkable amount of work has been done by all involved to get us to this point.  I thank each and every person for playing their part. Change is always challenging and these are big changes. For many working on this programme, the changes directly affect them, making it an even more testing environment.  I’d also like to thank the councillors and staff of the outgoing 26 councils as it is on the strength of their work, often during difficult and dangerous times, that the new councils will go forward.’

Concluding, Minister Durkan added: ‘The real driver for this transformation will be the leadership, vision and openness to partnership working demonstrated by elected members and council staff. I wish all these people well and encourage them to continue to show their commitment to the journey ahead, ensuring that local government reform is the success that it has the chance to be.’ 

View the news release

The Drystone Walling Association has been awarded funding for a heritage skills project in the North West of England, with £220,400 to provide bursaries and training in this important skill.

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) writes:
The Dry Stone Walling Association is celebrating today after receiving a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant of £220,400 for the Built Landscape Heritage Education and Training Project. The project aims to increase career prospects in dry stone walling by providing five training bursaries throughout the North West and offering support for established dry stone wallers to enhance their skills.

The provision of training bursary opportunities in the North West will enable individuals to learn heritage skills that will ultimately provide an income whilst also helping to maintain the landscape for future generations to enjoy.

The project will also deliver an educational programme for schools and colleges providing access to online teaching resources and offer students the opportunity to engage with the age-old craft of dry stone walling. Local communities in the North West will be encouraged to get involved in local restoration projects and help address the decline of traditional boundaries which affects both their practical and aesthetic value.

The craft of dry stone walling is vital to the preservation of our landscape heritage. Since pre-history this ancient technique has been used for dwellings and enclosures; the earliest form known in Great Britain built some five thousand years ago on Orkney.  However, it’s the field walls, mostly of the 18th and 19th centuries, that have made the greatest impression on the present day landscape. The network of dry stone walls are a unifying feature, providing a skeleton to the landscape, giving it form, coherence, structure, perspective and distinction.  Visitors to the uplands of the UK marvel at the patchwork of field boundaries stretching up from the valley floors and climbing the steep slopes of the fells. The uplands of North West England are particularly rich in dry stone walls.

Explaining the importance of the HLF support, Sara Hilton, Head of HLF North West, said: ‘The heritage sector has a real need for people who have specialist conservation skills to protect our wonderful heritage for future generations. We at HLF are passionate about looking after our historic environment and equally about giving people, especially younger generations, the chance to gain new skills and training opportunities that will help them in later life.’

Ray Stockall, Chairman of the Dry Stone Walling Association said: ‘We are delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund is supporting the Dry Stone Walling Association in our mission to preserve, improve and advance the knowledge and understanding of the traditional craft of dry stone walling. The provision of Training Bursaries and support for skills development, coupled with a programme to enhance public awareness of our heritage sector will help us to ensure that the skills vital for this ancient craft are passed from the Master Craftsmen of today to the young craftsmen of tomorrow to secure the future of our landscape heritage’

Drystone Walling Association website http://www.dswa.org.uk

IHBC newsblogs on heritage skills

IHBC newsblogs on funding

Heritage Lottery Fund press release

The Construction Industry Council (CIC) has released its recommendations for pledges affecting construction in its election briefing. 

The Construction Industry Council (CIC) writes:
Construction is a vital enabling sector which can spread jobs and prosperity throughout the wider economy.   This is the central message of the Construction Industry Council’s election briefing, Constructing a Better Future, which is published today.

Constructing a Better Future shows that issues affecting the construction industry are also crucial politically: such as housing; the price of energy; and achieving value for money while maintaining standards.  These are all examples of issues which are vital to the creation of a balanced economy and a prosperous future.

CIC recommendations include:

• Investing in infrastructure – The UK has to build more homes. Coupled with this, there must be sustained investment in transport to drive economic growth. We also have to replace many of our ageing power stations to meet our EU climate change commitments and to provide for national energy security.  A sustained programme of investment which will create growth and jobs nationwide is needed to do this.
• Quality in the built environment – Environmentally sustainable building designs, investment in the skills needed to produce a diverse workforce and a commitment to safety in construction are all aspects of a ‘quality agenda’ which needs to be promoted by the next government. Creating a built environment which promotes both healthy life-styles and vibrant communities, vastly increases perceptions of ‘quality of life’ as well as producing cost savings in health care in the long term.
• Planning for construction – An integrated approach to creating the communities we need is vital.  We need to build more but we also need to build better. An improvement in the way in which we procure the housing and infrastructure we need will achieve savings which can be used elsewhere. Strategic planning, driven by revitalised city regions can achieve the sort of co-ordinated development which drives economic growth and regional prosperity.

Launching the new publication, CIC Chairman, Tony Burton, said: ‘It is vital that government and industry work together to help bring about the growth and prosperity which the UK’s world leading expertise in construction and the built environment can produce. We face challenges from climate change, sustainability and economic imperatives. Whether it is through increasing our stock of new places to work, manufacture and live, improving our existing buildings or improving and providing new infrastructure, the construction industry and all those within it have critical roles to play. The sector is in growth, providing employment opportunities at all levels.  It is vital that all parliamentary candidates understand the critical role that construction plays in the wider economy and in each constituency and CIC would welcome discussions with all who are interested in learning more about this key sector of our economy’.

Download the news release and access the full briefings

IHBC newsblogs on construction

From April 1 construction companies who work on government projects will have to demonstrate how they will train their workforce.

CITB writes:
Employers will soon have to prove they intend to train workers before they can be awarded contracts for major government infrastructure projects, it has been announced.

It is hoped the plans will help to wipe out the UK’s skills shortages by encouraging investments in apprenticeships and developing workers’ abilities.  HS2 Ltd, which has been charged with building the high-speed rail link between London and Birmingham, has already promised to apply the principles to its next bidding process.

Skills Minister Nick Boles said: ‘As economic growth continues, it is vitally important that there is significant and meaningful investment in skills.  Under these new plans, bidders for all major government projects will have to demonstrate a clear commitment to developing the skills of the current and future workforce.’

From April 1, all firms that are successful in bids for a share of government work worth over £50 million will be contracted into making training a key priority.  Bidders for smaller, lower-value projects will also be encouraged to focus on worker development.  While ministers hope to place the onus on employers to develop their own skills practices, they have tasked the Construction Leadership Council with putting together a set of guidelines for procurers to follow.

Requirements and targets will be written into initial agreements, monitored and even taken into account when future bids are under consideration.  With the construction sector thriving, it is hoped the changes will ensure there is a pool of skilled workers for firms to draw on, which will help to drive growth even further.  And as predictions show that around 224,000 jobs will need to be created in the building sector by 2019, the plans should also make it easier for young people to get a start in the industry.

Lord Deighton, Commercial Secretary to the Treasury, said: ‘This new approach to procurement will generate real and lasting changes in the sector’s investment in people, helping to avoid skills shortages.’

View the news release

IHBC newsblogs on construction

IHBC learning and training opportunities

The RIBA have agreed proposals to change the way in which architectural training is implemented, in a bid to modernize the profession and open up training whilst removing potential obstacles to architectural recognition. 

RIBA writes:
At a special Education Forum meeting today (24 March), and in response to the 2013 European Union legislative changes to the Professional Qualifications Directive statute, the RIBA Council has agreed a set of proposals that will modernise the education of future generations of architecture students, widen the path towards inclusivity and work to remove the obstacles faced by aspiring architects.

The recommendations are the result of the RIBA Education Review, a two year programme developing the agenda for changes in the structure, content and delivery of UK architecture education. The review has engaged the RIBA Education Committee, SCHOSA and the UK schools of architecture, progressive practitioners of architecture, and the statutory bodies responsible for architecture in the UK and Europe.

The recommendations agreed today are:

• A requirement for a minimum of two years of assessed professional practical experience (PPE) within, typically, a minimum seven year period of study
• An award that combines academic study and PPE leading to a level 7 masters degree
• Academic credits available for one year of work based learning, with the option for students to study within a framework of four years F/T study + three years PPE
• A 300 ECTS credit programme compliant with the requirements of Bologna agreement
• Access to the register of architects and title of the architect on successful completion of the integrated course

The next steps will be to discuss the implementation of proposals in consultation with all UK schools of architecture.

Stephen Hodder, President of the RIBA, said: ‘This has been the most rigorous and collaborative review of architectural education in fifty years via an extensive consultation with architects, students, academics and clients. I’m delighted that we have some clear recommendations for changes to architectural education ensuring that the RIBA validated architecture course represents an assured academic benchmark. These changes will ensure that future generations are inspired to become leading architects in the UK and globally.’ 

View the press release 

IHBC newsblogs on education 

IHBC accredited learning opportunities 

The charity ‘Campaign for National Parks’ has called for protection of funding for national parks, and launched a petition calling for the halting of budget cuts. 

The Campaign for National Parks writes:
Calls for a moratorium on future budget cuts to National Parks and the establishment of a high-level round-table this year to consider how to ensure the future of National Parks were made today by the Campaign for National Parks.

The charity said it would like to see a commitment to no further reductions in the funding allocated to National Park Authorities over the next Parliament and for representatives of National Park Authorities, Government, the charitable sector and business to explore how National Parks are protected and funded in future.  The call comes at a time when more than 160,000 people have signed a petition by pressure group 38 Degrees calling on Prime Minister David Cameron to stop the cuts.

National Park Authorities, largely funded by Government to look after National Parks, have experienced up to 40 per cuts in their budgets in the last five years. This has so far led to 252 job losses in National Parks in England and Wales.  National Park Authorities have also been forced to put iconic landscapes up for sale, cut back on the maintenance of rights of way, reduce funding for conservation projects, cut grant support for apprenticeships, stop school visits programmes and close visitor centres, catering for the 90m visitors per annum to the National Parks.

Julian Woolford, Campaign for National Parks chief executive, said he was frustrated at the piecemeal approach to the cuts and the lack of innovative thinking to ensure their future ‘The current approach to cuts is piecemeal, short-termist and relentless.  We have to stop the cuts and get the best brains in government, the National Park Authorities, the charitable sector and business to develop an exciting, properly-funded vision for the future of National Parks as soon as possible.’

Mr Woolford added that each of the National Park Authorities had a budget smaller than that of a comprehensive school, showing they represent incredibly good value for the benefits they deliver.

National Park Authorities have made a number of changes to mitigate the cuts including the launch of philanthropic charitable organisations; the setting up of National Park Enterprises – a company limited by guarantee; specific sponsorship deals, such as a fragrance deal with US firm Airwick; the leasing of treasured national assets and a drive to get more Heritage Lottery Funding for major projects.

View the news release

IHBC newsblogs on National Parks

A new report issued by the CMS select committee looks at the importance of tourism to the national economy, and highlights the important role of communities in coastal areas to UK tourism, urging more support for areas of coastal heritage.

The Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) select committee writes:
The tourism sector, a massive conglomeration of diverse businesses and organisations, contributes billions of pounds to the British economy and sustains millions of jobs. Yet too often, Government fails to factor tourism into its wider decision-making.

Committee conclusions:

• Support for tourism in England was damaged by the abolition of the Regional Development Agencies without putting in place adequate arrangements for tourism promotion.
• With sufficient resources, VisitEngland is well placed to move more decisively into the organisational vacuum left by the abolition of the Regional Development Agencies and the Regional Tourist Boards,  and could better coordinate the disparate efforts of some 200 local Destination Management Organisations
• VisitBritain has shown marked success in attracting overseas visitors, but should remain alert to the need to leverage even more the undoubted lure of London to bring more visitors to other parts of the United Kingdom.
• The GREAT Campaign continues to demonstrate its originality and vitality: funding for this campaign needs to be confirmed for a longer period.
• Further improvements to visa processing and cost reductions are needed.
• Long before it becomes feasible to increase airport capacity in South East England, regional airports could be better promoted to encourage visitors to the UK in general and the regions in particular.
• Reductions in VAT and Air Passenger Duty would make the UK offer even better value for money to holidaymakers, business travellers and students: the Government should give full consideration to this.
• Too many regulations are ill-fitted to the world of small businesses that characterise much of the tourism industry:  the Government should take forward with greater speed the recommendations of the Tourism Regulation Taskforce, updated as necessary.
• Training arrangements and apprenticeships should be better adapted to the features that make many tourism businesses unique, such as seasonality, scale and uncertainty in customer demand.
• In view of the potential benefits, not least to the tourism industry, of daylight saving time, we recommend that the Government commissions a rigorous cost-benefit analysis, including the research needed to properly inform this.
• Many tourism businesses are small and struggle to have their voices heard: giving people like professional tourist guides a voice on the Tourism Industry Council would be a step forward, but most important of all, tourism needs a stronger voice in Government.

John Whittingdale MP, Chair of the Committee, said: ‘The tourism sector is a major part of the UK’s economy and creates millions of jobs, involving a lot of small businesses and unique features such as seasonality and uncertainty in customer demand. Given the size of its contribution, there is not enough recognition of or support for the sector or adaptations to its unique features. Tourism needs a stronger voice, and Government should look at how the burden of regulation and taxation on the tourism industry could be lightened to boost its contribution even further.’

View the press release

View the full report

IHBC newsblogs on tourism

The Greater London Authority (GLA) has launched a new strategy to promote the cultural attractions of London, recognising the importance of traditional attractions, as well as historic areas such as Brick Lane, the wealth of open spaces and ‘quirky’ attractions not seen within guidebooks. 

The Greater London Authority (GLA) writes:
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson today unveiled his vision to build on London’s success as a top destination for culture hungry visitors.

Four out of five travellers say culture is their main reason for coming to London and a new report published this week shows cultural tourists spent £7.3 billion in 2013, generating £3.2 billion for our economy and supporting 80,000 jobs in the capital.

London’s top 20 attractions account for 90 per cent of visits by tourists, but the success of events and attractions like Secret Cinema, which draws almost 50 per cent of it audience from outside the capital, and the weekend crowds heading to places like Brick Lane and Borough Market, suggest tourists also have an appetite for more local and niche activities that will provide more ‘authentic’ cultural experiences.

The Mayor of believes more needs to be done to maximise the full potential of culture in the capital. His vision is to enable it to increase its economic impact further, creating jobs and, in a hugely competitive global market for international travellers, ensuring the future sustainability of cultural organisations both large and small, all over the city.

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: ‘Cultural tourism generates billions for our economy, but we are up against other great destinations like New York, Paris, Amsterdam and Berlin who are also competing for the attentions of the savvy traveller. We celebrate our world-class museums, galleries, theatres and concert halls in the heart of the city, but we must stop underselling the cornucopia of other cultural riches to be found right across the capital.  I want more visitors to experience London as the glorious garden of culture we as Londoners know it to be. We want them to enjoy the giant oak trees of our world-class major cultural institutions, but also to dig deeper into the undergrowth and savour the wild flowers of our quirkier and more off-beat attractions.’

Around 1,000 Londoners recently responded to a poll asking them to choose a hidden cultural gem they would recommend to a tourist. The survey produced a diverse array of responses, from Denis Severs’ House in Folgate Street E2 to the antique shops in Lillie Road, Fulham; from the Isabella Plantation in Richmond Park to the Bussey Building in Peckham; and from the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow, to the Oval Theatre in Lambeth.

Parks, historic pubs and pie and mash shops also appeared, but the suggestions barely scratch the surface. City Hall is now working with the capital’s promotional agency London and Partners, Visit Britain, the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions and cultural leaders to investigate how partnerships, collaborative working and more effective use of marketing and resources can be used to promote more of what London has to offer tourists wanting to spread their cultural net more widely. There is a powerful economic case, with the potential for more tourists spending locally – and wanting to return.

Gordon Innes, CEO of London & Partners, said: ‘London is home to some of the world’s most famous big institutions with an incredibly rich and diverse cultural offering. They are central to why overseas visitors come here. Promoting the breadth of these cultural riches to the millions of international visitors coming to London each year is central to the work of London & Partners.’

Munira Mirza, Deputy Mayor for Education and Culture, said: ‘It is vital that we keep reinvigorating the London experience. As important as iconic symbols of London are in the promotion of London, it is not sustainable to keep recycling stereotypes of Bobbies, Beefeaters and bowler hats. From rooftop cinema shows to immersive theatre in unusual locations we want to create a bigger cultural bucket list of experiences that adds to our great institutions. We want visitors to feel they are getting a trip that is unique to them, that will make them want to return.’

Chris Macleod, Marketing Director, Transport for London, said: ‘Our research has shown that most visitors currently stay within zones 1 and 2, especially during their first stay in the city. We want more visitors to explore the breadth of London’s exciting cultural offer. London’s expansive and efficient public transport network provides visitors with the means to travel across all areas of the capital, experience its cultural gems and make every visit unforgettable.’

Bernard Donoghue, Chief Executive of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) and Chair of the London International Festival of Theatre (LIFT) said: ‘Visitors come for authentic experiences that transcend tick-list sightseeing. ALVA’s members focus on authenticity; immersive experiences as the means to best engage with people; provide a fun day out; and ensure a great visitor experience. ‘Money can’t buy’ immersive experiences are becoming more popular as they are perceived as being of high cultural and emotional value; they foster camaraderie amongst the small groups who experience them and have a ‘brag-ability’ value to the participants.’

‘Take a Closer Look – A Cultural Tourism Vision for London’ can be downloaded from: www.london.gov.uk/culturaltourism

View the press release

IHBC London Branch

ITV news recently reported from Blaenau Ffestiniog on the slate industry area proposing to bid for world heritage status

View the news article and watch a video report about the potential bid at ITV News

More information on Blaenau Ffestiniog

IHBC newsblogs on world heritage sites

The National Trust (NT) has launched a new natural environment strategy, ‘Playing our part – What does the nation need from the National Trust in the 21 century?’ which aims to show how through partnership it will manage its own assets and work with others in ways that can also benefit the historic environment. 

Local authorities who have responsibility for managing historic parks or gardens will be interested in the news that the strategy includes news of opportunities for partnership working, as page 21 of the review states:

• ‘We will help find innovative new ways to manage local parks and heritage. If the old way is broken, we will play a part in finding the new way.
• We will explore and give support to local authorities, charities and communities in how to manage local heritage and green space, drawing on our own experience of the day-to-day maintenance of green spaces and heritage ‘

The National Trust (NT) writes:
We’ve launched an ambitious plan to nurse the natural environment back to health and reverse the alarming decline in wildlife. Our strategy for the next decade will also see us invest in looking after the nation’s heritage.

Climate change now poses the single biggest threat to the places we look after, bringing new, damaging threats to a natural environment already under pressure. It also poses a growing conservation challenge for the houses and gardens in our care.  The countryside had been damaged by decades of unsustainable land management, which has seen intensive farming and now climate change undermine the long-term health of the land. Sixty per cent of species have declined in the UK over the last 50 years, habitats have been destroyed and over-worked soils have been washed out to sea.

We’ll develop new, innovative ways of managing land on a large scale, which are good for farmers, the economy and the environment. We’ll work with partners to help look after some of the country’s most important landscapes, reconnecting habitats and bringing back their natural beauty.  The next decade will mark a new chapter in our history, which will see us increasingly join forces with other charities, government, business and local communities to improve the quality of the land and attract wildlife back to our fields, woods and river banks.  Playing our part in mitigating climate change will also be a priority and we’ll cut our energy usage by 20 per cent by 2020 and source 50 per cent of that from renewable sources on our land. We’ll also explore what role we could play in helping to safeguard the future of public green spaces.

We’ll spend more than ever on looking after our historic houses and collections, clearing the backlog of repairs. We’ll also look at ways to help local communities look after the heritage that’s important to them, playing a leading role in the annual Heritage Open Days event.  As people’s tastes change and expectations grow, we’ll work harder to give our visitors experiences that are emotionally rewarding, intellectually stimulating and inspire them to support our cause. We’ll invest in major changes at our most visited houses to transform how we tell the story of why they matter.  To help members make the most of their membership, most properties will be moving to being open 364 days a year. Members and supporters will get more personalised information from us about events and activities and will be able to get enhanced information on our digital channels.

‘The protection of our natural environment and historic places over the past 100 years has been core to the work of the Trust but it has never been just about looking after our own places,’ says Helen Ghosh, our Director General. ‘This is a long-term commitment, for the benefit of generations to come.  Our strategy will see us working more collaboratively with a range of partners – we will support where we can and lead where we should,’ adds our Chairman Tim Parker. ‘The National Trust has always responded to the challenges of the time. I believe our founders would be proud of our ambitions and the part we plan to play.’

Download the strategy

View the LocalGov article on park management

View the NT press release

Scotland’s Historic Environment Audit (SHEA) for 2015 has been published this month, underlining the clear importance of the historic environment to education, wellbeing and the economy. 

Historic Scotland writes:
Scotland’s historic environment continues to make a valuable contribution to the nation’s wellbeing, cultural identity, education and economy according to the 2014 Scottish Historic Environment Audit (SHEA).

The SHEA report compiled by Historic Scotland provides both a broad overview and detailed insight into the country’s historic environment as well as outlining the direct and indirect economic benefits, investment levels and current condition of Scotland’s historic monuments and listed buildings. The report is structured around the strategic priorities of Scotland’s first strategy for the historic environment: Our Place in Time.

The audit is an ongoing project – last published in 2012 – which draws upon current data and research to provide facts and figures, which provide a health check for the nation’s heritage sector.

The report has been published in advance of the coming together of Historic Scotland and The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) later this year to form a new, lead heritage body, Historic Environment Scotland (HES).

The audit builds on the information provided in previous SHEA reports compiled in 2010 and 2012.

The 2014 key findings include:

• Historic Scotland invested  £133million in the historic environment between 2002 and 2013 which assisted repairs worth over a total of £580million – benefiting communities across Scotland
• The historic environment is a major employer providing 2.5% of Scotland’s total employment and supporting around 60,000 jobs (including part time and seasonal employment)
• The sector contributes over £2.3 Billion annually to Scotland’s economy –  2.6% of the country’s Gross Value Added (GVA)
• Around 14 million tourists visited historic attractions in 2012, representing almost a third (29 per cent) of recorded visits to Scottish attractions
• Scotland’s international reputation for tourism and heritage remains strong with the Nations Brand Index  (2012) placing the country 12th  out of 50 countries for historic buildings and monuments and 13th  for tourism
• Investment from other bodies such as the Heritage Lottery Fund, National Trust for Scotland, local authorities and the third sector continues to be considerable. However private investment is the largest source of funding –accounting for the majority (61%) of spend on the historic environment
• Educational interest in our heritage and historic environment continues to be strong with around 1 in 5 (19 per cent) of all school visits in 2012 involving a visit to a historic site, with over 105,000 learners accessing Historic Scotland properties under the free educational visit scheme in 2013/14

Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop said: ‘The contribution which the historic environment makes to Scotland’s economy, society, education and identity is clear from this report.  2015 is a significant year for Scotland’s heritage sector with the establishment of a new body, Historic Environment Scotland (HES), which will work with partners to deliver Scotland’s first strategy for the historic environment, Our Place in Time.  As this valuable audit illustrates, Scotland’s heritage sector operates across a diverse and multi layered landscape, which delivers a host of tangible benefits. These range from bringing historic properties in communities up and down the country back into re-use, through to the continued appeal of our internationally known heritage attractions which provide a shop window for the many millions of people who visit our country each year. I am sure that with the establishment of HES, those with a shared passion and commitment for Scotland’s heritage will be well placed to come together to continue to make a significant contribution to its present, whilst looking ahead to its future.’

Read the news release

View the audit for 2014

New documents which have been released since the previous SHEA include:

• People, Culture and Heritage in Scotland – Topic Report on results from the 2013 Scottish Household Survey
• 2014 Nation Brands Index 

IHBC NewsBlogs on other ‘heritage counts’ style publications providing data about the value of the historic environment

The Big Lottery has set out its proposed Strategic Framework in a document just launched, while many may be surprised to see that the documents setting out the new six year framework is only two pages long.

Dawn Austwick, Chief Executive of the Big Lottery Fund writes:
‘We can boil it down even further – in a nutshell it’s: ‘People in the Lead’. From this everything else flows: we want to start with what people bring to the table, not what they don’t have; and from the belief that people and communities are best placed to solve their problems, take advantage of opportunities, and rise to challenges. Our job is to support them in doing so.’

View information on the framework and how it applies across your area

View the Chief Executive of the Big Lottery Fund blog entry 

IHBC newsblog on funding

The online accommodation sharing portal ‘Airbnb’ has welcomed new proposals that allow London residents to join the rest of the UK in opening up their homes for visitors for up to 90 days a year without first applying for planning permission (previously advertising your home on such a site may have attracted fines under the Greater London Council (General Powers) Act 1973). 

Airbnb writes:
The new law makes the UK a leader in the sharing economy, adding London to the growing list of cities across the world implementing progressive laws that embrace home sharing, including Paris and Amsterdam

View the full Airbnb press release

View the DCLG news release on the changes to legislation in London 

New research by Bond Dickinson LLP shows that the use of Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPO’s) has increased, growing by two thirds in 2014.

The research looks at the uses of CPO’s across England, successes in application, examples of their use in different sectors and reasons for the failure of certain CPO’s.

View the report

The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Excellence in the Built Environment (BE) has reported on the need for greater political attention to be paid to flood resilience measures such as sustainable urban drainage systems. 

The Construction Industry Council (CIC) writes:
An incoming government needs to appoint a Cabinet champion to protect against flooding and drought, says an All Party Parliamentary Group, in a report published today (23 March).

In its report, Living with water, The Commission of Inquiry of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment says ‘that despite the increasing challenges, flood resilience and water management still remains a Cinderella issue at the highest political level, though it’s importance is no less than that of transport and power and it should have the same political priority as the development of High Speed 2.’

The group is calling for a Cabinet champion to set in train a longer term vision for delivering a coordinated and sustainable long term flood and water management strategy to protect homes and infrastructure against the increased flooding whilst at the same time protecting against increased water scarcity caused by drought.

Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment, Oliver Colvile, Conservative MP for Plymouth, Sutton & Devonport said: ‘Increased urbanisation and climate change is likely to increase the risk of flooding and our entire national infrastructure including water supply and our drainage network is under threat, which poses both societal and economic disruption. Failure to take the issue of comprehensive water management much more seriously will have severe economic impacts on UK plc.’

The Environment Agency says that 5.2 million homes are currently at risk of flooding, which is one in six. The 36-page report says, ‘We need a fundamental change in how we view flood management, from flood defence where we protect ourselves, to one of resilience, living with and making space for water.’  It says that building Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) – which mimic nature including ponds and shales – should be a key part of the strategy and also provide other community benefits such as enriching the environment. And it says the Government is mistaken in its U-turn which means it will now not implement Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.  The Act sets out a plan for the adoption and maintenance of SuDS through council-run SUDs Approval Bodies.

Tony Burton, Chair of the Construction Industry Council and a member of the APPG Commission of Inquiry said: ‘We have what is described as the most disconnected water management system in the world. Too many organisations have responsibility for aspects of water and drainage and they are under no obligation to co-operate even where it is essential to deliver resilience. We find it particularly disappointing that there will no longer be a requirement for setting up SuDS Approval Bodies which would have drawn up standards.’

The APPG for Excellence in the Built Environment is supported by the CIC.

Key recommendations include:

• Strong leadership: Government needs to foster clear leadership on water issues and appoint a Cabinet champion to set in train a longer term vision for delivering a co-ordinated long term flood and water management strategy and it must ring-fence funding to do so.
• Strategic land review: This new water champion should instigate a review of land use policy, placing water and climate change alongside a range of other emerging priorities for a multi-functional landscape.
• More cash for maintenance: There needs to be even stronger emphasis on maintenance funding to ensure that existing flood protection assets are sustained.
• Retrofitting for resilience: Government should undertake an investment programme to retrofit towns and cities to make them more resilient, as an additional aspect of their flood defence spending.
• Better design standards: Everywhere in this country is in a water catchment so we need to reduce water runoff from every building, whether new or existing – helped with new Building Regulations for designing for flood resistance and resilience.
• Using insurance to incentivise resilience: The insurance industry needs to give thought to how it can incentivise improving flood resilience of properties, rather than simply reinstating structures to inadequate pre-flooding standards.
• Using Flood Re insurance to promote resilience:  The Flood Re scheme due to be introduced in the summer should be used to drive a step change in households’ protection and resilience and we recommend those measures set out by the Sub-Committee on Adaptation to make this happen should be adopted.
• A bigger role for professionals in the built environment: Promote greater co-ordination of professionals through a new Construction Industry Council grouping which could act as a sounding board through which to channel flooding policy.

As a result of this U-turn Government now needs to resolve as quickly as possible more detailed proposals for:

• SuDS maintenance – We suggest that those homes and businesses ‘connected’ to SuDS could be charged directly for the maintenance like a charge from a water company. The charge could be on local authority rates and what is currently paid to water companies for surface water should be gradually removed as SuDS are installed, unless it is the water companies which provide the SuDS service.
• Reducing loading on public sewers – removing the automatic right to connect rainwater discharge to the public sewers as originally specified under the FWMA 2010. Many of these public sewers, which were built in Victorian times, and are overloaded,
•  SuDs for all developments – ensuring that the limit of ‘fewer than 10 houses’ for SuDS to be included is changed back to two (to avoid a profusion of planning applications for nine houses). As SuDS have been demonstrated through Defra’s own research to be cheaper, particularly where integrated within the scheme from its original master planning, the reason for the threshold as ‘keeping the regulatory burden on smaller companies at a reasonable level’ is erroneous.
• Resolving adoption of SuDS – defining a clear procedure and any associated costs for the adoption of sites under the proposed planning-based system, as the lack of such a process has historically been the greatest limitation to the uptake of SuDS.  

View the news release

View the Living with Water report

The Grade II* listed Battersea Arts Centre is to receive £1 million from government funding to assist with the costs of repair and restoration work following the fire to the grand hall.

HM Treasury writes:
The Battersea Arts Centre will receive £1 million funding from Government to help the Centre continue with important redevelopment work, the Culture Secretary Sajid Javid announced today.

Earlier this month a blaze broke out in the Grade II-listed venue and destroyed most of the Grand Hall. Work was already underway prior to the fire to restore the building.  Government, through Arts Council England, has already contributed £4.69 million to this redevelopment project.

Culture Secretary Sajid Javid, said:  I was terribly sad to hear about the fire at the Arts Centre but was deeply relieved that no one was hurt. I have visited the centre to see the damage and met the very dedicated team of staff who have launched an impressive fundraising campaign and are doing everything to carry on as far as possible.  The Arts Centre are having to divert all their available resources into dealing with the aftermath and so I am pleased to be able to confirm that Government will provide £1 million towards the ongoing redevelopment work to help get this important south London venue back on track.

Chancellor George Osborne said: People across London and beyond were sad to hear about the recent fire at the Battersea Arts Centre.

Through Arts Council funding the Government has already contributed more than £4.5 million to support the redevelopment of this important centre.  And we are today making an additional £1 million contribution to help restore the centre to its former glory so that it can continue its great work in showcasing arts and culture to 100,000 people each year.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander said:  I am delighted that we are providing £1 million to support the restoration of the Battersea Arts Centre.  This is a building of cultural importance so it is right that the Government is contributing to its restoration and doing what it can to get this venue back up and running so that it can continue its important work.

View the news release

Find out more about the Battersea Arts Centre

DCLG are offering the opportunity to obtain a free certificate for any listed asset of community value (ACV), and real ale campaign group CAMRA are promoting a month of celebrations for ‘community pubs month’ this April. 

Find out how to get a free certificate for any ACV

View a list of all public houses which have been designated as ACV on the CAMRA website

View the Community Pubs Month website

IHBC newblogs on ACVs

The Culture Secretary has announced that the Chair of the Board for NHMF and the HLF is Sir Peter Luff.

DCMS writes:
Culture Secretary announces appointment by the Prime Minister of Sir Peter Luff as Chair of the Board that runs both the NHMF and the HLF.

Culture Secretary Sajid Javid announces the appointment by the Prime Minister of Sir Peter Luff as the new Chair of the Board that runs both the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund. Sir Peter is appointed for a term of 3 years from 30 March 2015 to 29 March 2018.

Sir Peter Luff has been MP for Mid-Worcestershire, and previously for Worcester, since 1992 and is standing down at the 2015 General Election. Since 2013, he has been Commons Co-Chair of the Speaker’s Advisory Committee on the 800th anniversary Magna Carta and the 750th anniversary of the de Montfort Parliament.

He was Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology from 2010-2012, was Chair of two House of Commons Select Committees (Agriculture 1997-2000, and Business Innovation and Skills 2005-2010), and was knighted in 2014 for political and public service.

The new Chair will lead the Board of Trustees that runs both NHMF and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). Its role is to steer the policy and direction of the 2 Funds and take decisions on grant applications. NHMF, the nation’s grant-in-aid fund of last resort for heritage, and was set up in 1980, to save the most outstanding parts of our national heritage, in memory of those who have given their lives for the United Kingdom. In 1994, the NHMF and its Trustees took on the role of distributing the heritage share of Lottery money for good causes, which it now operates through the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

View the news release

There a has been a warm welcome from across the conservation and development sectors to the news that the UK’s key conservation link body, COTAC, is to recast itself as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) under the new title of the ‘Council on Training in Architectural Conservation’ – still to be known as COTAC.

Under the new arrangements, agreed at a recent general meeting, COTAC remains as a membership body supported by members that range from English Heritage to the National Churches Trust.

Of course COTAC continues to offer a warm welcome to new members seeking to support the organisation’s aims and objectives.

Supporting the new arrangements, Lady Tina Feilden, COTAC’s Patron and wife of the late conservation architect Sir Bernard Feilden, said: ‘It has been my great pleasure to have been a Patron of COTAC over the last 5 years, and to watch how it has developed and influenced many over that time.’

‘In the current period of considerable change, it is gratifying that a greater understanding of the need to retain, protect and sensitively utilise our stock of traditionally constructed buildings has continued to grow. Proudly, COTAC has frequently been at the forefront of related initiatives. Whether this is informing standard setting, developing knowledge, or enabling the connection of broken and new links across the built heritage sector, COTAC has excelled.’

‘The work of the regenerated ‘Council’ represents so closely the ideas and teaching of my late husband, Sir Bernard Feilden, that I know he would have readily endorsed its aims. I continue to happily support its work in his name and, as Patron, I wish it every success for the future’.

David Mitchell, Director of Conservation, Historic Scotland said: ‘COTAC has long been recognised by the National Heritage Agencies in the UK and beyond, and we have always enjoyed a close working partnership. I am pleased to see that COTAC has reflected on it’s role and is implementing changes to ensure it remains relevant and key to conservation and training into the future’

COTAC Chair, Ingval Maxwell, said: ‘The new operational structure of a CIO will allow COTAC to be more flexible and inclusive in its operations, and so able to shape and react to the rapidly changing work environment we, and our members, see today. At the same time we will be able to keep a eye on continuing the legacy of our many previous successes, from our standard setting developmental role in vocational training, to the hosting of the pre-eminent on-line learning tool for specialists seeking conservation accreditation – our understandingconservation.org website. Through our successful annual conference series we have, once again, also marked out our role in generating cutting edge conservation practice and debate’. 

COTAC’s CIO pending initiatives include:

• Developing the understandingconservation.org site as an online tool that offers a recognised route to member accreditation
• Developing BIM4C (Building Information Modelling for Conservation) as a tool fit for purpose in historic building care, management and change
• Maintaining its annual conferences as the ‘go-to’ event for members of lead professional bodies to explore current and future building conservation trends and directions
• Developing a sustainable income stream through growing its membership and support network, and through key project developments

COTAC Membership
COTAC plans to include both organisation and individual membership, on three levels:

• Partner Members
• Ordinary Members
• Network Members

COTAC: Background and future
Established in 1959 as the ‘Conference on Training in Architectural Conservation’ COTAC’s founding principle was its recognition of the need for specialists to properly specify and oversee work involved in repairing and conserving historic buildings and churches. This ground breaking approach in the mid 20^th century occurred when training in modernism, concrete and brutalism prevailed, and the knowledge of traditional building technologies was fast disappearing.

Over the years COTAC has always worked hard at lifting standards, developing training qualifications and building networks across the sector. This has involved national agencies, professional bodies, educational establishments and training interests. Today, COTAC can boast a unique legacy of success that was summarized in its 50th Anniversary publication ‘Half a Century On’.

COTAC’s 21st century role is no less critical. New technologies, including aspirations to low carbon retrofit, demanded energy efficiencies and emerging digital innovations, can too easily obscure the need for a core understanding of traditional materials and how to approach historic structures with a finely honed set of skills. In its new structure, as the ‘Council on Training in Architectural Conservation’, COTAC’s priority objectives include:

• Setting, maintaining and promoting standards for conservation education and training
• Developing, producing and promoting education and training materials
• Collaborating with other organisations, voluntary bodies and agencies with interests in conservation, with a view to influencing and promoting relevant issues
• Maintaining and developing the Council’s digital resources to ensure their relevance for the sector and the public
• Promoting courses at all levels in conservation of the historic environment which are relevant and in accordance with recognised criteria
• Publishing relevant material
• Arranging seminars, conferences and participating in exhibitions relating to relevant heritage issues
• Resources permitting, providing bursaries and other support for relevant studies and course attendance.

Note:
To download ‘Half a Century On’ see COTAC’s web-based resources at www.cotac.org.uk including www.understandingconservation.org

Any queries on membership may be directed via COTAC’s web page

IHBC members may be able to offer local examples and cases relevant to a query from a colleague on heritage settings for solar photovoltaic cells that has arisen as part of a ‘heritage and sustainability’ study under way in Scotland.

Courtney Peyton, of Thirdwave, writes:
I am examining the role that solar photovoltaic PV cells (electricity generating cells, not solar thermal cells which generate hot water) can have and have played in their application to historic fabric.

Driven by climate change legislation, historic buildings’ guidance around this area has been changing in the past few years and both English Heritage and Historic Scotland have published technical and policy notes on the sensitive introduction of micro-renewables (including PV cells).  On the ground, uptake has been varied and the application of this guidance by local authorities (including planners, conservation officer and planning committees) appears relatively inconsistent.

I would like to understand views and experiences of colleagues on the installation of PV cells – their suitability/lack of suitability, value (environmental, societal and financial) and their future role.

Additionally, I would very much value some blue skies inputs, for example: ‘If only they could be more X, less Y, they would be more attractive/ acceptable/ useful’, or not, as the case may be.

To help focus on general practice, please take as read that I am excluding

• the contentious issue of installation on A / Grade 1 listed buildings
• installations by ‘cowboys’ that do not take proper account of the fabric, loading, possible wind up lift or reversibility of the cells in situ.

All experiences and views are welcome.  I doubt there can be any right answer but I would like to understand recent history and the direction of travel.  Responses can be signed or anonymous but will not be made public beyond myself unless you should specifically invite that position.

Responses should be directed to Courtney Peyton? at courtney.peyton@thirdwave.org.uk

New guidance has been issued by the DCLG to reflect changes in conservation area (CA) legislation; ‘the conservation areas direction 2015’ and the ‘arrangements for handling heritage applications direction’.

IHBC Policy Secretary David Kincaid said: ‘The direction simply ties up a loose end as the 2001 circular about demolition in CA’s has been revoked and this direction squares the circle and reinstates the same criteria as before.’

Download the new conservation area guidance  

Download the arrangements for handling heritage applications direction