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- Save the Date for #IHBCBristolBath2027 – Accessible, Certified CPD on ‘Climate Change & Significance’, June 10-12 2027: IHBC’s Annual School, with online options, free pre-conference webinars & more… 16/10/2026
- CLOSING SOON: IHBC’s first joint National-Branch CPD Partnership event – Bob Kindred MBE on ‘Enforcement…’, 27/10: In person in London, and Online (from £15-£50) 16/10/2026
- CLOSING SOON: IHBC’s WM Branch to join West Midlands Heritage Careers Fair 2026: ‘Inspiring the Next Generation of Heritage Professionals’, 21/10, Worcester Cathedral 16/10/2026
- CLOSING SOON: IHBC consults on ‘Corporate Plan 2026-30’ (‘CP30’): Feedback sought by 30 October 16/10/2026
- IHBC’s ‘History’ CPD Signpost: The Public Architect – A Five-Part Podcast Series now out from the SAHGB 16/10/2026
- IHBC’s ‘Management’ CPD Signpost: Government clears path for London’s City Plan 2040 as inspectors back City over HE approach to tall buildings 16/10/2026
- IHBC Director’s pick from HESPR’s £316K weekly costed works: Council seeks team for repairs to GI & Scheduled Monument to 29/10 @ £120K 16/10/2026
- IHBC features ‘Heritage from the doorstep’: Bath could temporarily drop UNESCO World Heritage Site status 16/10/2026
- Major £41Mn drive to restore churches and revitalise heritage buildings in communities across England announced 16/10/2026
- Canal & River Trust: Britain’s canals could play an even bigger role in the nation’s water security 16/10/2026
- HES National Centre of Excellence for Canals & Traditional Skills gains new retrofit facility to become premiere heritage hub, with with 1Mn from RICHeS & UKRI, 16/10/2026
- Top heritage rail awards open for 2027: Deadline for entries (all categories) 9 November 2026. 16/10/2026
- IHBC features ‘Heritage from the Global doorstep’: Funding shortages, Climate Change, and expertise gaps emerge as ‘Top Threats’ to Global Heritage Sites, WMF Warns 16/10/2026
- IHBC marks passing of Sir Donald Insall CBE, (IHBC 0876MEM LO): ‘Bring forth the best’ 13/10/2026
- IHBC Marsh Awards NOW OPEN: Nominate your ‘Successful learner’ (in Heritage Skills) or ‘Retired member’ (Community Contributions), to close 15 December 2026 13/10/2026
- IHBC welcomes RICHeS Access Fund second call: ‘access… cutting-edge equipment, collections & expertise’, to £20K, for charities, social enterprises, commercial companies etc. 13/10/2026
- Join in IHBC-sponsored SAHGB’s 3rd Mark Girouard symposium : ‘Untold Tales: Women Pioneers in British and Irish Architectural History’, 14 November 13/10/2026
- IHBC’s ‘Research’ CPD spotlight: Government publishes reports on improving building safety 13/10/2026
- IHBC’s ‘Professional’ CPD spotlight: Carbon Literacy, and ‘Building Sustainability Capability Across Your Organisation’ 13/10/2026
- IHBC HESPR’s ‘News from the Sector’: Partners SPAB & Owlsworth celebrate as ‘Chapel wins Architects’ Journal Retrofit Award’ 13/10/2026
- IHBC features ‘Heritage from the doorstep’: Restoration of Hull’s blitz-bombed National Picture Theatre is complete… 13/10/2026
- Scotland’s national centre gains new retrofit facility to become premiere heritage hub, courtesy RICHeS & UKRI 13/10/2026
- Skills England launches Skills For Work programme consultation: to 16 October 13/10/2026
- ‘Strengthening local building control capacity, capability and financial sustainability’ in England – a Letter from the government to LA CEs 13/10/2026
- 35 New Training Bursaries awarded by Heritage Crafts 13/10/2026
Tag Archives: policy
Public Consultation on Historic Environment Policy for NI, to 23/10
Northern Ireland’s (NI) Department for Communities (DfC), its Executive department with responsibility for policy on the historic environment, is seeking views on the direction and priorities for its Historic Environment Policy, open to 23 October.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged consultation, government, historic environment, Northern Ireland, policy
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IHBC features ‘Heritage from the Global doorstep’: The uncertain road for culture in climate policy… COP30 opens a new path as… ‘what seemed impossible became a reality’.
Simon Musasizi, Regional Co-Chair for Africa and the Arab States has posted a blog for Climate Heritage Network on Brazil’s COP30 in November 2025, when ‘what seemed impossible became a reality’.
CPRE: Fixes for England land use crisis ‘already exist but… fragmented and…neglected’ argues report
A new CPRE report warns that the government’s Land Use Framework will not solve the fundamental question of what gets built where, arguing that policy tools to guide better land-use decisions already exist but remain fragmented and largely neglected.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged countryside, CPRE, government, planning, policy
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IHBC’s ‘Practice’ CPD Signpost: CIAT via DB – Beyond the render… embedding AI tools into architectural education…
image for illustration Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the way technologists and architects design, visualise, and share ideas, and for graduates architectural education must adapt quickly to ensure the next generation is confident in using these technologies.
Posted in IHBC NewsBlog
Tagged AI, architecture, building, education, expertise, guidelines, policy, skills
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HE Publishes Planning Bulletin Supplemental on NPPF
Historic England (HE) has published a Planning Bulletin Supplemental to the Historic England monthly Planning Bulletin, raising awareness of Historic England’s response to the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged consultation, draft, government, HIstoric England, local authorities, NPPF, planning, policy
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Respublica reports on ‘A Modest Proposal for the Restoration of Neighbourhoods’
Research & policy body Respublica has issued a report offering ‘A Modest Proposal for the Restoration of Neighbourhoods’.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged civic, economy, neighbourhoods, policy, research
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IHBC ‘Management’ Signpost: Turley on ‘Grey Belt – What have we learned’
The introduction of ‘grey belt’ has been one of the most debated changes made to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in December 2024 while an article from Turley consultants considers what has been learned from its first year in … Continue reading
Posted in IHBC NewsBlog
Tagged government, Green Belt, housing, NPPF, planning, policy
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IHBC features ‘Heritage from the doorstep’: Westminster Council launches ‘Retrofit First’ policy & more in City Plan Partial Review
Westminster City Council has published its ‘City Plan Partial Review’, setting out strengthened planning policies on retrofitting, affordable housing, with a new Retrofit First policy, requiring developers to explore options for retrofitting etc. before seeking permission for demolition etc.’
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged development, housing, local authorities, planning, policy, retrofit
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IHBC features ‘Heritage from the Global doorstep’: ICOMOS at COP30: Heritage, Culture, and Global Climate Action
ICOMOS took part in the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), which was held from 10-21 November 2025 in Belém, Brazil, to reaffirm its commitment to climate action within heritage conservation practices.
Posted in IHBC NewsBlog
Tagged climate change, cultural heritage, global, heritage, ICOMOS, policy
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IHBC’s Context 185 under the spotlight: Accessible CPD for Conservation Professionals, with Alexandra Fairclough’s ‘Law and Policy update’
IHBC’s members’ journal Context No. 185 is under the spotlight and for this NewsBlog round we feature Alexandra Fairclough’s ‘Law and Policy update’ as she looks across the UK at changes, case law, appeals and call-ins.
IHBC urges ‘risk-based approach to retrofit’ with Government’s ‘Warm Homes Plan’ – ‘biggest home upgrade plan in British history’
image for illustration: IHBC The IHBC has welcomed Government’s £15Bn ’Warm Homes Plan’ – to ’help millions of families benefit from solar panels, batteries, heat pumps and insulation…’ – but says it must ‘ensure that retrofit is done properly’.
Posted in IHBC NewsBlog
Tagged climate change, government, heritage, planning, policy, retrofit
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RTPI & TCPA: ‘Planning for the Climate Crisis – A guide for local authorities’, 5th Edition
The RTPI and The Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) have published the fifth edition of their joint guidance on planning for climate change.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged climate change, government, guidance, local authorities, planning, policy, resources
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IHBC’s Research signpost: ‘… synergy… of historic building retrofit and the heritage of traditional building craft practices…’
A new research paper – An investigation in synergy: The intersection of historic building retrofit and the heritage of traditional building craft practices’ in the UK – asks: ‘… is there opportunity for greater synergy between historic building retrofit and … Continue reading
Posted in IHBC NewsBlog
Tagged conservation, expertise, heritage, policy, skills
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UK Government urged to step up maintenance to safeguard ageing infrastructure: Royal Academy of Engineering
The Royal Academy of Engineering has urged the UK Government to step up maintenance to safeguard ageing infrastructure, as the ‘Reviving our Ageing Infrastructure’ report by the National Engineering Policy Centre calls for the maintenance and renewal of existing assets … Continue reading
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, engineering, expertise, infrastructure, policy, safeguarding, skills
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IHBC Toolbox’s latest Guidance Note update now out: ‘Local Planning Authorities in England on Consulting the National Amenity Societies’
The IHBC’s Toolbox resource has had its latest Guidance Note update, on ‘Local Planning Authorities in England on Consulting the National Amenity Societies’, issued as a reminder to ‘local planning authorities of their statutory duty under the 2015 Direction’.
Posted in IHBC NewsBlog
Tagged amenity, conservation, consultation, expertise, government, heritage, localauthority, planning, policy, societies
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IHBC features ‘Heritage from the global doorstep 2: ‘Europa?Nostra on new Culture Compass for Europe – ‘When Culture wins, Europe wins’
Europa?Nostra, the pan-European Voice of Civil Society committed to Cultural Heritage, also in its role as Leader of the European Heritage Hub, welcomes and strongly endorses the Culture?Compass for Europe.
RIBA & partners call for raise the age of eligibility for Level 7 apprenticeship funding
With funding for Level 7 apprenticeships soon to be only for those aged 16 to 21, the has led an open letter to government asking them to raise the age of eligibility for funding to 25 years old for built … Continue reading
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged apprenticeship, government, learning, partnership, policy
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Government consultation: ‘Reforms to the statutory consultee system’, to 13/01/2026
Government UK are seeking views on reforming the role of statutory consultees in the planning system in England. This consultation closes on 13 January 2026.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged consultation, environment, heritage, planning, policy, safety, transport
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Gardens Trust on ‘Government Consultation on Removal of the Gardens Trust as a Statutory Consultee’
The Government has launched a consultation including the removal of the Gardens Trust as a statutory consultee, running until mid-January.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged charity, conservation, consultation, expertise, gardens, government, heritage, policy
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IHBC’s ‘Professional’ Signpost: Update on the ‘Wellbeing and Sustainable Development (Scotland) Bill’
The Wellbeing and Sustainable Development (Scotland) Bill was introduced in the Scottish Parliament by Sarah Boyack MSP on 27 March 2025, and this new Parliamentary Research Briefing summarises the situation as of 8 October.
Posted in IHBC NewsBlog
Tagged development, expertise, government, policy, skills, sustainability, wellbeing
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RIBA on ‘Build it Together’ – Progress and planning towards gender equity in the architecture profession’
Commissioned by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and independently produced by the Fawcett Society, a new ‘landmark report and action plan’ looks at gender equity in the architecture profession.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged architects, expertise, gender equality, government, organisations, policy
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IHBC’s ‘Professional’ Signpost: Submit representations to HM Treasury on Autumn Budget 2025, by 15 October
HM Treasury ‘welcomes representations as part of the policy-making process…’ they may be made on the Autumn Budget 2025 by October 15. as a written submission, commenting on government policy or suggesting new policy ideas to be considered in the … Continue reading
Posted in IHBC NewsBlog
Tagged budget, economy, employment, government, policy, treasury, value
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New report calls for long-term placemaking to create vibrant communities
The ‘Place Building – Developing Homes & Communities’ report advocates a shift from short-term housing targets to long-term placemaking, as aligning policy incentives with on-the-ground innovation and community insight lets the built environment sector transition towards a true place-building approach.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, community, environment, expertise, placemaking, planning, policy, skills
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IHBC‘s ‘Research’ Signpost: Assessment of priority skills to 2030 report published
The Assessment of priority skills to 2030 report offers a detailed analysis of future employment needs across ten critical sectors, aligned with the government’s Industrial Strategy and Plan for Change, and highlights the scale of demand for apprenticeships and broader … Continue reading
Posted in IHBC NewsBlog
Tagged apprenticeship, employment, expertise, policy, report, skills
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Parliamentary Committee call for permanent VAT Relief for LPOW
Culture Media and Sport Committee calls for permanent VAT Relief for Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme(LPOW).
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged church, heritage, policy, VAT
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