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Heritage Update 216

Friday 23 september 2011
The Heritage Alliance is the largest alliance of heritage interests inthe UK, representing 91 member organisations, with the aim of promoting the central role of thenon-Government movement in the heritage sector.Heritage Update is our voice; to, and for, the sector. It is estimated that Update reaches approximately 12,000 mailboxes in the UK and internationally; with readers as far afield as Abu Dhabi, Antarctica, Istanbul and California. For more information visit www.theheritagealliance.org.uk
CONTENTS
HEADLINES
Cameron intervenes in attempt to defuse escalating NPPF row
The National Heritage Protection Plan: get involved online
Latest on the Localism Bill
HAVE YOUR SAY: CONSULTATION ROUND UP
NEWS
Have you visited our Heritage Funding Directory recently?
How rural heritage delivers public goods
POW Alliance holds Annual Members’ Day
Cut the VAT campaign: get involved
Stunell outlines Government’s Empty Homes Strategy
Channel 4 to screen series on empty homes
ALSO THIS FORTNIGHT…
Heritage and countryside play key roles in Cameron’s GREAT campaign

The John Betjeman Memorial Award 2012: open until 2 March 2012

E-petition on addressing metal theft sees over 13,000 signatures
Mayor of London’s Outer Borough Fund for Town Centres
Community First grants
PEOPLE
EVENTS
SITUATIONS VACANT
NOTES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
HEADLINES
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Cameron intervenes in attempt to defuse escalating NPPF row
On Tuesday evening (20 September) Prime Minister David Cameron took the unusual decision to step into a policy debate mid-consultation, via an open letter to the National Trust (an Alliance Member) regarding the Government’s draft National Planning Policy Framework. The PM’s letter clarified his understanding that the planning system must balance social, environmental and economic needs, and concluded that he was “very happy to have a meeting” with the Trust when his diary allowed. The Telegraph reported that Downing Street sources stressed the Prime Minister’s assurances were “a clarification of the proposals, not a climb-down.”
The Trust’s Director General Fiona Reynolds said it was “a great relief” to hear from the Prime Minister that the Government has no intention to change the “over-riding purpose” of the planning system, and that the Trust was keen to work with Planning Minister Greg Clark “to help shape the National Planning Policy Framework into a robust system which enables the people making the decisions to guide good development to the right places.” She confirmed the Trust would continue to encourage people to sign its petition, “as it is essential the government does not underestimate the strength of feeling among the population.” At the time of writing almost 100,000 people had signed either the Planning for People petition or the 38 degrees petition.
The PM also wrote to Alliance member CPRE, whose Chief Executive Shaun Spiers said it was “good to hear the Prime Minister make clear the he regards the British landscape as a national treasure which needs to be cherished and protected for everyone’s benefit” but that “CPRE is clear that this applies to the whole of the countryside, not just to designated areas, and this should be made clear in the draft National Planning Policy Framework.” He confirmed CPRE looked forward to “renewed and more constructive discussions with ministers” but that the “changes required are likely to be so far-reaching that there should be a further brief consultation on a substantially revised draft.”
The best way to keep up with the fast-moving debate as it happens is via Twitter using the hashtag #NPPF; for example today (Thursday) tweeters including our member Civic Voice have been covering this morning’s meeting of the Government’s Planning Sounding Board. Or see the National Trust’s planning blog for a summary of press articles, radio and TV interviews covering all sides of the debate. The consultation is open until 17 October – submit your response here. The Heritage Alliance’s formal response will be published here shortly. Back
The National Heritage Protection Plan: get involved online
To kick-start two-way dialogue with the sector, English Heritage will be piloting use of the Communities of Practice website to host online discussions and share ideas on the National Heritage Protection Plan (NHPP). Launched in May, the NHPP is the national framework bringing together work by English Heritage and other partners within the sector on historic environment protection. The NHPP is overseen by an Advisory Board comprising representatives from across the heritage sector, for which The Heritage Alliance is the secretariat. The independent Advisory Board (which next meets on 17 October) works to ensure two-way communication with the sector about the NHPP to ensure stakeholder contribution to future versions of the Plan.
Registration on Communities of Practice is free-of-charge, and once registered you can search for ‘Historic Environment’ to find the NHPP community. Chair of the NHPP Advisory Board, Dr Mike Heyworth, said: "The NHPP Advisory Board is keen to encourage anyone with an interest in heritage protection to help with the development ofEnglish Heritage'sNHPP, and also to consider how others can contribute to a wider sector-plan to improve protection in the future. The Board will monitor the online discussions with interest as one mechanism to allow everyone to get involved."
Live online discussions are scheduled for 27 September (2pm – 5pm, a discussion to inform the‘Unknown Marine Assets and Landscapes'activity that willdiscover, record, and identify important sites in the marine historic environment), 18 October (discussion of a research framework for the Mesolithic period) and 8 November (discussion of places of worship). English Heritage will post details of timings of the discussions and future topics on the Communities of Practice pages. Back
Latest on the Localism Bill
The Localism Bill is currently in report stage - further line by line examination – in the House of Lords. Provisional dates for the next sitting are 10 and 12 October, when the heritage and planning aspects of the Bill are likely to be debated.
The Heritage Alliance is continuing to liaise closely with parliamentarians and colleagues on the issues it’s most concerned about - the need for a balanced definition of sustainable development, maintaining existing levels of historic environment protection, balancing private and public sector financial interests, and recognising cultural wellbeing as a social value - and will be meeting the DCLG Minister Baroness Hanham in October.
Updates and further briefings will be posted on our website here. You can keep up-to-date with the passage of the Bill here. Back
HAVE YOUR SAY: CONSULTATION ROUND UP
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October
Local Planning Regulations: consultation. In response to reforms in the Localism Bill, the Government is revising the regulations which govern the process by which local councils prepare their development plans. This consultation seeks views on whether the revised regulations are fit for purpose. Deadline: 7 October.
The registration of new town or village greens. A DEFRA consultation seeking views on proposals to reform the system for registering new town or village greens under section 15 of the Commons Act 2006. Deadline: 17 October.
Draft National Planning Policy Framework. A DCLG consultation – see Headlines for more information. See Events for details of ‘planning reform events’. Deadline: 17 October.
December
Proposal to examine the deregulation of Schedule One of the Licensing Act 2003. A DCMS consultation seeking views on a proposal to remove licensing requirements in England and Wales for most activities currently defined as regulated entertainment in Schedule One to the Licensing Act 2003. These include events such as live music performances, plays and film screenings. Deadline: 3 December.
NEWS
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Have you visited our Heritage Funding Directory recently?
Over the summer The Heritage Alliance has been busy updating and expanding its Heritage Funding Directory, the free online resource that brings together funding information into one place for the benefit of Alliance members and others. This Directory is a key resource for the heritage sector, and the Alliance is extremely grateful to the Country Houses Foundation for sponsoring its revision and on-going maintenance.
Existing entries have been checked and updated. In addition Jeremy Eckstein, our consultant, reviewed an enormous number of non-heritage sources to check if these, with some creative thinking, could be used to deliver heritage outcomes. The results are encouraging - for example, revealing funds for village halls to be adapted for people with disabilities, interpreting commitments to quality of life and community, or developing community-owned village shops. As Jeremy says: “Even if the front door doesn’t have your name on it, you may still find a way through the side door. This may be especially appropriate for historic churches”. But, he adds “Always read the criteria to avoid wasting your time and effort!”
The Directory runs in parallel with Funds for Historic Buildings, the Architectural Heritage Fund’s directory. Key in what you want - grant, loan, bursary - and what you want it for, and up come the relevant links to both directories. Back
How rural heritage delivers public goods
On 6 September The Heritage Alliance’s Rural Advocacy Group (RAG) hosted a lively policy day focussing on how the rural heritage can deliver a wide range of public goods.
In the magnificent surroundings of Blenheim Palace delegates from the Alliance membership, Government departments, NDPBs and Local Authorities discussed the social, economic, regulatory and financial context within which the rural historic environment exists; debated the challenges facing the rural heritage; and explored solutions.
Keynote speaker Steve Trow, Head of National Rural and Environmental Advice at English Heritage, set the scene with his excellent presentation ‘Setting sun or new dawn? Challenges in the conservation of the rural heritage’ which will shortly be available to read online here. Resident Land Agentat theMadresfieldEstate Peter Hughes used his workplace as a case study to outline the economics of maintaining rural heritage, and Programme Manager of the North Wessex Downs LEADER, Corrina Woodall, explained how the LEADER programme can bring about positive solutions for the rural historic environment.
The day was co-chaired by John Sell (Co-Chair of the RAG and Executive VP of Europa Nostra) and Jonathan Thompson (Co-Chair of the RAG and Heritage Adviser at the CLA).Find out more about the work of the RAG here. Back
POW Alliance holds Annual Members Day
POW Alliance - the group set up in 2007 under The Heritage Alliance’s umbrella to provide an action-oriented national forum designed to strengthen the voice of historic places of worship - held its Annual Members’ Meeting on 13 September at St Gabriel’s Church, Pimlico. Under the theme ‘Sustaining Church Projects’ members and supporters heard presentations about getting the wider community involved, how places of worship can engage with the Big Society, and an update on the results of the Heritage Lottery Fund’s strategic consultation with specific reference to places of worship.
Tony Baldry MP and Second Church Estates Commissioner talked about the issues he is taking forward including metal theft and bats. And a rural Herefordshire church and an east London synagogue described their efforts to develop and sustain both buildings and projects of benefit to the whole community. An event report and presentation slides will be posted on the POW Alliance webpages shortly. Back
Cut the VAT campaign: get involved
VAT at 20 per cent on repair and maintenance but zero on new build still blights all efforts to give development decision-makers a level playing field. The ‘Cut the VAT’ campaign, led by the Federation of Master Builders is re-launching its efforts to reduce VAT on home repair, maintenance and improvement work to five per cent - as permitted by the European Commission in its ruling in 2009.
Independent research shows that this particular change to VAT rates wouldbring about a number of significant advantages, including stimulating economic growth, creating tens of thousands of jobs, improving the UK’s housing stock, encouraging spending on energy efficient home improvements and reducing dramatically the competitive advantage of cowboy builders.
The Cut the Vat Coalition, of which the Alliance is a member, is inviting support via its website; you can sign the online petition, email your MP, like the campaign on Facebook, share the information on Twitter, and use the Cut the VAT logo on your communications. More here. Back
Stunell outlines Government’s Empty Homes Strategy
On Tuesday (20 September) Communities Minister Andrew Stunell announced details of Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) plans to “tackle the scandal” of empty homes. In his speech to the Lib Dem conference in Birmingham Mr Stunell said that tackling the country’s 700,000 empty homes was a top priority for the Government - “we must do better and we will do better” - and confirmed DCLG will publish its Empty Homes Strategy in a few weeks’ time.
He also announced a new power allowing community groups to apply for a share of £100m (described by George Clarke – see below - as “a drop in the ocean” when compared to need) to bring empty homes back into use. DCLG says the cash will be awarded to “pioneering housing schemes that will ensure empty properties that ruin neighbourhoods are lived in once again, and at the same time provide affordable housing”. Formal bidding guidance will be published on the DCLG website shortly.
He also announced that Government would consult on plans to allow local council tax departments to charge an “empty homes premium” on homes that have been empty for more than two years. More here. CPRE (an Alliance member) has issued a response here. Back
Channel 4 to screen series on empty homes
The TV presenter and architect George Clarke (best known for the series ‘Restoration Man’) is fronting a new Channel 4 series - described as a campaign show - looking at how to get Britain's empty homes back into housing supply.
Channel 4 says of the Empty Homes Show: “Nearly two million British families don't have adequate housing, and yet one million homes lie empty across the country [C4’s statistics appear to differ to DCLG’s, above]. Fired up by this senseless waste, architect and Ambassador for Shelter, George Clarke, sets out to raise awareness on the dire state of the housing crisis and calls on the British public to support his campaign to change the Government's housing policy. George examines why the Government's plan to build new homes is not necessarily the right approach, and suggests ways to shake up the system and come up with more practical ways to utilise properties that are currently lying empty.”