Conservation officers in historic towns - Revision history

Designing Buildings at 11:37, 16 December 2021

2021-12-16T11:37:18Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:37, 16 December 2021
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	=== A report for Historic England showed that not all local authorities realise how important conservation officers are to the job of protecting the integrity of historic towns. ===		=== A report for Historic England showed that not all local authorities realise how important conservation officers are to the job of protecting the integrity of historic towns. ===

−	There are statutory obligations on local planning authorities to determine applications for planning consent, listed building consent and scheduled monument consent, among others, but no formal requirement to address the heritage interest in whole historic towns and cities. Conservation officers must inevitably prioritise legal requirements, while staff cutbacks limit the chance for engagement in big-picture conservation at the local level. Some of the impacts of this have been identified in a report for English Heritage on The Sustainable Growth of Cathedral Cities and Historic Towns. (Ref Green Balance with David Burton-Pye, The Sustainable Growth of Cathedral Cities and Historic Towns, English Heritage, 2014~~, downloadable from [http://www~~.~~greenbalance.co.uk/heritage http://www.greenbalance.co.uk/heritage])~~	+	There are statutory obligations on local planning authorities to determine applications for planning consent, listed building consent and scheduled monument consent, among others, but no formal requirement to address the heritage interest in whole historic towns and cities. Conservation officers must inevitably prioritise legal requirements, while staff cutbacks limit the chance for engagement in big-picture conservation at the local level. Some of the impacts of this have been identified in a report for English Heritage on The Sustainable Growth of Cathedral Cities and Historic Towns. (Ref Green Balance with David Burton-Pye, The Sustainable Growth of Cathedral Cities and Historic Towns, English Heritage, 2014).

	The report focused first on the scale of urban growth within and around a sample of 50 historic towns, where development was both taking place and planned. This showed that there was little relationship between the size of town and the amount of different types of development expected there. Although some historic towns did seem to be overwhelmed, this was not a function of whether or not they were ‘historic’.		The report focused first on the scale of urban growth within and around a sample of 50 historic towns, where development was both taking place and planned. This showed that there was little relationship between the size of town and the amount of different types of development expected there. Although some historic towns did seem to be overwhelmed, this was not a function of whether or not they were ‘historic’.
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	--[[User:Institute_of_Historic_Building_Conservation\|Institute of Historic Building Conservation]]		--[[User:Institute_of_Historic_Building_Conservation\|Institute of Historic Building Conservation]]

−	~~= Find out more =~~	+	= Related articles on Designing Buildings =
−		+
−	=== Related articles on Designing Buildings ~~Wiki ==~~=	+

	* Archaeology.		* Archaeology.
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	* World Heritage Site.		* World Heritage Site.

−	[[Category:~~Conservation~~]] [[Category:~~DCN_Commentary~~]] [[Category:~~DCN_Research,_Development_and_Innovation~~]]	+	[[Category:DCN_Commentary]] [[Category:DCN_Research,_Development_and_Innovation]] [[Category:Conservation]]

Designing Buildings at 08:26, 26 December 2020

2020-12-26T08:26:43Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:26, 26 December 2020
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	* World Heritage Site.		* World Heritage Site.

−	[[Category:Conservation]]	+	[[Category:Conservation]] [[Category:DCN_Commentary]] [[Category:DCN_Research,_Development_and_Innovation]]

Designing Buildings at 09:31, 9 December 2018

2018-12-09T09:31:20Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:31, 9 December 2018
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	* English Heritage.		* English Heritage.
	* IHBC articles.		* IHBC articles.
		+	* Impact of heritage sector local authority funding cuts in south west England.
	* Institute of Historic Building Conservation.		* Institute of Historic Building Conservation.
	* Listed building.		* Listed building.

Designing Buildings at 07:37, 29 September 2016

2016-09-29T07:37:23Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:37, 29 September 2016
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	-----		-----
−	=== A report for Historic England ~~shows~~ that not all local authorities realise how important conservation officers are to the job of protecting the integrity of historic towns. ===	+	=== A report for Historic England showed that not all local authorities realise how important conservation officers are to the job of protecting the integrity of historic towns. ===

	There are statutory obligations on local planning authorities to determine applications for planning consent, listed building consent and scheduled monument consent, among others, but no formal requirement to address the heritage interest in whole historic towns and cities. Conservation officers must inevitably prioritise legal requirements, while staff cutbacks limit the chance for engagement in big-picture conservation at the local level. Some of the impacts of this have been identified in a report for English Heritage on The Sustainable Growth of Cathedral Cities and Historic Towns. (Ref Green Balance with David Burton-Pye, The Sustainable Growth of Cathedral Cities and Historic Towns, English Heritage, 2014, downloadable from [http://www.greenbalance.co.uk/heritage http://www.greenbalance.co.uk/heritage])		There are statutory obligations on local planning authorities to determine applications for planning consent, listed building consent and scheduled monument consent, among others, but no formal requirement to address the heritage interest in whole historic towns and cities. Conservation officers must inevitably prioritise legal requirements, while staff cutbacks limit the chance for engagement in big-picture conservation at the local level. Some of the impacts of this have been identified in a report for English Heritage on The Sustainable Growth of Cathedral Cities and Historic Towns. (Ref Green Balance with David Burton-Pye, The Sustainable Growth of Cathedral Cities and Historic Towns, English Heritage, 2014, downloadable from [http://www.greenbalance.co.uk/heritage http://www.greenbalance.co.uk/heritage])

Designing Buildings at 11:17, 12 September 2016

2016-09-12T11:17:13Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:17, 12 September 2016
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	[[File:Accordia_housing_development.png\|link=File:Accordia_housing_development.png]]		[[File:Accordia_housing_development.png\|link=File:Accordia_housing_development.png]]

−	[Image: Urban intensification in Cambridge: the Accordia housing development at 40 dwellings per hectare. (Photo: Historic England)]	+	[Image: Urban intensification in Cambridge: the Accordia housing development at 40 dwellings per hectare. (Photo: © Historic England)]

	[[File:Mill_style_development_in_Chester.jpg\|link=File:Mill_style_development_in_Chester.jpg]]		[[File:Mill_style_development_in_Chester.jpg\|link=File:Mill_style_development_in_Chester.jpg]]

−	[Image: Mill-style development in Chester: integrating new development into the historic city. (Photo: Historic England)]	+	[Image: Mill-style development in Chester: integrating new development into the historic city. (Photo: © Historic England)]

	[[File:Salisbury_Cathedral_.jpg\|link=File:Salisbury_Cathedral_.jpg]]		[[File:Salisbury_Cathedral_.jpg\|link=File:Salisbury_Cathedral_.jpg]]

−	[Image: Salisbury Cathedral from Old Sarum, two miles to the north. The setting of the cathedral has been protected by keeping city centre buildings to below 40ft high and by preventing development on key sites around the edge of the city. (Photo: Historic England)]	+	[Image: Salisbury Cathedral from Old Sarum, two miles to the north. The setting of the cathedral has been protected by keeping city centre buildings to below 40ft high and by preventing development on key sites around the edge of the city. (Photo: © Historic England)]

	The research found that methodologies alone would not resolve the growth pressures which historic places faced. There were vitally important underlying matters that must be resolved at the same time. There were two essential requirements. One was to foster a favourable climate of support for heritage among local councillors, as previously noted. The other was the need for a properly resourced conservation and design service in local government. Only if there were enough professionals to pursue the objectives would there be any hope of achieving good results. Cutbacks in local government have often affected local heritage interests badly and this needs to be tackled as a priority.		The research found that methodologies alone would not resolve the growth pressures which historic places faced. There were vitally important underlying matters that must be resolved at the same time. There were two essential requirements. One was to foster a favourable climate of support for heritage among local councillors, as previously noted. The other was the need for a properly resourced conservation and design service in local government. Only if there were enough professionals to pursue the objectives would there be any hope of achieving good results. Cutbacks in local government have often affected local heritage interests badly and this needs to be tackled as a priority.

Institute of Historic Building Conservation: Protected "Conservation officers in historic towns" ([edit=author] (indefinite) [move=author] (indefinite))

2016-09-06T12:53:17Z

Protected "Conservation officers in historic towns" ([edit=author] (indefinite) [move=author] (indefinite))

← Older revision

Revision as of 12:53, 6 September 2016

Institute of Historic Building Conservation at 12:53, 6 September 2016

2016-09-06T12:53:05Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:53, 6 September 2016
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	* Archaeology.		* Archaeology.
	* Conservation officer.		* Conservation officer.
		+	* Conservation practice survey 2016.
	* English Heritage.		* English Heritage.
−	* Green belt.
	* IHBC articles.		* IHBC articles.
	* Institute of Historic Building Conservation.		* Institute of Historic Building Conservation.

Designing Buildings at 12:49, 6 September 2016

2016-09-06T12:49:39Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:49, 6 September 2016
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	Local government reorganisation, with the establishment of larger, unitary authorities, had been a particular trigger for reduced conservation staff serving Chester, Durham and Salisbury. In each case the local priority given to protecting these heritage cities was diluted. Cooperative working between local authorities suggests that local government reorganisation may not be over, so conservation bodies need to be more alert in future to establishing reliable operating standards in new authorities.		Local government reorganisation, with the establishment of larger, unitary authorities, had been a particular trigger for reduced conservation staff serving Chester, Durham and Salisbury. In each case the local priority given to protecting these heritage cities was diluted. Cooperative working between local authorities suggests that local government reorganisation may not be over, so conservation bodies need to be more alert in future to establishing reliable operating standards in new authorities.

−	[[File:~~Changes in the number of conservation officers in case study cities~~.jpg]]	+	[[File:Changes_in_the_number_of_conservation_officers_in_case_study_cities.jpg\|link=File:Changes_in_the_number_of_conservation_officers_in_case_study_cities.jpg]]

−	Some of the cities were nonetheless offering broadly positive messages for conservation. A principal message from growing cities like Cambridge, for example, was to take a very positive attitude to development, expecting it to happen and making it good. High expectations for all aspects of design, clear policies and extensive pre-application discussions with developers helped to achieve good development, but these needed to be supported by staff with the design skills to recognise and require the necessary standards. This means that the process must be properly resourced. Heritage buildings and their surroundings should be planned-in to developments from the outset, not treated as a problem. There has been a remarkable loss of perspective in some authorities. All the historic cities studied now depend on a significant tourist industry, in some cases underpinning the local economy. This brings in prodigious wealth in some cases, all the more important when the local authority is itself a significant local landowner. This wealth is generated fundamentally by the physical environment and especially the built heritage. The maintenance of this built heritage and the avoidance of direct damage to it or inappropriate change to its context is the task of a tiny group of individual conservation officers in each city, yet their numbers and sometimes their status and ability to do their job are sometimes being undermined. Over time this will put at risk the fabric and especially the atmosphere and enjoyment of historic cities.	+	Some of the cities were nonetheless offering broadly positive messages for conservation. A principal message from growing cities like Cambridge, for example, was to take a very positive attitude to development, expecting it to happen and making it good. High expectations for all aspects of design, clear policies and extensive pre-application discussions with developers helped to achieve good development, but these needed to be supported by staff with the design skills to recognise and require the necessary standards. This means that the process must be properly resourced. Heritage buildings and their surroundings should be planned-in to developments from the outset, not treated as a problem.
		+
		+	There has been a remarkable loss of perspective in some authorities. All the historic cities studied now depend on a significant tourist industry, in some cases underpinning the local economy. This brings in prodigious wealth in some cases, all the more important when the local authority is itself a significant local landowner. This wealth is generated fundamentally by the physical environment and especially the built heritage. The maintenance of this built heritage and the avoidance of direct damage to it or inappropriate change to its context is the task of a tiny group of individual conservation officers in each city, yet their numbers and sometimes their status and ability to do their job are sometimes being undermined. Over time this will put at risk the fabric and especially the atmosphere and enjoyment of historic cities.

	The paltry savings on modest salaries seems wholly misplaced in relation to the potential benefits of retaining and augmenting conservation staff. The costs would be barely detectable in relation to the wealth that the historic environment brings to these cities. This is a matter to little thought has been given in historic cities, even in those which realise that heritage is good for the economy. Partly behind this may be an undercurrent of feeling, detectable in many administrations, that historic buildings and their surroundings are simply ‘there’ and look after themselves. Changes on the ground do not register strongly from one year to the next, but over time they do. By then it may be too late, with inappropriate uses allowed in the wrong place, vistas compromised and shoddy materials used, and people with the drive to stem the tide strangely absent.		The paltry savings on modest salaries seems wholly misplaced in relation to the potential benefits of retaining and augmenting conservation staff. The costs would be barely detectable in relation to the wealth that the historic environment brings to these cities. This is a matter to little thought has been given in historic cities, even in those which realise that heritage is good for the economy. Partly behind this may be an undercurrent of feeling, detectable in many administrations, that historic buildings and their surroundings are simply ‘there’ and look after themselves. Changes on the ground do not register strongly from one year to the next, but over time they do. By then it may be too late, with inappropriate uses allowed in the wrong place, vistas compromised and shoddy materials used, and people with the drive to stem the tide strangely absent.

Designing Buildings at 12:47, 6 September 2016

2016-09-06T12:47:05Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:47, 6 September 2016
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	Local government reorganisation, with the establishment of larger, unitary authorities, had been a particular trigger for reduced conservation staff serving Chester, Durham and Salisbury. In each case the local priority given to protecting these heritage cities was diluted. Cooperative working between local authorities suggests that local government reorganisation may not be over, so conservation bodies need to be more alert in future to establishing reliable operating standards in new authorities.		Local government reorganisation, with the establishment of larger, unitary authorities, had been a particular trigger for reduced conservation staff serving Chester, Durham and Salisbury. In each case the local priority given to protecting these heritage cities was diluted. Cooperative working between local authorities suggests that local government reorganisation may not be over, so conservation bodies need to be more alert in future to establishing reliable operating standards in new authorities.

−		+	[[File:Changes in the number of conservation officers in case study cities.jpg]]
−		+
−		+
−	{\|	+
−	~~\| colspan="4" \|~~	+
−	Changes in the number of conservation officers in case study cities ~~(full-time equivalent)~~	+
−		+
−	\|-	+
−	\|	+
−	~~CITY~~	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	~~Number of~~	+
−		+
−	~~COs spring~~	+
−		+
−	~~2014~~	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	~~Number of COs around five years earlier~~	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	~~Comments~~	+
−		+
−	\|-	+
−	\|	+
−	~~Bath~~	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	3	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	5	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	~~Three planners are being given limited training in conservation~~	+
−		+
−	\|-	+
−	\|	+
−	~~Cambridge~~	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	~~<3~~	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	4	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	~~Manager now devotes less than full time to conservation~~	+
−		+
−	\|-	+
−	\|	+
−	~~Chester~~	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	2	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	7	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	~~Establishment reduced from seven to four at local government reorganisation~~	+
−		+
−	\|-	+
−	\|	+
−	~~Durham~~	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	7	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	9	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	~~Numbers difficult to judge due to local government reorganisation in 2009~~	+
−		+
−	\|-	+
−	\|	+
−	~~Lichfield~~	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	~~1.6~~	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	2	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	~~Excludes part of team manager’s time~~	+
−		+
−	\|-	+
−	\|	+
−	~~Oxford~~	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	7	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	12	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	~~Team includes archaeology, trees and biodiversity staff~~	+
−		+
−	\|-	+
−	\|	+
−	~~Salisbury~~	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	2	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	3	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	\|-	+
−	\|	+
−	~~Winchester~~	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	~~3.25~~	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	3.75	+
−		+
−	\|	+
−	~~Staff have extra responsibilities~~	+
−		+
−	~~now~~	+
−		+
−	\|}	+
−		+

	Some of the cities were nonetheless offering broadly positive messages for conservation. A principal message from growing cities like Cambridge, for example, was to take a very positive attitude to development, expecting it to happen and making it good. High expectations for all aspects of design, clear policies and extensive pre-application discussions with developers helped to achieve good development, but these needed to be supported by staff with the design skills to recognise and require the necessary standards. This means that the process must be properly resourced. Heritage buildings and their surroundings should be planned-in to developments from the outset, not treated as a problem. There has been a remarkable loss of perspective in some authorities. All the historic cities studied now depend on a significant tourist industry, in some cases underpinning the local economy. This brings in prodigious wealth in some cases, all the more important when the local authority is itself a significant local landowner. This wealth is generated fundamentally by the physical environment and especially the built heritage. The maintenance of this built heritage and the avoidance of direct damage to it or inappropriate change to its context is the task of a tiny group of individual conservation officers in each city, yet their numbers and sometimes their status and ability to do their job are sometimes being undermined. Over time this will put at risk the fabric and especially the atmosphere and enjoyment of historic cities.		Some of the cities were nonetheless offering broadly positive messages for conservation. A principal message from growing cities like Cambridge, for example, was to take a very positive attitude to development, expecting it to happen and making it good. High expectations for all aspects of design, clear policies and extensive pre-application discussions with developers helped to achieve good development, but these needed to be supported by staff with the design skills to recognise and require the necessary standards. This means that the process must be properly resourced. Heritage buildings and their surroundings should be planned-in to developments from the outset, not treated as a problem. There has been a remarkable loss of perspective in some authorities. All the historic cities studied now depend on a significant tourist industry, in some cases underpinning the local economy. This brings in prodigious wealth in some cases, all the more important when the local authority is itself a significant local landowner. This wealth is generated fundamentally by the physical environment and especially the built heritage. The maintenance of this built heritage and the avoidance of direct damage to it or inappropriate change to its context is the task of a tiny group of individual conservation officers in each city, yet their numbers and sometimes their status and ability to do their job are sometimes being undermined. Over time this will put at risk the fabric and especially the atmosphere and enjoyment of historic cities.

Designing Buildings at 12:44, 6 September 2016

2016-09-06T12:44:17Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:44, 6 September 2016
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	\|}		\|}
−	~~<br />~~	+
−	Some of the cities were nonetheless offering broadly positive messages for conservation. A principal message from growing cities like Cambridge, for example, was to take a very positive attitude to development, expecting it to happen and making it good. High expectations for all aspects of design, clear policies and extensive pre-application discussions with developers helped to achieve good development, but these needed to be supported by staff with the design skills to recognise and require the necessary standards. This means that the process must be properly resourced. Heritage buildings and their surroundings should be planned-in to developments from the outset, not treated as a problem. There has been a remarkable loss of perspective in some authorities. All the historic cities studied now depend on a significant tourist industry, in some cases underpinning the local economy. This brings in prodigious wealth in some cases, all the more important when the local authority is itself a significant local landowner. This wealth is generated fundamentally by the physical environment and especially the built heritage. The maintenance of this built heritage and the avoidance of direct damage to it or inappropriate change to its context is the task of a tiny group of individual conservation officers in each city, yet their numbers and sometimes their status and ability to do their job are sometimes being undermined. Over time this will put at risk the fabric and especially the atmosphere and enjoyment of historic cities.	+
		+	Some of the cities were nonetheless offering broadly positive messages for conservation. A principal message from growing cities like Cambridge, for example, was to take a very positive attitude to development, expecting it to happen and making it good. High expectations for all aspects of design, clear policies and extensive pre-application discussions with developers helped to achieve good development, but these needed to be supported by staff with the design skills to recognise and require the necessary standards. This means that the process must be properly resourced. Heritage buildings and their surroundings should be planned-in to developments from the outset, not treated as a problem. There has been a remarkable loss of perspective in some authorities. All the historic cities studied now depend on a significant tourist industry, in some cases underpinning the local economy. This brings in prodigious wealth in some cases, all the more important when the local authority is itself a significant local landowner. This wealth is generated fundamentally by the physical environment and especially the built heritage. The maintenance of this built heritage and the avoidance of direct damage to it or inappropriate change to its context is the task of a tiny group of individual conservation officers in each city, yet their numbers and sometimes their status and ability to do their job are sometimes being undermined. Over time this will put at risk the fabric and especially the atmosphere and enjoyment of historic cities.

	The paltry savings on modest salaries seems wholly misplaced in relation to the potential benefits of retaining and augmenting conservation staff. The costs would be barely detectable in relation to the wealth that the historic environment brings to these cities. This is a matter to little thought has been given in historic cities, even in those which realise that heritage is good for the economy. Partly behind this may be an undercurrent of feeling, detectable in many administrations, that historic buildings and their surroundings are simply ‘there’ and look after themselves. Changes on the ground do not register strongly from one year to the next, but over time they do. By then it may be too late, with inappropriate uses allowed in the wrong place, vistas compromised and shoddy materials used, and people with the drive to stem the tide strangely absent.		The paltry savings on modest salaries seems wholly misplaced in relation to the potential benefits of retaining and augmenting conservation staff. The costs would be barely detectable in relation to the wealth that the historic environment brings to these cities. This is a matter to little thought has been given in historic cities, even in those which realise that heritage is good for the economy. Partly behind this may be an undercurrent of feeling, detectable in many administrations, that historic buildings and their surroundings are simply ‘there’ and look after themselves. Changes on the ground do not register strongly from one year to the next, but over time they do. By then it may be too late, with inappropriate uses allowed in the wrong place, vistas compromised and shoddy materials used, and people with the drive to stem the tide strangely absent.