2008 Yearbook

32 Y e a r b o o k 2 0 0 8 BUILDING · CONSERVATION INSTITUTE · OF · HISTORIC · effectiveness of polite, informed persistence. In 2003 concerns were raised about the future of the listed 1845 ‘old school’ building on Church Road in Holywood. Thanks to a nudge in the direction of the Association of Preservation Trusts (APT) the Holywood Old School Preservation Trust was formed. An options appraisal (funded by the Architectural Heritage Fund and the local council) showed that rental income from the conversion of the original teachers’ accommodation, at either end, could support community use of the main hall, providing a viable future for the building. After a period of intensive fund-raising and some successful applications to a number of bodies including the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), we were able to start on site. The advice received from members of our local APT and the support of the community were fundamental to the success of our funding applications, as was delivering the element of added value that is now essential to any HLF application. In our case this was an education project based around an architectural time-line and guided walk around the town. In 2002 I joined the committee of the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society (UAHS), of which I am now chairman. This remarkable organisation was founded in 1967 by the equally remarkable Sir Charles Brett. Sir Charles was a solicitor practicing in Belfast at the height of the Troubles. Under his leadership UAHS successfully campaigned for the introduction of statutory listing, historic building grants and conservation areas. It also fought for the protection of buildings now regarded as iconic, such as the Grand Opera House in Belfast. The society’s impressive list of publications, including Sir Charles’s delightful county series, makes a significant contribution to the recording and appreciation of Ulster’s buildings. UAHS is a learned society but also a practical one. In the 1970s it was a co-founder of HEARTH, the housing association and buildings preservation trust which has since been involved in the restoration of over 150 buildings. In partnership with the Environment and Heritage Service the society has produced the online Buildings at Risk Register for Northern Ireland. Our Buildings at Risk Officer, Andrew McClelland, is now providing owners with options appraisals, encouraging them to bring their buildings back into use. The society also runs ‘Home & Dry’, a popular programme of events for the owners of historic buildings, providing invaluable advice on restoration and maintenance. Rita Harkin, our research officer, informs the society’s responses to important planning applications and changes in policy. New policy to control building in the countryside, the movement of planning powers to local councils, and discussions around the establishment of an environment protection agency for Northern Ireland have all been high on the society’s agenda over the past year. The ability and commitment of our staff combined with the varied expertise and enthusiasm of our volunteer committees allows UAHS to punch well above its weight in terms of effectiveness and influence. It is a joy to be part of the team. Holywood Old School, Church Road, Holywood, before restoration The cover of Lose or Reuse: Managing Heritage Sustainably , the latest publication from UAHS