The home of the conservation professional INSTITUTE OF HISTORIC BUILDING CONSERVATION YEARBOOK 2020
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3 CONTENTS What is the IHBC? 4 Foreword Layla Moran MP 5 STRUCTURE AND MEMBERSHI P Structure of the IHBC 6 Elected and appointed officers 7 Branch representatives 8 Membership of the IHBC 10 REVI EW AND ANALYS I S Welcome Mike Brown 15 Chair’s review David McDonald 16 Director’s update Seán O’Reilly 17 Old towns, new futures Griff Rhys Jones 21 High streets heritage action zones Owain Lloyd-James 22 Cities, heritage, tourism Ian Baxter 27 Aberdeenshire: heritage on the edge? Douglas Campbell 30 Heritage conservation and the sustainability of cities Donovan Rypkema 35 Sustainability and conservation Roy Lewis 39 The Valleys – past, present, future Judith Alfrey 43 DI RECTORY HESPR companies 48 IHBC promotions and publications 49 Directory of members 50 USEFUL INFORMAT ION IHBC-recognised courses 91 Courses and events 92 National organisations 95 Local authority contacts 97 Products and services 102 Advertisers index 108 THE INSTITUTE OF HISTORIC BUILDING CONSERVATION www.ihbc.org.uk Registered as a charity in England and Wales number 1061593 and in Scotland number SC041945 Company Limited by Guarantee Registered in England number 3333780 REGISTERED AND BUSINESS OFFICE Jubilee House, High Street, Tisbury, Wiltshire SP3 6HA Tel 01747 873133 Fax 01747 871718 Email admin@ihbc.org.uk DIRECTOR’S OFFICE Tel 01252 727406 Email director@ihbc.org.uk The institute cannot accept responsibility for the acts or omissions of any member, associate, affiliate or HESPR company and accordingly the institute shall not be liable for any loss or damage or other matter arising from the employment or engagement of any member. IHBC YEARBOOK We gratefully acknowledge the support of firms whose advertisements appear throughout this publication. While every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this yearbook is current and correct, neither the IHBC nor the publisher can be held responsible for any errors or omissions which may occur. All rights reserved. The title of the IHBC Yearbook is and shall remain the absolute property of the institute. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recordings, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the institute. This 2020 edition has been prepared for the Communications & Outreach Committee by the IHBC National Office with the help of Cathedral Communications Limited. For additional copies of the IHBC Yearbook please contact the Business Office. EDITOR Jonathan Taylor COVER ILLUSTRATIONS Front cover: The lantern of Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral being surveyed by Purcell (Photo: Lunar Aerial Imaging ) Back cover, top illustration: Earth from Apollo 17 (public domain) Back cover, bottom illustrations from l to r: Brighton Pavilion skyline (Photo: IHBC) Union Street, Aberdeen skyline (Photo: Aberdeen City Heritage Trust) Annual school delegates on a site visit in 2019 (Photo: IHBC) The IHBC Yearbook is published and produced by Cathedral Communications Limited, High Street, Tisbury, Wiltshire SP3 6HA Tel 01747 871717 Email ihbc@cathcomm.co.uk www.buildingconservation.com Copyright 2020 Cathedral Communications Limited ISBN 978 1 912747 03 0
4 Y E A R B O O K 2 0 2 0 WHAT IS THE IHBC? THE INSTITUTE of Historic Building Conservation is the principal body in the United Kingdom representing professionals and specialists involved in the conservation and preservation of the historic environment. Our members include conservation architects, architectural historians, conservation officers in central and local government, planners, surveyors and other specialist consultants, as well as academics and educators, curators, conservators and craftspeople. CHARITABLE PURPOSE As a registered charity, the IHBC’s purpose is to promote for the benefit of the public: the conservation and enhancement of the historic environment in the United Kingdom (including offshore islands) the highest standards of professional skills in this field the education and training of professionals and specialists responsible for such work. CORPORATE OBJECTIVES The IHBC’s operations are planned in accordance with the three objects listed in its current corporate plan (see website for details): helping people by promoting the conservation and management of historic places as a unique and evolving resource for people, both today and in the future helping conservation by supporting specialists, specialisms and specialist interests across all conservation-related activities, because effective conservation demands skilled care helping conservation specialists by supporting, encouraging and challenging IHBC members and prospective members, because conservation specialists work most effectively with coordination, advice, inspiration and scrutiny provided by an informed professional body. MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS Cutting edge news and debate: Weekly NewsBlogs, IHBC’s journal Context, IHBC Yearbook, The Building Conservation Directory and other conservation publications from Cathedral Communications Professional development: Reduced rates and priority access (as applicable) to regular CPD courses and sector events, IHBC annual schools and branch events, job notices (IHBC Jobs etc), career advice and support, national and regional networking opportunities Technical support: Access to technical advice and guidance through national, regional and webbased advice and advisory panels Business support: Access to business support and listings including (for full members) membership of IHBC’s Historic Environment Service Providers Recognition (HESPR) scheme (see page 48), guidance on project development, participation and CPD opportunities in panels and groups, access to advocacy and lobbying, and tax relief on subscriptions Participation and volunteering: Opportunities for shaping national and regional legislation and guidance through regular consultations, and involvement in all aspects of the work of the IHBC through regional branch activity and, at a national level, through Council+.
5 FOREWORD I am delighted to introduce this 2020 edition of the IHBC Yearbook and its highly relevant theme, ‘OLD TOWNS: NEW FUTURES’, which focusses on the economy of historic urban environments and managing change. The publication of the latest yearbook coincides with the establishment of the new AllParty Parliamentary Group on Conservation, People and Places. This new group, which I am very pleased to have been invited to chair, will champion the conservation of the historic environment as a means to deliver successful places that are economically, environmentally and socially sustainable. This yearbook appears, of course, at a crossroads moment for the UK as we chart a course out of the coronavirus crisis. That reality is reflected in the IHBC’s Annual School which will look at ‘Reflections and Speculations from a Global Pandemic’ when it takes place ‘virtually’ this year on 19th June. The worst public health crisis in a century has left deep scars on many of those who have lost loved ones. The enforced lockdown on activity has, however sharpened our sensitivity to the quality of the places where we live. For many of us, the narrowing of daily horizons to the places where we can exercise will have deepened appreciation of our local neighbourhoods. And with social distancing likely to be fact of life for some time to come, the shifts in living and working patterns during recent months could prove long lasting. Many staff, especially those in white collar occupations, have discovered that working remotely is easier than imagined, which may encourage companies to cut down the amount of city centre office space that they use. The result could be that many will spend more time working in their own neighbourhoods, and residents of smaller towns will find they are commuting into nearby cities less frequently. As a constituency MP, the challenges and opportunities facing towns are close to my heart. While much of my constituency covers west Oxford, it also includes the neighbouring town of Abingdon. Oxford’s heritage is, of course, world renowned, but Abingdon has strong claims to be England’s oldest continued settlement with remains dating back to prehistoric times and a 7th century abbey. Like many other towns in the UK, though, it suffers from very modern problems. These include inadequate public transport and an unbalanced local economy, which has threatened to turn this historic market town into a dormitory settlement for the overspill of Oxford’s growth. In many smaller settlements the growing political divide between cities and towns reflects a sense that they have been left behind in recent years. Already, before the current crisis, the economic and social problems of our towns had risen up the national agenda. These factors combine, therefore, to make the theme of the IHBC’s 2020 yearbook all the more pertinent, especially as regards its focus on economic issues. The themed articles include a look at current trends on heritage economics by the renowned American authority, Donovan Rypkema. More widely, Ian Baxter writes on tourism and the historic environment, an area that looks likely to increasingly come under the spotlight as we holiday closer to home in a postpandemic environment. High quality historic environments can help attract shoppers and visitors, improving the viability of town and city centres. But this, in turn, brings its own set of problems for neighbourhoods as visitor-focussed developments can conflict with the requirements of the existing residents, pushing them out. The focus of Judith Alfrey’s article is on the industrial towns of the Valleys in South Wales, which share many of the challenges faced by communities in the north of England and midlands. While many of these towns suffer acute socioeconomic problems, they also have a rich legacy of historic buildings that can be capitalised on when undertaking regeneration projects. While the ongoing public health crisis justifiably monopolises our attention, we should not ignore the longer-term challenges that society faces around climate change. Historic places can support sustainable – as well as healthier and more active – lifestyles, because they were designed at a time when a low-carbon economy was based on the needs of pedestrians. Furthermore, the conservation and refurbishment of historic buildings is an intrinsically sustainable form of development that avoids the use and waste of scarce resources associated with demolition and redevelopment. I commend to you the excellent articles in this edition of the yearbook, the themes of which will be expanded on at this year’s IHBC annual school. Layla Moran MP for Oxford West & Abingdon, Chair (elect), All Party Parliamentary Group on Conservation, People and Places
6 Y E A R B O O K 2 0 2 0 STRUCTURE OF THE IHBC
7 S T R U C T U R E A N D M E M B E R S H I P CHRIS WOOD, EDUCATION SECRETARY has recently retired from Historic England. Before working part-time as Senior Architectural Conservation Advisor, he was Head of the Building Conservation & Research Team at English Heritage. During his 26 years with HE and EH he led dozens of research projects prompted by casework priorities or other urgent issues affecting historic and traditional buildings and has written extensively on the findings. He has worked in private practice architecture and was a conservation officer for over a decade. education@ihbc.org.uk ROY LEWIS, POLICY SECRETARY is a chartered town planner who has specialised in architectural conservation and urban design throughout his career. He has held planning and conservation posts in local government, ran an undergraduate conservation programme at the University of Derby and is currently a director of Grover Lewis Associates Ltd, a specialist town planning and built heritage consultancy. He was the East Midlands branch representative from 2006 to 2017 and for a number of years represented the IHBC on the Urban Design Alliance. policy@ihbc.org.uk DAVE CHETWYN, COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH SECRETARY is managing director/partner of Urban Vision Enterprise CIC and D₂H Land Planning Development. He is also chair of the board of the National Planning Forum, a Design Council BEE and an associate of the Consultation Institute. Previous roles include chair of the Historic Towns Forum, head of Planning Aid England and IHBC chair. communications@ihbc.org.uk ANDREW SHEPHERD, MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY is the principal of Andrew Shepherd, Architect, Sheffield. A chartered architect and surveyor, his projects have included Grade I listed buildings and scheduled ancient monuments. He has extensive teaching experience in the UK and has also been involved in heritage training programmes in Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Albania and Transylvania. His previous roles include president and education officer of the Ecclesiastical Architects and Surveyors Association and convenor of the Conservation Course Directors’ Forum for postgraduate conservation courses. membership@ihbc.org.uk ELECTED and APPOINTED OFFICERS MIKE BROWN, PRESIDENT is a chartered building surveyor with over 30 years experience of historic building repair and refurbishment. He is Director of Conservation & Design Ltd and currently heads the conservation service at East Herts District Council. A past IHBC Chair, he sits on a number of heritage bodies and is particularly active on the Historic Environment Protection Reform Group with Historic England. president@ihbc.org.uk DAVID McDONALD, CHAIR is an independent historic environment consultant specialising in providing heritage training for other built environment professionals. He formerly led the Conservation and Design Team at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. He is the IHBC’s representative at The Heritage Alliance and a trustee of the Council on Training in Architectural Conservation (COTAC). chair@ihbc.org.uk LONE LE VAY, VICE CHAIR is a retired chartered architect who worked primarily in the public sector providing specialist conservation, design and urban design advice, preparing and commissioning conservation area management and appraisal documents and applying for and managing conservation area grant schemes. She most recently managed the Design and Historic Environment team at Chichester District Council and is still a Design Council built environment expert. vchair@ihbc.org.uk JILL KERRY, TREASURER is a semi-retired chartered architect who has worked in the conservation sector for 25 years. She started her professional life in the public sector before moving to the private sector. She was the Northern Ireland branch representative until 2017. treasurer@ihbc.org.uk JO EVANS, SECRETARY is a director at CgMs and has held a number of conservation posts in local authorities in Surrey and Hampshire. She was chair of the IHBC from 2010 to 2013. Prior to that she was the membership secretary and the chair of the Membership & Ethics Committee, following on from holding posts on branch and other national committees. ihbcsecretary@ihbc.org.uk The post-holders shown are correct at the time of printing but are subject to change. For the latest information please see ihbc.org.uk/page65/index.html
8 Y E A R B O O K 2 0 2 0 • SOUTH Branch contact: south@ihbc.org.uk Branch representative: ALISON DAVIDSON • SOUTH EAST Branch contact: southeast@ihbc.org.uk Branch representative: SANNE ROBERTS • SOUTH WEST Branch contact: southwest@ihbc.org.uk Branch representative: vacant • WALES Branch contact: wales@ihbc.org.uk Branch representative: JOHN EDWARDS • NORTH Branch contact: north@ihbc.org.uk Branch representative: vacant • NORTH WEST Branch contact: northwest@ihbc.org.uk Branch representative: CRISPIN EDWARDS • NORTHERN IRELAND Branch contact: northernireland@ihbc.org.uk Branch representative: KEN MOORE • SCOTLAND Branch contact: scotland@ihbc.org.uk Branch representative: PAUL ZOCHOWSKI • EAST ANGLIA Branch contact: eastanglia@ihbc.org.uk Branch representative: EMMA SHARP • EAST MIDLANDS Branch contact: eastmids@ihbc.org.uk Branch representative: ROSE THOMPSON • LONDON Branch contact: london@ihbc.org.uk Branch representative: SHEILA STONES NB: Branch email queries are managed by branch committees – for full details see branch pages on the website ihbc.org.uk. BRANCH REPRESENTATIVES • WEST MIDLANDS Branch contact: westmids@ihbc.org.uk Branch representative: AIMEE HENDERSON • YORKSHIRE Branch contact: yorkshire@ihbc.org.uk Branch representative: STAN DRIVER OVERSEAS MEMBERS Contact: membership@ihbc.org.uk Membership Secretary: ANDREW SHEPHERD
9 S T R U C T U R E A N D M E M B E R S H I P 0 50 100 km Crown copyright 2001 BRANCH AREAS OVERSEAS MEMBERS • SCOTLAND (ALL ADMINISTRATIVE AREAS) • NORTHERN IRELAND (ALL COUNTIES) • NORTH (CLEVELAND, CUMBRIA, DURHAM, NORTHUMBERLAND ANDTYNE ANDWEAR) • NORTH WEST (CHESHIRE, GREATER MANCHESTER, ISLE OF MAN, LANCASHIRE AND MERSEYSIDE) • YORKSHIRE (ALL YORKSHIRE COUNTIES AND N AND NE LINCOLNSHIRE) • WALES (ALL ADMINISTRATIVE AREAS) • WEST MIDLANDS (HEREFORDSHIRE, WORCESTERSHIRE, SHROPSHIRE, STAFFORDSHIRE, WARWICKSHIRE AND WEST MIDLANDS) • EAST MIDLANDS (DERBYSHIRE, LEICESTERSHIRE, LINCOLNSHIRE, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE) • SOUTH WEST (CORNWALL, DEVON, DORSET, GLOUCESTERSHIRE, SCILLY ISLANDS, SOMERSET AND WILTSHIRE) • LONDON (GREATER LONDON) • SOUTH (BERKSHIRE, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, CHANNEL ISLANDS, HAMPSHIRE, ISLE OF WIGHT AND OXFORDSHIRE) • EAST ANGLIA (BEDFORDSHIRE, CAMBRIDGESHIRE, ESSEX, HERTFORDSHIRE, NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK) • SOUTH EAST (EAST SUSSEX, KENT, SURREY AND WEST SUSSEX)
10 Y E A R B O O K 2 0 2 0 MEMBERSHIP OF THE IHBC THE INSTITUTE offers membership to all those who care for or about the built and historic environment, and our members are drawn from many disciplines. They include, among many other practitioners, architects, town planners, building surveyors, estate managers, structural engineers, landscape architects, curators, buildings and project managers, archaeologists, architectural historians, local authority conservation officers, officers from national conservation organisations, academics and private practitioners. Membership of the institute is aimed at being inclusive rather than exclusive, but all categories of membership require the observance of our code of conduct (see page 12). There are three categories of membership available: Full membership of the institute represents conservation accreditation open to all whose principal skill, expertise, training and employment is in providing specialist advice in the conservation of the built and historic environment. Full members have demonstrated to the IHBC their skills, knowledge and experience as interdisciplinary conservation specialists able to offer advice in line with national and international standards and models in conservation and project management. As such, full members are normally expected to demonstrate skills and experience in line with and across the institute’s four areas of competence (see page 12) while significant skills in one or more areas may be seen to outweigh weaknesses in one of the other areas. Anybody who satisfies these requirements and has at least five years’ relevant experience would normally be considered eligible for full membership. For those who have gained a qualification from a conservation course that has full recognition from the institute (see page 91) the necessary period of relevant experience required is reduced from five years to two years. Delegates at the 2019 annual school visiting a conservation site
11 S T R U C T U R E A N D M E M B E R S H I P Associate membership represents conservation accreditation awarded to practitioners who have demonstrated to the IHBC their specialist skills, knowledge and experience in conservation relating to the area of practical competence corresponding to their primary skills or discipline. Affiliate membership is available for those who have not yet demonstrated to council the criteria for full membership, but wish eventually to gain accreditation from the IHBC. Retired members are those accredited members (full or associate) who have retired from practice. FEE SUPPORT Membership is available at concessionary rates for those in need or on low wages. Members of any category who make a case for fee support may secure further reductions. All forms of concessionary membership last only for the subscription year in which they are agreed. Retired This form of membership allows a reduced subscription rate for existing members who are retired from practice but wish to remain in contact with the institute. Those wishing to apply for this form of membership should write to the membership services officer confirming that they are no longer practising conservation. Libraries This is a form of subscribing membership where an organisation, rather than an individual, may access our services and benefits. Those wishing to apply for this form of membership should contact the membership secretary who will advise them of the subscription rate applicable. All members have the right to receive notices, literature and Context. The Membership & Ethics committee, subject to the approval of council, will decide on eligibility for and category of membership. All membership information is kept on a computer database and names and addresses can be used for mailing of appropriate information to members subject to stated preferences on the membership application form and careful control by officers. To apply for membership please see ihbc.org.uk/join/index.html MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS 2020 Subscriptions are due annually on 1 April and can be paid by direct debit, credit/debit card or by cheque (made payable to the Institute of Historic Building Conservation). NB: IHBC fees are tax deductible as a professional expense, and through tax relief can reduce the cost by 20 per cent (basic rate tax payer) to 40 per cent or more. Members, affiliates and associates £127 per annum Concessionary rate £64 per annum (available to those with an annual income below £17,500, subject to proof of income and renewed annually) Retired members £64 per annum Fee support If you are having difficulty meeting the cost of our membership fees you can apply for fee support (ihbc.org.uk/join/feesupport/index.html). Successful applicants typically have their fees reduced by 50 to 100 per cent of the full rate. CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT The IHBC specifies ongoing training and development as a fundamental duty for an active professional. Consequently, CPD is compulsory for full members and strongly recommended for affiliates, individuals intending to become full members and associates. See ihbc.org.uk/learning/ cpd for details and registration forms. How much is required? Full members must complete 50 hours of CPD over any two-year period and must supply CPD registration forms when requested by the institute. What qualifies? CPD must be planned on the basis of a personal development assessment related to the areas of competence (see page 12) and can include site visits, independent research, volunteering or other activities which broaden a member’s professional horizons. Where can I find CPD events? See pages 91–93 to find short courses and events, including many provided by IHBC regional branches, and for regular updates see events.ihbc.org.uk. IHBC membership (all categories) currently stands at 2,730. Excluding those members who have retired (260), 54 per cent are employed in the private sector (1,330) and 30 per cent in the public sector, with 540 in local authorities and 190 in national government bodies. IHBC MEMBERS BY EMPLOYMENT SECTOR NOTE These figures exclude retired members Education sector 2% Miscellaneous 1% Students 3% Third sector 8% National government 8% Private sector 54% Local government 22% Not employed 2%
12 Y E A R B O O K 2 0 2 0 AREAS OF COMPETENCE AND COMPETENCES FOR IHBC MEMBERS The IHBC’s ‘areas of competence’, and their underpinning ‘competences’ provide an outline of the skills, knowledge and experience needed to fulfil the requirements of accredited membership of the institute. Prospective members are advised to refer to the institute’s current guidance for applicants, Membership Standards, Criteria and Guidelines (2008) which is posted on our website’s membership pages – see ihbc. org.uk/join/apply/index.html The following provides a brief summary of the principal headings: AREA OF COMPETENCE Professional 1. Philosophy: Appreciation of the social, cultural, political, aesthetic, economic and environmental values that underpin current conservation policy and practice 2. Practice: Awareness of the wider context of conservation, including knowledge of and ability to interact effectively with all bodies and individuals who have a significant role to play in the field AREA OF COMPETENCE Practical: Evaluation 3. History: Knowledge of the development of the historic environment including the remains of previous periods and cultures, historic buildings and settlements, works of engineering, parks, gardens and other elements of the historic landscape 4. Research/Recording/Analysis: Ability to carry out or commission research, analysis and recording of the historic environment, and to maintain records accordingly AREA OF COMPETENCE Practical: Management 5. Legislation/Policy: Knowledge of the legislative and policy framework for the conservation of the historic environment, its formulation locally and nationally, and awareness of other relevant legislation and policies 6. Finance/Economics: Understanding of the process for the procuring of buildings and facilitating development, including finance, valuation, cost planning and contracts, with specific reference to historic buildings and areas AREA OF COMPETENCE Practical: Intervention 7. Design/Presentation: Ability to analyse and evaluate quality of design, existing and proposed, of buildings and areas, and to present the results of such analysis in a way understandable to both professional and lay audiences 8. Technology: Knowledge of building construction of all periods, the characteristics of structures, the nature and properties of building materials and appropriate methods of repair and alteration of historic fabric. CODE OF CONDUCT The object of the code of conduct is to promote those standards of conduct and self-discipline required of a member of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation in the interests of the public and the protection of the built heritage. The main object of the institute is the promotion, for the benefit of the public, of the conservation of, and education and training in, the conservation and preservation of buildings, structures, areas, gardens and landscapes which are of architectural and historical interest and/or value in the United Kingdom. This heritage, which is part of society’s common heritage and which should be available to everyone, is, however, a limited and irreplaceable resource. It is therefore the duty of all members to act for and to promote its protection. Subscription to the IHBC’s code of conduct for individuals involved in the conservation and preservation of the built heritage assumes acceptance of these responsibilities. Those who subscribe to it and carry out its provisions will thereby be identified as persons professing specific standards of competence, responsibility and ethical behaviour in the pursuit of historic environment conservation work. This code indicates the general standard of conduct to which members of the institute are expected to adhere, failing which its governing body may judge them guilty of conduct unbecoming to a member of the institute and may reprimand, suspend or expel them. For further information see ihbc.org.uk/resources/A4-Code-ofConduct.pdf AREAS OF COMPETENCE COMPETENCES PROFESSIONAL 1. Philosophy 2. Practice PRACTICAL EVALUATION 3. History 4. Research, recording and analysis MANAGEMENT 5. Legislation and policy 6. Finance and economics INTERVENTION 7. Design and presentation 8. Technology
REVIEW AND ANALYSIS Street art by Phlegm in Stokes Croft, Bristol (Photo: Jonathan Taylor)
For further information please contact us: T: 01347 838881 Search: York Handmade Brick E: sales@yorkhandmade.co.uk @yorkhmadebrick SENSITIVELY PRESERVING BRITAIN’S BUILT HERITAGE York Handmade Brick is an award-winning UK based manufacturer of genuine handmade clay bricks, pavers, special shapes and terracotta floor tiles, which are perfect for recreating building tradition in a modern environment. York Handmade has a proud record of success in the annual BDA Brick Awards competition. It was the overall winner with St Brigid’s Church in 1995 and has continued along that route for the past 25 years. Some highlights have been the Belvedere, in Queen Elizabeth’s garden at Dumfries House, Scotland pictured above and more recently, the new Central Library and Archive in Halifax, as well as the new Westgate Oxford shopping centre in Oxford. These schemes just illustrate the diversity of the projects with which York Handmade is involved, due to the company’s ability to produce colours, shapes and sizes to suit most requirements.
R E V I E W A N D A N A L Y S I S 15 WELCOME MIKE BROWN, IHBC PRESIDENT Welcome to the IHBC Yearbook, now in its 20th glorious year. In it you will find an invaluable guide to the world of heritage conservation, including a directory of members, affiliates and associates, information on progress towards new Articles of Association, a welcome from Layla Moran MP, ‘chair in waiting’ of the new UK-wide All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Conservation, Places and People’ – created by the IHBC but delayed due to Covid-19, articles on topical conservation issues, guidance on the wider impact of the pandemic on the heritage sector, and contact details for useful national and local organisations and suppliers of valuable conservation products and services. The saying ‘may you live in interesting times’ is a well known and ironic comment originally uttered by Joseph Chamberlain in the late 19th century. Often misattributed, it became known by the 1930s as the ‘Chinese curse’, although there are no known links for the phrase back to that great civilisation. Well, I write in early May with this global tragedy and the consequent lockdown in full swing. For many IHBC members this is causing, no doubt, considerable social and financial hardship. For others like myself, the inability to get out and about, undertake site visits and progress casework is deeply frustrating. I can only wish everyone well and express my sincere hope that, as the year progresses, we may return to more normal and less interesting times. As you will know, one of the implications for the IHBC of the lockdown has been the postponement of our annual school. Brighton 2020 is now Brighton 2021. Our staff and the Brighton organising committee have borne this difficult decision stoically and are already in full swing getting everything organised for next year. I do look forward to seeing as many of you as possible there next year. ‘We’ll meet again’, and all that. For many members, attending the annual school is the bedrock of their CPD activities, so the loss of this year’s annual school could be a problem. The IHBC has therefore put together a ‘virtual school’ on 19 June 2020 for members to log onto, enjoy and participate in. (We’re all getting good at video platforms now.) The speakers are first class, fees are a snip and you will have already received the joining arrangements. This virtual school promises to be a fascinating educational experience and should also make a substantial contribution to the 20 hours of CPD required of membership. What then for the remainder? Due to the social distancing restrictions I suggest it would be unwise to rely on there being other lecture-format CPD for the rest of the year. We must turn, therefore, to other sources. I, for one, intend to refresh my memory of architectural history and the dense thickets of conservation law. The Elements of Style by Stephen Calloway, often dipped into but never read cover to cover, and the current (5th) edition of Mynors (ditto) are already picked off my shelves. Indeed, the lockdown is an opportunity to tackle those challenges that the normal hurlyburley of life exclude and often get put aside for later. And the learning will count towards your CPD. Go to. Finally, you will have seen that, with no annual school this year our AGM has been put back to the Council+ meeting in December. The sterling work done by many in draughting the new ‘charter compliant’ articles of association will be presented there and, hopefully, will gain approval. This will be a significant milestone on our road towards evolving into a mature and fully recognised institution of which chartership will be the next and clear goal. It was a proud day for me and my family in 1992 when I was elected as a chartered surveyor and the associated status and responsibility has given me much pleasure and satisfaction over the intervening years. I look forward to the day when IHBC membership achieves that same recognition. As the CIfA has shown, it is not an easy journey. But, as the Chinese did say, ‘the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step’. Onwards! Mike Brown, IHBC President (president@ihbc.org.uk) with acknowledgement to David Lovie, past IHBC President
16 Y E A R B O O K 2 0 2 0 CHAIR’S REVIEW CHARTERSHIP DEVELOPMENTS, NEW HORIZONS AND IN-BUILT RESILIENCE DAVID McDONALD, IHBC CHAIR I write this review having been in post as Chair of the IHBC for nine months, and as my predecessors have said, the time certainly does fly. That passage of time has certainly been exacerbated by the challenging times in which we live – but more of that later. First, I’d like to pay tribute to our former Chair, James Caird who has carefully steered us towards a new form of governance and modernised organisation to suit a range of future challenges. Having looked carefully at comparable organisations, he included the following proposals: a board of directors elected at AGM; a council with a core membership and branch representation; a committee and panel structure to deal with dayto-day business; a constitution built on ‘chartered institute’ principles; and the facility for membership and activities outside the UK. James’s work has undergone further refinements to take account of comments by members and then our solicitors, and a draft of the new articles of association should be ready for approval by our next AGM. I should like to comment on two aspects of these proposals: the potential to progress towards chartership and a transnational role. The advantage of chartership is essentially one of status. The more established professional institutes such as the RIBA, RTPI and RICS have had their charterships for many years. Others such as CIfA and APM have more recently sought chartership. Aspects of the IHBC’s governance and operation may be seen by the outside world as being rather inward looking. This is certainly not the case, and is one of the reasons that we are looking to improve our influence internationally. To this end, and in advance of our constitutional changes, we have been supporting the recently formed Commonwealth Heritage Forum. The organisation’s initial aim is to increase the understanding and knowledge of the Commonwealth’s built heritage, between its peoples and institutions. By sharing expertise, best practice and technical solutions to common conservation problems, the forum also intends to capitalise on opportunities for conservation-led regeneration, sustainable economic growth, skills development, education, training and youth programmes. One can only be impressed by its ambition. But what support is there for such an initiative? I was fortunate enough to attend the Forum’s launch earlier this year at Australia House in London. The event was well attended by both the heritage sector and representatives from Commonwealth embassies, and it was clear that there is an awareness of how important the historic environment is for economic development and tourism in many Commonwealth countries. The IHBC’s outward looking stance has also been demonstrated by joining the Climate Heritage Network and signing up to Heritage Declares. The Climate Heritage Network is an international coalition of organisations including various levels of government, NGOs, universities and businesses. Launched in the UK in October 2019, its starting point is that, ‘climate action is a cultural heritage issue’. While we support the general thrust of its aims, we are not certain that the appropriate balance has been struck between reducing energy use and protecting the historic environment. But we feel that it is better to influence this from within the organisation rather being outside it. Finally, I have to mention the current coronavirus epidemic. Like many organisations, the IHBC is having to make some difficult decisions. We have had to postpone the 2020 annual school, but we are holding a ‘virtual’ day school which will maintain our commitment to providing quality CPD for our members and the wider heritage sector. We are also conscious of the need to support members at this difficult time. To this end, up-dates are being provided in our regular Newsblogs. So, this appears to be a less than upbeat end to my first Chair’s Review. However, what has impressed me during the current crisis is the in-built resilience of the IHBC. This comes in part through its use of technology to allow remote meetings and events, but more importantly, it is because of the strength and commitment of its staff and volunteers. David McDonald is Chair of the IHBC (chair@ihbc.org.uk), having been a member since 1994. He worked for over 20 years at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea as Conservation and Design Team Leader and has a diploma in conservation from the Architectural Association.
R E V I E W A N D A N A L Y S I S 17 DIRECTOR’S UPDATE IHBC IN 2020: REFLECTIONS AND SPECULATIONS FROM A GLOBAL PANDEMIC SEÁN O’REILLY, IHBC DIRECTOR Since our Yearbook began, updates often blur from one year to the next. For this edition the narrative might have stretched back to October 2018 from the time of writing (April 2020) had it not been for the emergence of Covid-19. Clearly, the pandemic adds unique levels of threat, uncertainty and complexity even to this text. It is especially hard to reflect the continuity between what we were doing before, and where we have to go next. And when we appreciate that at Easter some churches were closed for the first time in 800 years, we can get a sense of the unique scale of the effects of this event on society. Despite this seismic shift, and unlike many long-established bodies, from airlines to blue chips and even our infrastructure, the IHBC is finding that many of its past priorities and aspirations are still pertinent. In particular, we need to ensure the continuation of our member services into the future, in whatever form we can. That is precisely because we now see more clearly the importance of our members’ roles in society. Our organisation and its services may change – perhaps radically – as we respond to any new economic, social or sector developments or changes in practice. The only thing ‘off the table’ is the idea that we would cease supporting the work of our members. That would devalue the diverse cultural, environmental and economic benefits which they bring through a unique cross-section of interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary skills, experience and knowledge. Fortunately, we can be confident about the institute’s capacity to continue in any operating environment, precisely because of all the hard work of recent years especially, consolidating our position and role across the heritage, development and construction sectors and beyond. Although those plans and actions were shaped in a pre-Covid-19 world, they offer our future its most secure foundation. Those efforts mean that, for example, in extremis, we could be perfectly capable of achieving any necessary down-sizing without losing our interface with our communities of users and beneficiaries. We know we can address that contraction because our founding ethos as a voluntary organisation still survives, as does its core economics. Ultimately, it is more important that the work we do is maintained across our now widely (although not universally) recognised interdisciplinary conservation standards, than to forgo those standards by, say, folding into other activities that would lose the spirit of our charitable obligations. Some simple innovations demonstrate how the IHBC has been adding value to existing operations, while also underpinning our longer term viability, regardless of any pandemic. Most obviously, we have been extending our reach and networks, while adding value to our most cash intensive CPD support, by offering free copies of Context to new audiences and sectors. This simple action raises awareness of conservation issues and promotes the profile of our members in entirely new groups. Similarly, we now plan CPD across three and more years of annual schools, and by providing support for the branches involved over those longer terms, we can focus resources better than ever before, including on CPD needs, even from inside a pandemic. Another legacy that builds resilience for our post-Covid-19 world has been our organisational development. Originating in the inclusive strategy of our ‘IHBC+’, we are re-shaping the future governance of the IHBC with our planned new constitution (our draft Articles), and our next corporate plan, CP25. These are the culmination of a strong legacy of engagement and innovation that adds substantially to our resilience. Details are accessible through our NewsBlog service. Our new IHBC Creative Conservation Fund, which is a restricted fund focussed on our charitable activities, represents another important conclusion to a legacy of earlier work. Although plans for the fund go back to 2010, it was not until October 2019 that it formally opened for donations. Now in a pandemic it might seem that the best opportunities for fundraising have been missed, but the development simply reflects the good work we have been doing since gaining charitable status in 1997 and even earlier. Formally articulating our charitable operations in this way means that we can pursue new resource generation, such as promoting wider volunteering and even formal fundraising, including Gift Aid. And in a post-pandemic world this can only strengthen our capacity to endure. The past year has also seen the foundations laid for a whole new level of advocacy, with the developments of the IHBC-supported All Party
18 Y E A R B O O K 2 0 2 0 Parliamentary Group (APPG) on ‘Conservation, Places and People’ in Westminster. This will investigate and promote conservation that aligns with the IHBC’s charitable objects, and it will at last allow the IHBC to lead the agenda rather than react to it. However, the new APPG will require some investment and this might well be one of the few new threads that an economically straitened IHBC might well consider a priority. The IHBC’s Conservation Wiki platform is another development from recent years that, while requiring a comparatively large investment, again adds huge value to the profile of our members’ work. Setting our members’ specialist conservation practice alongside the likes of ICE, BRE, CIOB, BSRIA, CIAT and more, offers as impressive a line-up as when, more than a decade ago, we led joint consultation responses with the RTPI, RIBA, RICS and others. The Conservation Wiki adds substantially to our resilience, probably costs less overall than those historic policy partnerships, and reaches relevant practitioners more directly. New activities also have the potential for huge synergies in any post-pandemic IHBC, if approached with a little imagination. For example, our MATE sessions (Membership Application Training Events) which are part of a wider suite of free support events for prospective members, are offered free to everyone, including corporate bodies. These are now being extended with the MITE sessions (Membership Introduction Training Events), as short (approximately one hour) introductions, and MAGE sessions (Membership Accreditation Guidance Events), that operate as more intense three- to four-hour studio discussions, focussed on draft applications for accreditation. However, if handled carefully, there is no reason why this suite of free support should not be funded in some way. One option is to offer the opportunity for delegates or businesses to make donations to the CREATIVE Conservation Fund, and tie these through cross-promotion to support for our Conservation Wiki. This would not only extend our income stream but it would also promote greater awareness of conservation among some of the architectural practices and consultancies most involved in shaping our valued places. Another recent development that stands out is our new ‘Green Policy’ statement for the built and historic environment. This was to be launched at the Brighton School, but with the school postponed until 2021, we will instead advance this policy strategy within the global carbonconscious agenda that inspired it, online. Indeed, the policy was always seen as being a key component of our practitioners’ Toolbox which is freely accessible online, so the pandemic only highlights its operational fitness for the most modern of purposes. The annual school itself hasn’t been so fortunate, and a mass gathering in 2020 simply could not go ahead. So, we are going virtual with our 2020 school instead, building on past plans, pre-pandemic, and gathering thoughts for when and how we might meet in person again. Our ‘virtual’ conference is a challenge, but we will use the tragic turn of events from this pandemic to progress and improve services for the future. To help in that, please do join us online on 19 June 2020 and again, in person, in Brighton in 2021, as we confront the challenges in what we truly hope will be a post-pandemic world. Dr Seán O’Reilly is the Director of IHBC (director@ihbc.org.uk), joining in 2005 after working at the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland. He has contributed to and edited several journals, including volumes I to IV of Irish Architectural and Decorative Studies: The Journal of the Irish Georgian Society.
19 Peter Chana Group Director Eldon House, 2-3 Eldon Street, London, EC2M 7LS M: +44 (0)773 2601 300 T: +44 (0)207 3774 080 E: p.chana@stace.co.uk Stace is a leading, independent multidisciplinary construction and property consultancy, delivering professional services to the culture and heritage environment. www.stace.co.uk StaceLLP Our core services include: Building Surveying | Cost Management | Health & Safety | Monitoring Surveying & Due Diligence | Project Management Birmingham Cambridge Epping Leeds London Consulting Structural Engineers Consulting Civil Engineers design@conisbee.co.uk www.conisbee.co.uk @conisbee_london London 020 7700 6666 Norwich 01603 628074 Cambridge 01223 656058 We provide a full range of heritage engineering services including conservation design and repair assessment, appraisals of structure and fabric, feasibility studies, forensic engineering and expert witness services. Our heritage team includes members on the Conservation Accreditation Register for Engineers (CARE) which identifies civil and structural engineers skilled in the conservation of historic structures and sites. We help manage the challenges presented by a wide range of listed buildings and scheduled ancient monuments while maximising the opportunities for their future use.
20 historic buildings and conservation 24 Victoria Road Saltaire, Bradford BD18 3JR 01274 773388 info@knoxmcconnell.com www.knoxmcconnell.com Architecture Conservation Heritage Acanthus House, 57 Hightown Road, Banbury, OX16 9BE Tel: 01295 702600 www.acanthusclews.co.uk 01254 820842 hello@jubbclews.co.uk BUILDINGS AT RISK CONDITION SURVEYS DEFECT DIAGNOSIS MEASURED SURVEYS Accredited historic building surveyors Rodney Melville + Partners Building Conservation | New Design | Conservation Planning Contract Administration | Feasibility Studies | Disaster Management Materials Science | Sustainability | Funding Advice | Strategic Planning Leamington Spa | Bristol | Belfast | Dublin T 01926 881 311 www.rmpuk.com CHARTERED ARCHITECTS HISTORIC BUILDING CONSULTANTS Gunnersbury Park, London
R E V I E W A N D A N A L Y S I S 21 OLD TOWNS, NEW FUTURES GRIFF RHYS JONES JUST BEFORE the 2020 lock-down I finished a stand-up comedy tour. It took me to a lot of small-sized towns. (And a few XXXL size too.) One of the duties I had set myself on arrival was to walk the place and take some photos for a piece about Instagram at the beginning of my show. I knew how to get laughs. I would talk about the sights. If I showed a huge Sainsbury’s supermarket – big laugh. If I featured a vast modern faceless office block, covered in odd radar and wireless masts, and talked about every town having a #WTF building, I got a great roar. If I wanted easy rapport, it wasn’t difficult to mock ‘the race track’ (picture of the inner ring road) or notable roundabouts (picture of ghastly intersection). In his article on “High Streets Heritage Action Zones” herein, Owen Lloyd James makes the point that any discussion of the decline of Britain’s high streets presents an incomplete picture. I would go further. In some places I just couldn’t find enough desecration and bad planning to make mock of. From Farnham to Bury St Edmunds and from Hereford to Shrewsbury, in Monmouth and in Tring, I found myself wandering and scratching my head, taking pictures of comfortable, successful historic urban environments. Nothing there to raise a laugh. This is true of many towns in Wales, England and Scotland. We have some great and well-preserved urban environments, worth every exploratory detour. All the articles here repeat one important consideration: that change is inevitable. And it will come. Needs alter. History continues. What conservation can do is offer help with that change, and provide planning for good management. I believe, more than anything, that conservation is about the future. The real future that we face. If retail is shrinking in our high streets, then it is even more vital that these streets become the focus of our city lives. Don’t we have to live there, instead, as we used to? If Aberdeen has a unique history and one that physically shaped it (page 30), then conservation can help us understand what the buzz of that story is. Don’t we have to embrace it to attract visitors? If we recognise that a small town gains value through being proud, ordered and well preserved, can we then manage those visitors, so that the commercial potential they represent doesn’t swamp the place? These are live issues. Engaging with them is vital for keeping city centres going. Heritage above all, by adding character, telling stories and, yes, enchanting our senses, makes them liveable, useable and ‘visitable’. Wherever citizens still live close to the hub of the busiest town centres (as in London and Edinburgh for example), and wherever important manifestations of the character and imagination of previous inhabitants are preserved as an intriguing and uplifting record of individuality and artistic expression, cities thrive. Icons do work – be they Gothic style orphanages in Preston, cathedrals in Peterborough, museums in Bury (on the outskirts of Manchester) the excitements of the close city streets of Leicester or the grandeur of Liverpool. With care, we can provide something unexpected, even peculiar and, above all, usefully interesting to our grandchildren. Because in a car-free, less commercial and less retail-focussed urban world, careful conservation of the unique heritage of our towns and cities will mean that people will want to live, use and experience them. Griff Rhys Jones OBE, as well as working as a comedian, presenter, writer and producer, is the President of the Victorian Society. He holds similarly high- ranking positions within the River Stour Trust and Civic Voice charities and he led the successful 2001 conservation campaign to save London’s biggest theatre. One of the Instagram photos from the start of my show, poking fun at poor urban centres (Photo: Griff Rhys Jones)
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