ii Heritage, daylight and quiet craft New artist studios in a reimagined Cornish school building PROJECT DATA Location: Newlyn, Cornwall Architect: Rolfe Kentish Architect Year: 2023 – 2025 Photography: Pip Hambling Scan to read more about the project and VELUX Heritage conservation roof windows A derelict outbuilding in Newlyn is now home to three accessible, light-filled artist studios. Built with local materials, traditional techniques, and VELUX Heritage conservation roof windows, the project balances conservation and creativity.
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2 Warmcote Limecote Unit A • Brocks Business Centre • Homefield Road Haverhill • Suffolk • CB9 8QP • info@bestoflime.co.uk T 01440 848200 www.bestoflime.co.uk AESTHETIC BEAUTY ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY THE CONSERVATION OF OUR BUILT HERITAGE Warmcote™ is a lightweight, breathable, insulated traditional lime plaster mix for internal or external use. Non Hydraulic | Breathable | Lightweight | Flexible | Sustainable Warmcote is made with lightweight minerals as the aggregate in place of sand. The results of testing so far has put the Lambda value of Warmcote at around 0.140 W/Mk. That is about four times more thermally efficient than a standard lime plaster, and seven times better than sand and cement. Limecote™ has been described as a ‘game changing’ lime plaster mix. Non-hydraulic | Breathable | Extraordinarily Flexible | Sustainable Traditional | Beautiful Limecote has been described as “the most important development in domestic plaster in the last 50 years’ Ultra low carbon, 2mm -100 mm+ in one pass, super user friendly, internal or external. World Leading Innovators in lime plasters, renders and plastering products For more information on how Best Of Lime could help your project, email us at info@bestoflime.co.uk
3 Preserving the Past. Delivering the Future. At AGA Heritage Conservation, we don’t just restore buildings — we protect history. info@agaconservation.co.uk www.agaconservation.co.uk From landmark institutions to private estates, our expert team delivers specialist conservation, restoration, and repair using traditional craftsmanship combined with modern best practice. Whether it’s stonework, roofing, façades, timber, or full building restoration, we ensure every project is carried out with precision, care, and respect for the original design. Specialist heritage conservation and restoration, combining traditional craftsmanship with modern expertise across historic buildings, estates, and landmark projects.
5 CONTENTS THE INSTITUTE OF HISTORIC BUILDING CONSERVATION www.ihbc.org.uk Registered as a charity in England and Wales, number 1061593, in Scotland number SC041945 and listed in Northern Ireland Company Limited by Guarantee Registered in England number 3333780 REGISTERED AND BUSINESS OFFICE Jubilee House, High Street, Tisbury, Wiltshire SP3 6HA Tel 01747 873133 Email admin@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 2026 edition has been prepared for the Communications & Outreach Committee by the IHBC National Office with the help of Cathedral Communications (part of Euromedia Associates). For additional copies of the IHBC Yearbook please contact the Business Office. EDITORS Jonathan Taylor and Seán O’Reilly COVER ILLUSTRATION Front cover: The turret of Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings (Photo: Jonathan Taylor) The IHBC Yearbook is published and produced by Cathedral Communications (part of Euromedia Associates Limited), 10 Ashfield Road, Chorley, Lancashire PR7 1LJ. Tel: 01747 871717 ihbc@cathcomm.co.uk www.buildingconservation.com Copyright 2026 Euromedia Associates Limited ISBN 978 1 912747 23 8 Foreword Jan Bessell 7 STRUCTURE AND MEMBERSHIP What is the IHBC? 8 Structure of the IHBC 9 Elected and appointed officers 10 Branch areas 11 Membership of the IHBC 12 REVIEW AND ANALYSIS Welcome Rebecca Thompson 17 Chair’s review David McDonald 18 Director’s update Seán O’Reilly 19 Overview 23 Sustainable Retrofit in Historic Buildings Steve Berry 24 Why all regeneration should be heritage-led Owen Barton 29 Adapting our Churches Martyn Jones 35 Victorian Prisons Jonathan Taylor 41 Adaptive change and transformation in Edinburgh Terry Levinthal 47 DIRECTORY HESPR companies 55 IHBC promotions and publications 58 Directory of members 59 USEFUL INFORMATION IHBC-recognised courses 99 RICHeS Meggen Gondek 101 National organisations 105 Local authority contacts 107 Products and services 112 Specialist suppliers index 120
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7 FOREWORD JAN BESSELL THERE IS a long history of planning and conservation professionals working together, and an equally long history of collaboration between the RTPI and the IHBC, so the opportunity to write this foreword is very timely as the two organisations renew and refresh their partnership. As I said in my inaugural speech as RTPI President, while the focus of discussions around planning often relate to the important systems and processes through which we plan areas and decisions are made, planning is about much more than that – it is an endeavour to answer one profound question: How do we want to live and thrive, while taking care of our environment and society in an equitable, accessible and productive way? The aspirations of the IHBC to think about conservation for people and places equally relates to that question, and to my main presidential theme: Planning with Purpose. The case studies in this yearbook provide powerful illustrations and compelling evidence of best practice and the outcomes good planning can achieve. We should not underestimate the challenges inherent to this best practice: historic buildings and places which feature concentrations of such buildings are close to the hearts of the public, with heritage often reflecting shared memory, identity and continuity, helping communities feel rooted in place. Proposals for their adaptation and reuse are therefore often challenged. However, it is only with an eye on the future that we can be custodians of the best of the past, and the partnership between planning and conservation professionals is essential to that enduring continuity. Conservation planning can be an enabler, a catalyst for regeneration, resilience, social cohesion and transformation, delivering new uses that move from cost centre to economic infrastructure. The expertise within our professions is deep and broad, but to build support and really engage we must be better at communicating: conservation planning should not be seen as a remote, bureaucratic exercise, but as a creative, collaborative and cohesive force for good in the public interest. During my year as President, I’m supporting a new series of short films showcasing real places shaped by positive planning – tangible reminders of what the built and natural environment professions as well as communities can achieve when they work together. The partnership between the IHBC and the RTPI is a great example of ‘planning across the divide’, as illustrated by recent collaborations: one of my predecessors as RTPI President, Tim Crawshaw, is acting as the ‘Friend of the School’ at the IHBC annual school 2026, and John Sturzaker our Director of Careers & Education is contributing to a webinar looking at the skills needed for effective planning and conservation. Conservation planning isn’t about freezing places in time: it is about unlocking their future. Done well, it turns heritage into an asset for regeneration, builds resilience to climate and economic shocks, and strengthens the social fabric that makes places thrive. We can of course do more together to communicate these benefits and continue to celebrate the best outcomes that deliver economic resilience and growth, environmental stewardship and cultural value and identity of place. I therefore look forward to the relationship between the IHBC and the RTPI continuing to deliver and communicate these benefits and grow over the coming years. Jan Bessell FRTPI is the 2026 President of the Royal Town Planning Institute
8 YEARBOOK 2026 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 • 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 professionals by supporting, encouraging and challenging IHBC members and prospective members, because conservation professionals work most effectively with coordination, advice, inspiration and scrutiny provided by an informed professional body. MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS • Cutting edge news and debate: Twice-weekly NewsBlogs, IHBC Conservation Wiki resource at DesigningBuildings.co.uk, 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 web-based 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 55), guidance on project development, participation and CPD opportunities in panels and groups, access to advocacy, 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 our Council.
9 STRUCTURE AND MEMBERSHIP STRUCTURE OF THE IHBC COMMUNICATIONS & OUTREACH COMMITTEE DAVE CHETWYN Chair communications@ihbc.org.uk EDUCATION, TRAINING, STANDARDS COMMITTEE IAN BAXTER Chair education@ihbc.org.uk MEMBERSHIP & ETHICS COMMITTEE ANDREW SHEPHERD Chair membership@ihbc.org.uk POLICY COMMITTEE ROY LEWIS Chair policy@ihbc.org.uk COUNCIL See ihbc.org.uk/aboutmain/council/ REBECCA THOMPSON President president@ihbc.org TORSTEN HAAK Vice President vpresidentth@ihbc.org.uk MIKE BROWN Immediate Past President (IPP) ippresident@ihbc.org.uk BOARD OF TRUSTEES See ihbc.org.uk/aboutmain/trustees/ MEMBERS TRUSTEES COUNCIL COMMITTEES AND BRANCHES PANELS, WORKING GROUPS, SUB-COMMITTEES etc ← ← ← REPORTING UPWARDS CONTROLS DOWNWARDS → → → EXECUTIVE OPERATIONS VOLUNTEERS NATIONAL OFFICE SEÁN O’REILLY Director s.oreilly@ihbc.org.uk FIONA NEWTON Policy & Membership Executive Officer f.newton@ihbc.org.uk LYDIA PORTER Admin Officer & Company Secretary l.porter@ihbc.org.uk ANGHARAD HART Education & Outreach Executive Officer a.hart@ihbc.org.uk SARAH HOMER Services and Support Executive Officer support@ihbc.org.uk CARMEN MORAN Membership Services Officer membershipservices@ihbc.org.uk MICHAEL NETTER Professional Services Officer services@ihbc.org.uk JOANNA THEOBALD Brand and Marketing Consultant contact@ihbc.org.uk BRANCH SUPPORT CONSULTANTS See newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk CONSULTATIONS PANEL FIONA NEWTON Convenor consultations@ihbc.org.uk GREEN PANEL CRISPIN EDWARDS Chair green@ihbc.org.uk LEGAL PANEL LONE LE VAY Chair law@ihbc.org.uk TECHNICAL PANEL JOHN EDWARDS Chair technical@ihbc.org.uk EDITORIAL BOARD MICHAEL TAYLOR Chair ihbceditorialboard@gmail.com PANELS etc NATIONAL OFFICE
10 YEARBOOK 2026 ELECTED and APPOINTED OFFICERS The post-holders shown are correct at the time of printing but are subject to change. For full information see ihbc.org.uk/aboutmain/trustees/ and ihbc.org. uk/aboutmain/page65/ 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. She most recently managed the Design and Historic Environment team at Chichester District Council and is a Fellow of the RSA. vchair@ihbc.org.uk DAVE CHETWYN, SECRETARY and COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH SECRETARY is managing director of Urban Vision Enterprise CIC and a partner of D₂H Land Planning Development. Former roles include High Streets Task Force Expert, chair of the board of the National Planning Forum, head of Planning Aid England, chair of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation, chair of the Historic Towns Forum, associate of the Consultation Institute and a Design Council Expert. ihbcsecretary@ihbc.org.uk communications@ihbc.org.uk JOANNA SAADY, TREASURER is a chartered architect, an early pioneer of green building, has an MSC in Energy-efficient Building and a Postgraduate in Conservation of the Historic Environment and is passionate about heritage buildings and the environment. She is director of her own company Ecotecture which has a strong ethical practice embracing heritage while simultaneously addressing the urgent need to combat climate change. treasurer@ihbc.org.uk ANDREW SHEPHERD, MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY is the principal of Andrew Shepherd, Architect. A chartered architect and surveyor, his projects have included Grade I-listed buildings and scheduled monuments. He has extensive teaching experience in the UK and abroad. His previous roles include president and education officer of the Ecclesiastical Architects and Surveyors Association and convenor of the Conservation Course Directors’ Forum. membership@ihbc.org.uk ROY LEWIS, POLICY SECRETARY is a director of Grover Lewis Associates Ltd, a specialist town planning and built heritage consultancy. He has held planning and conservation posts in local government and he ran an undergraduate conservation programme at the University of Derby. For the IHBC he represented the East Midlands branch from 2006 to 2017, and he has represented the IHBC on the Urban Design Alliance. policy@ihbc.org.uk IAN BAXTER, EDUCATION SECRETARY is Professor of Historic Environment Management at Heriot-Watt University and is an industry-focused senior academic specialising in heritage management, tourism and visitor experience development. He is an experienced nonexecutive director with various UK organisations and charities, and currently sits on the Board of Historic Environment Scotland. education@ihbc.org.uk REBECCA THOMPSON, PRESIDENT is Senior Estate Manager at English Heritage and past President of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). She is an active committee member of both IHBC Yorkshire branch and the annual CIOB Conservation Conference, where she is a regular speaker and event chair. Rebecca has a keen interest in responsible retrofit of historic buildings, reducing our carbon footprint and supporting heritage craft skills. president@ihbc.org.uk TORSTEN HAAK, VICE PRESIDENT Torsten started his career as a journeyman cabinetmaker in Hamburg. He then qualified in town planning, urban conservation and architecture and following on from 15 years with the Glasgow City Heritage Trust he is now the Executive Director of the Iona Community. He has held a number of UK and international roles including VicePresident since 2021 of the ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Historic Towns and Villages, and Board Trustee and Treasurer of Europa Nostra UK. vpresidentth@ihbc.org.uk MIKE BROWN, IMMEDIATE PAST 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 former head of the conservation service at East Herts District Council. A past IHBC Chair and President, he sits on a number of heritage bodies and is particularly active on the Historic Environment Protection Reform Group with Historic England. ippresident@ihbc.org.uk
11 STRUCTURE AND MEMBERSHIP 0 50 100 km Crown copyright 2001 BRANCH AREAS
12 YEARBOOK 2026 MEMBERSHIP OF THE IHBC THE INSTITUTE offers membership opportunities and linked benefits to all those who care for the built and historic environment. Our members are drawn from many disciplines, including architects, town planners, building surveyors, estate and asset 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, though all assessed categories of membership require the observance of our code of conduct (see page 14) in line with our charitable objects. There are three categories of assessed membership: Full membership (assessed and accredited) represents conservation accreditation open to all active in the conservation of the built and historic environment. Full members have demonstrated to the IHBC their skills, knowledge and experience as interdisciplinary conservation professionals able to offer services and advice in line with national and international standards and models in conservation and its management. As such, full members are required to demonstrate skills and experience in line with and across the institute’s four areas of competence (see page 14), 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 to apply for full membership. For those who have gained a qualification from a conservation course that has full recognition from the institute (see page 99), the period of relevant experience required is reduced from five years to two years. Associate membership (assessed and accredited) represents conservation accreditation awarded to practitioners who have demonstrated to the IHBC their capability in specialist skills, knowledge and experience in conservation in a single area of practical competence as recognised by the IHBC, typically one that corresponds to their primary skills or discipline. IHBC Annual School 2025 delegates on a tourof Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings.
13 STRUCTURE AND MEMBERSHIP Affiliate membership (assessed but not accredited) is available for those who have demonstrated an holistic ‘awareness’ of all aspects of conservation practice as described by the IHBC. They may later seek accreditation from the IHBC. RETIRED MEMBERS and SUPPORTERS (not assessed or accredited) For those who are less directly involved in conservation, including those with early career and late career interests, there are two further categories of membership that give access to the same core membership benefits, networks and activities all our members enjoy. Retired members are those accredited members (full or associate) who have formally retired from practice and pay reduced fees. Supporter status is open to anyone, typically those in the very early stages of a career linked to conservation and those keen to support the IHBC’s charitable objects. 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. Full details are on the website. 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. All members have the right to receive notices, literature and Context. The Membership and Ethics committee, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees, will decide on eligibility for and category of assessed 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 2026 Subscriptions are due annually on 1 April and can be paid by direct debit, credit/debit card or by bank transfer. 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, associates, affiliates and supporters £160 per annum Concessionary rate £80 per annum (available to those with an annual income below £19,000, subject to proof of income and renewed annually) Retired members £80 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 and associate 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? Sign up to receive the IHBC’s free CPD circular, or see events.ihbc.org.uk to find short courses and events, including many provided by IHBC regional and national branches. IHBC membership currently stands at 2,496. Excluding those members who have retired (103), 54 per cent are employed in the private sector (1,297) and 26 per cent in the public sector, with 450 in local authorities and 180 in national government bodies. IHBC MEMBERS BY EMPLOYMENT SECTOR NOTE These figures exclude retired members Private sector 54% Miscellaneous 2% Not employed 2% Students 6% Educational sector 2% Local government 19% National government 7% Third sector 8%
14 YEARBOOK 2026 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 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: PROFESSIONAL AREA OF COMPETENCE 1. Philosophy Knowledge and understanding of conservation theory and the social, cultural, political, aesthetic, economic and environmental values that underpin current conservation policy and practice 2. Practice Knowledge and understanding of conservation practice and making of informed and authoritative conservation judgements, including knowledge of its processes and protocols and the ability to interact effectively with all bodies and individuals who have a significant role to play in the field PRACTICAL AREA OF COMPETENCE: EVALUATION 3. History Knowledge and understanding of the development of the historic environment including the remains of previous periods and cultures, historic buildings and settlements, work of engineering, parks, gardens and other elements of the historic landscape 4. Research, recording and analysis Ability to carry out or commission research, recording and analysis of the historic environment, and to maintain records accordingly PRACTICAL AREA OF COMPETENCE: MANAGEMENT 5. Legislation and policy Knowledge and understanding of legislation and policy for the conservation of historic environments, their formulation locally and nationally, and awareness of other relevant legislation, policies and guidance 6. Finance and economics Knowledge and understanding of economic factors in applying heritage legislation and policy, including applications for statutory consents, and for procurement of conservation services for heritage-related projects, including financial and viability assessments, valuation, cost planning and contracts PRACTICAL AREA OF COMPETENCE: INTERVENTION 7. Design and presentation Ability to analyse and evaluate historic contexts and to secure appropriate designs in fabric, buildings, townscape and areas, existing and proposed, and to communicate results in ways accessible to professionals and communities 8. Technology Knowledge and understanding 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.
REVIEW AND ANALYSIS The interior of the former Friends Meeting House (1819) in Bath, sensitively adapted for Topping & Company Booksellers in 2021 (Photo: Jonathan Taylor)
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REVIEW AND ANALYSIS 17 WELCOME! REBECCA THOMPSON, IHBC PRESIDENT THIS EDITION of the IHBC Yearbook highlights a year that is transformational for IHBC. It is a great time to be a member and to be a part of the exciting changes and investment in our membership. We have important updates to share regarding the Petition for Royal Charter, the All Party Parliamentary Group developments and our annual school, all addressed in our Chair’s report. The IHBC is the only UK professional body dedicated to supporting all individuals working in historic and built environment conservation. We are a diverse group of heritage professionals with a wide range of skills and unlimited passion for our built and cultural heritage. We develop, encourage and maintain the highest standards of conservation practice, supporting the protection and enhancement of the historic built environment. An important aspect of this is our work in nurturing and supporting successive waves of professionals entering our field. This work is now more important than ever before as we have identified a skills gap that is only set to increase as the majority of conservation professionals are reaching retirement age. We need to improve access to conservation careers and we should all be reaching out to the next generation of potential heritage professionals to highlight the merits of working in the heritage sector: there are so many viable and joyous career opportunities that we need to draw attention to. This aligns with our corporate objective and the educational role of IHBC, and we need your support as members and as conservation professionals to achieve it. We look forward to celebrating our conservation learning and education with our Gus Astley Annual Student Award, and we look forward to seeing you at one of our many events organised by our regional branches or centrally, including our Summer School in June. Thank you all for your support. Rebecca Thompson president@ihbc.org.uk Gus Astley Student Award winners Ailsa Bailey, Orla McCarthy, Atarah Adams and Laura Fildes with Bob Kindred (centre) at the Shrewsbury School
18 YEARBOOK 2026 CHAIR’S REVIEW GOD IS IN THE DETAIL DAVID McDONALD, IHBC CHAIR IT WILL come as no surprise to Yearbook readers that I am commencing this review with an update on the IHBC’s progress on chartered status. When the last edition was published, the Privy Council Office (PCO) was considering our memorandum on our proposed Petition for Charter. As has been widely reported in IHBC NewsBlogs, the response from the PCO in September was positive and following endorsement from our members, we are proceeding with preparation of the formal petition. At first glance, this might seem a relatively straightforward process, having already submitted our Articles of Association to the PCO as part of the memorandum. However, the petition must be submitted in a particular format, which means separating the articles into separate documents. It is important that we get this right both constitutionally and legally. Fortunately, we now have an advisor from the Foundation for Science and Technology to help us submit a draft Petition later this year. We will then seek the agreement of our members to proceed formally to the PCO. As part of the IHBC’s outward looking agenda, a Parliamentary Reception was held in September to promote our work on heritage skills. This was accompanied by the catchily titled report From Crafts in Crisis to Rubbish in Retrofit which sets out the IHBC’s ‘five commitments’ to help heritage skills in conservation. These are: Advocate by targeted parliamentary-level briefings Educate by enhancing access to IHBC standards and service Investigate by responding to the challenges in heritage management processes Celebrate by using our Creative Conservation Fund to celebrate achievements Integrate by establishing a new network of education and training providers. These ambitious commitments, which will be progressed during 2026 and beyond, are in addition to the skills development and training we deliver through our branches and through our flagship Annual Schools. In 2025 the Annual School was held in Shrewsbury with a theme of Heritage in Context. As always, it was informative and entertaining, providing very high-quality CPD. As well as the excellent speakers, two of the tours stood out for me for quite different reasons. The first was to look at vernacular wall paintings in domestic settings. The tour was led by IHBC member Kathy Davies, author of Artisan Art: vernacular wall paintings in the Welsh Marches, 1550-1650 (see Context 187). It was fascinating to view such rare survivals in their original settings – details that contribute so much to the significance of our historic buildings. On a larger scale, the recently restored Flaxmill Maltings illustrated a whole range of conservation skills as well as the commitment of English Heritage and Historic England to save an outstanding example of early mill architecture. Having been subject to adaptation in the past, the mill has now been repurposed with lettable office and studio space above the new visitor centre, café and shop, providing an income stream that should ensure its future survival. This example of adaptive re-use fits perfectly with the theme of the 2026 Annual School in Newcastle, which, in turn, chimes in with the government’s growth agenda. While much is reported about the need for new housing, regeneration is also a key government aim. Last year I was fortunate to attend two ministerial roundtables with ministers from both DCMS and MHCLG. It is heartening to see these cross-departmental discussions taking place. Subjects ranged from planning fees to listed building consent orders, and more recently to proposed changes to the NPPF. This has given me and others in the historic environment sector the opportunity to make a strong case for heritage as an enabler, not a blocker, and to draw attention to the need to improve conservation skills capacity in local planning authorities. My attendance at these events is testament to the increasing status and respect that the IHBC has with government and the other big players in our sector. Should we be successful in our Petition for Charter, our position should be strengthened further. However, I should point out that that future engagement will not be with me as Chair of the IHBC. Having served two terms in this role, I am to stand down as Trustee and Chair of the Board at the next IHBC AGM. That also means that this will be the last Yearbook to which I will be contributing. It has been a privilege to be able to provide my own take on the activities of the IHBC and to be able to ‘do my bit’ for what I believe is a valuable publication. I will miss the role, but would like to pass my best wishes to whoever may succeed me. David McDonald, OBE chair@ihbc.org.uk
REVIEW AND ANALYSIS 19 DIRECTOR’S UPDATE EMPOWERING VOLUNTEERS, EMPOWERED BY VOLUNTEERS SEÁN O’REILLY, IHBC DIRECTOR Director Seán O’Reilly with David McDonald addressing virtual and in-person delegates at the IHBC Annual School in Reading 2024 IT’S BEEN a year and more of busy progress since my last Yearbook update, and nothing seems to be slowing down. The scale and complexity of both opportunities and threats seen then still continue, even if some have evolved, others stabilised and a few have even resurfaced, as is the way in heritage and conservation bodies. Happily, if the rate of change has not eased, at least the trajectory has moved from an uncertainty that generated a degree of pessimism, to our current clarity that supports much more confident planning. Most significantly, as this review highlights below, that clarity arises from the fresh impetus given by the volunteers, members and networks that engage with the IHBC as a trusted, enabling and responsive professional body and as a dedicated and pro-active charity, and re-energise it. It means that we can work, as well as plan, with a whole new stream of capacity and resources that share aspirations, roles and needs. As noted in more detail here, we’ve already benefited from that constructive support and even since last year we have made good progress – maybe even great progress – on many fronts. The Charter exploration hit a key milestone with formal permission to proceed to the next stage, a petition – a success in itself. Our Westminster-level parliamentary briefing advocacy, founded on our holistic ‘five commitments’ to help heritage skills, is beginning its pay-off both for the sector and for us, not least with new public profiles, platforms and flagship partner initiatives in place. Our upgrade of business infrastructure and the consolidation of National Office infrastructure has passed peak planning, its resilience has already been tested, and it has begun to deliver the goods. Our new blended Annual School model, with linked webinars and events, has also passed its beta stage, so we can expand that confidently. And our branch support networks are gaining momentum as volunteers reap – and learn how to reap – the benefits of our national CPD partnerships between the National Office and branches, as well as our expanded network of national and regional branch consultants. All in all it’s a very positive story, and one that has won us those new volunteers, as well as easing pressures on our longstanding ones. All this is set against an ever more challenging backdrop of wider cultural and economic woes, from a longstanding and ongoing underappreciation of heritage values and, more specifically, of conservation benefits; a tough market for early career practitioners across all the diverse disciplines and sectors in which we work, while linked pressures on services, costs and career progress see skills and standards being hit. Tied to all that, there is ongoing pressure on the health and wellbeing of many of our members and their colleagues, as discussed at council meetings, including in our recent exploration of local government services. Remembering all that negativity and more, it may even be that the very ‘state of the nation’ is actually spurring members to deliver the results they want and need through the IHBC, in a renewed spirit of joined-up collaboration. With so much in flux, it is good to see the IHBC now consolidating its standing, but even better to see what we can look forward to and plan for in our exciting shared futures, including: • Our 30th anniversary in 2027, with lots of bonus member benefits being explored by our board and officers • A new digital infrastructure for member management, freeing capacity to offer even more of our ‘USP ‘of person-focused accessible support and services, while opening new routes for members to shape their own visions, both as practitioners and volunteers • An exciting suite of Annual Schools lining itself up after 2026’s Newcastle, with Bristol in June next year and our East Anglia branch looking at locations for 2028, as well as early discussions beyond that (let me know if your branch is interested!) • At some point, our Charter petition, coming to members and, subject to their approval, to a final first stage. So, you might well ask, precisely what developments over the last year, has brought us to this point? Around Spring 2025 we were bringing forward a recognisable suite of long-standing activities tied to the last stages of our then corporate plan. Many of these continue to mark themes into 2026 and after, but each has its own more substantial presence. As an example among many threads, our annual awards programmes mark an increasingly important celebration of the ‘conservation professional’ through a broadening array of prizes and awards (the Gus Astley Student Awards, the Booth-Bird prize for management plans, the two Marsh awards, one for learning in heritage skills and the other for retired members’ community contribution, and the SAHGB - IHBC Heritage
20 YEARBOOK 2026 Research Award with the Society of Architectural Historians), all reflecting the elevated status of the profession. We also could see the progress of our branch consultants as well as their potential. Appointed and funded via the National Office, they offer dedicated time and skills in liaison and support under an evolving arrangement. A welcome boost from the beginning, we immediately planned the expansion of the programme, most notably through the ensuing appointment of our newest staff member, Sarah Homer, as our branch consultant liaison and lead, adding strategic capacity and continuity in support for the branches. We also expanded the topics offered through our CPD branch partnership programmes with Placemaking and Design Codes and Fire Protection, Regulations and Enforcement, while our evolving accreditation support (MATE) sessions continue their work on promoting simpler and shorter application forms. More UK-wide branch committee meetings took place, as well as the branch-linked councils mentioned below. That ongoing, pro-active and innovative partnership with volunteers and active members started to bring structural benefits too, as more engage directly with our national and regionalised activities, taking advantage of the opportunities in our corporate plan-led strategies and investments. It is that renewed engagement that has made the difference over the year. A good case study captured in the investment in re-invigorating our council meetings, building on the simple online ‘CPD-model’, of talks from sector leads and leaders, to host our first ‘blended’ Council under the new articles, and what a gamechanging step forward that was! Courtesy of London’s Charterhouse and its chief executive, IHBC member Peter Aiers, we were able to welcome in our President, Rebecca Thompson, and Vice President, Torsten Haak, both new faces that captured the same enthusiasm for progress seen in the Charter explorations. As well as free – indeed unique – in-person CPD on the Charterhouse estate for delegates online and in person, we also took the opportunity to enhance volunteer awareness and skills in event management, by showing how our low-cost blending of the council event could be copied by branches, potentially helped too by their branch consultants! All that just marked the sense of a new spirit too expansive to describe. In a similar vein, our 2025 Shrewsbury School, on ‘Heritage in Context’ and hosted by the West Midlands branch, also marked a huge step forward in building volunteer capacity. Our ‘new school model’, inspired by Covid’s digital Schools from Aberdeen in 2022 on, evolved with the support of our board and has now begun to really reap the benefits originally sought after a few years of more and less successful experimentation. At Shrewsbury last year, we also invited trustees to take on duties there in person and so help match the new support we offered to underpin their presence there. We also invited our branch consultants along to meet each other, as well as members and officers, thereby expanding our National Office networks, capacity and resilience, while also building skills across our service leads and networks. The Shrewsbury School was a special success as, led on the ground by Angharad Hart and a brilliant branch committee, it both consolidated and advanced our new combination of online and in-person CPD for delegates. With all that it is no surprise that the event enjoyed another winning contribution by another thread in our ‘New School’ model, a networked ‘School Friend’, this time from no less an institution than the RICS, represented by Jessica Jones. Since then we have continued that progress, building on the shoulders of earlier plans and the work of volunteers – indeed the shoulders of giants! As I write we have much to do: new annual schools on the way; delivering on thoughts bubbling over into our 2025 Briefing in Parliament, ‘From Crafts in Crisis to Rubbish in Retrofit: IHBC’s Five Commitments to Help Heritage Skills in Conservation’, as we join some of the dots in conservation processes; the next stages of our Charter, and the linked Corporate Action Plan, for 2026-30 to be cast out of its predecessors. Alongside the highlights mentioned earlier, there are also many other laurels that we must avoid resting on. These include our standing in government with the Charter progress, an OBE for our chair, and my own appointment to the programme board of RICHeS, the multi-million pound conservation research funding infrastructure programme that operates under Treasury oversight. Targeted advocacy for our most challenged member groups must also continue, starting with those in local government, as seen in our last Council. We should also continue to adapt and expand on transnational standards and frameworks, including European agreements, as exemplified in the adaptation of ICOMOS standards in our own practice standards. There’s lots of details to work through across all these areas, as they advance under the oversight of the IHBC board and, not least our AGMs, but given our progress over the last 29 years, I am confident we have both the capacity and the heart to deliver on all! Seán O’Reilly director@ihbc.org.uk NOTE: To follow up on the detailed background to and future progress on any of the above, simply enter the key word into the search facility on the IHBC’s NewsBlog service. RICS representative and Network Rail heritage specialist Jessica Jones speaking at the 2025 Annual School
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REVIEW AND ANALYSIS 23 OVERVIEW: ADAPTATION AND CHANGE THERE IS a sensitive balance to be struck between adapting historic buildings and places so that they can remain useful, and on the other side of the scales, preserving them so that their fabric and their significance are retained largely unaltered. Outside of a museum environment where a heritage asset may be kept away from human contact in an environmentally controlled and hermetically sealed display case, perfect preservation is an impossible dream. The use of buildings and place has always been shaped by changes in activity arising from human behaviour, from changes in technology and our economy, and from our environment. As Terry Levinthal discusses (page 47), change in historic cities is a layering process, ‘where one alteration is placed on top of another, until over time, an adaptive transformation has taken place’. Changes in society and human behaviour include how we spend our leisure time, where we go to work and where (or whether) we worship – the numbers of redundant churches and public houses are both currently rising. Economic factors include the cost of materials, how and where we manufacture goods, their transportation, and how and where we manage the services that support these activities. Technology too is part of that process, with the effects of the digital economy visible wherever we look, not least in our traditional high streets which are struggling to adapt. Today we also have the climate emergency to contend with. Alterations to the majority of older and traditionally constructed buildings are essential, firstly to increase their resilience to the effects of severe weather events, and secondly, to reduce their use of fossil fuels to heat and cool them, as Steve Berry discusses in the following article (page 24). All of us working in the historic environment have expectations of where that balance between preservation and adaptation should lie, but the fulcrum will shift according to the weight applied to different values. Within the heritage sector itself, these variations may sometimes seem huge, but it is important to maintain focus on the bigger picture. From an environmental perspective, our goal is the reduction in the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses which cause global warming, whether they are released in the heating and cooling our buildings, or in the construction of new buildings to replace our older ones. In some historic buildings it can be safer to decarbonise the heating system than to damage fine works of art and architecture with inappropriate retrofit measures. Where the regeneration of historic places is concerned, the conservation and adaptation of historic buildings makes sense from both an embodied carbon perspective and a heritage perspective. As Owen Barton says (page 29), where schemes respond positively to the established character of a place and reuse heritage assets, ‘the results are environments that are unique and frequently exhilarating, intriguing and valued by the public’. Conversely, the over-protection of heritage values in isolation from the need for a building to remain in use, will ultimately lead to the loss of heritage. It is all about balance.
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