HESPR is a promotional service for businesses that work to conservation and service standards expected by the IHBC
Ask a HESPR company for advice; 15 minutes of free expert advice and guidance from conservation practices recognised through the IHBC’s HESPR register.
The advice may not answer questions in full but will help you work towards the answers, point you towards other sources of information or suggest where further professional advice is required.
To find help through this scheme search the HESPR entries on this page and go direct to the HESPR company using the contact details listed. You can find the company with the professional specialisms you need or similar geographical locations (although please note that most will work outside the area they are based in).
When contacting the HESPR company be sure to mention you are asking for the “HESPR free 15 minutes advice offer”.
The Architectural History Practice Ltd
Urban Vision Enterprise CIC
Trigpoint Conservation & Planning Ltd
RMA Heritage
Antony Gibb Ltd.
Mel Morris Conservation
Soul Architects Ltd.
Grover Lewis Associates Ltd.
Purcell
Heritage Vision Ltd.
The Regeneration Practice
Frew Conservation
Node Urban Design
Heritage Matters
Holland Heritage
Humble Heritage Limited
Hilary Byers Heritage Conservation
HCUK Group Limited
Michael Taylor Conservation and Planning (MTCP)
Alex Stevenson Building Conservation and Design
Liz Mayle Conservation
TDR Heritage Ltd
TheUrbanGlow
Townscape Chartered Town Planning & Heritage Consultant Ltd
Place Services
DD Architects
Hook Mason Limited
Murphy Associates
Listed Building Surveys Ltd.
RSK Group Ltd.
Iceni Projects
BuckleyGrayYeoman
David George Surveying and Conservation
High–Tech Services, Chartered Surveyors, Chartered Consulting Engineers and Historic Building Consultants
Donald Insall Associates
Malcolm Payne Group Limited
Inspire Heritage Services
Dyfi Architecture Limited
Inspire Heritage Services
Manorwood Construction Ltd
Gee & Co Ltd Building Conservation
ADDC Architects
Lathams
Rock Davidson Associates
James Mackintosh Architects Ltd
Janus Conservation
The Architectural History Practice Ltd
Urban Vision Enterprise CIC
Trigpoint Conservation & Planning Ltd
RMA Heritage
Mel Morris Conservation
Soul Architects Ltd.
Grover Lewis Associates Ltd.
Purcell
Heritage Vision Ltd.
The Regeneration Practice
Node Urban Design
Heritage Matters
Holland Heritage
Humble Heritage Limited
Hilary Byers Heritage Conservation
HCUK Group Limited
Michael Taylor Conservation and Planning (MTCP)
Alex Stevenson Building Conservation and Design
Liz Mayle Conservation
TDR Heritage Ltd
TheUrbanGlow
Townscape Chartered Town Planning & Heritage Consultant Ltd
Place Services
DD Architects
Hook Mason Limited
Murphy Associates
RSK Group Ltd.
Iceni Projects
BuckleyGrayYeoman
High–Tech Services, Chartered Surveyors, Chartered Consulting Engineers and Historic Building Consultants
Donald Insall Associates
Creative Heritage Consultants Limited
Malcolm Payne Group Limited
Inspire Heritage Services
Dyfi Architecture Limited
Manorwood Construction Ltd
Gee & Co Ltd Building Conservation
ADDC Architects
Lathams
Rock Davidson Associates
James Mackintosh Architects Ltd
Janus Conservation
Urban Vision Enterprise CIC
RMA Heritage
Antony Gibb Ltd.
Mel Morris Conservation
Soul Architects Ltd.
Purcell
Heritage Vision Ltd.
The Regeneration Practice
Frew Conservation
Node Urban Design
Heritage Matters
Michael Taylor Conservation and Planning (MTCP)
Alex Stevenson Building Conservation and Design
Liz Mayle Conservation
TheUrbanGlow
Townscape Chartered Town Planning & Heritage Consultant Ltd
Place Services
DD Architects
Hook Mason Limited
Murphy Associates
BuckleyGrayYeoman
David George Surveying and Conservation
High–Tech Services, Chartered Surveyors, Chartered Consulting Engineers and Historic Building Consultants
Donald Insall Associates
Malcolm Payne Group Limited
Inspire Heritage Services
Dyfi Architecture Limited
Manorwood Construction Ltd
ADDC Architects Lathams
James Mackintosh Architects Ltd
The WSP Heritage Planning & Placemaking Team
Janus Conservation
The Architectural History Practice Ltd
Urban Vision Enterprise CIC
Trigpoint Conservation & Planning Ltd
RMA Heritage
Mel Morris Conservation
Grover Lewis Associates Ltd.
Purcell
Heritage Vision Ltd.
The Regeneration Practice
Frew Conservation
Node Urban Design
Heritage Matters
Holland Heritage
Humble Heritage Limited
Hilary Byers Heritage Conservation
HCUK Group Limited
Michael Taylor Conservation and Planning (MTCP)
Liz Mayle Conservation
TDR Heritage Ltd
TheUrbanGlow
Townscape Chartered Town Planning & Heritage Consultant Ltd
Place Services
Hook Mason Limited
Murphy Associates
Crenellated Arts
Listed Building Surveys Ltd.
RSK Group Ltd.
Iceni Projects
BuckleyGrayYeoman
High–Tech Services, Chartered Surveyors, Chartered Consulting Engineers and Historic Building Consultants
Donald Insall Associates
Creative Heritage Consultants Limited
Malcolm Payne Group Limited
Inspire Heritage Services
Dyfi Architecture Limited
Manorwood Construction Ltd
Gee & Co Ltd Building Conservation
ADDC Architects
Lathams
Rock Davidson Associates
James Mackintosh Architects Ltd
Janus Conservation
The Architectural History Practice Ltd
Urban Vision Enterprise CIC
Trigpoint Conservation & Planning Ltd
RMA Heritage
Antony Gibb Ltd.
Mel Morris Conservation
Grover Lewis Associates Ltd.
Purcell
Heritage Vision Ltd.
The Regeneration Practice
Frew Conservation
Node Urban Design
Heritage Matters
Holland Heritage
Humble Heritage Limited
Hilary Byers Heritage Conservation
HCUK Group Limited
Michael Taylor Conservation and Planning (MTCP)
Alex Stevenson Building Conservation and Design
Liz Mayle Conservation
TDR Heritage Ltd
TheUrbanGlow
Townscape Chartered Town Planning & Heritage Consultant Ltd
Place Services
Hook Mason Limited
Murphy Associates
RSK Group Ltd.
Iceni Projects
BuckleyGrayYeoman
High–Tech Services, Chartered Surveyors, Chartered Consulting Engineers and Historic Building Consultants
Donald Insall Associates
Creative Heritage Consultants Limited
Malcolm Payne Group Limited
Inspire Heritage Services
Dyfi Architecture Limited
Manorwood Construction Ltd
Gee & Co Ltd Building Conservation
ADDC Architects
Lathams
Rock Davidson Associates
James Mackintosh Architects Ltd
Janus Conservation
The Architectural History Practice Ltd
Urban Vision Enterprise CIC
Trigpoint Conservation & Planning Ltd
RMA Heritage
Antony Gibb Ltd.
Mel Morris Conservation
Grover Lewis Associates Ltd.
Purcell
Heritage Vision Ltd.
The Regeneration Practice
Frew Conservation
Node Urban Design
Heritage Matters
Holland Heritage
Humble Heritage Limited
Liz Mayle Conservation
TDR Heritage Ltd
Townscape Chartered Town Planning & Heritage Consultant Ltd
Place Services
DD Architects
Hook Mason Limited
RSK Group Ltd.
Iceni Projects
David George Surveying and Conservation
High–Tech Services, Chartered Surveyors, Chartered Consulting Engineers and Historic Building Consultants
Donald Insall Associates
Creative Heritage Consultants Limited
Manorwood Construction Ltd
Gee & Co Ltd Building Conservation
ADDC Architects
James Mackintosh Architects Ltd
Janus Conservation
Urban Vision Enterprise CIC Project Development, Funding bids, Feasibility studies, Heritage asset business plans, Training and capacity building,
Policy and guidance, Heritage evidence bases, Heritage-led regeneration schemes, Audience participation projects, Design review and enabling, Neighbourhood planning.
IHBC Enterprises Historic environment sectoral research, project development and project management
RMA Heritage Landscape architecture advice
Antony Gibb Ltd. Conservation Plans and Strategy Reports
Mel Morris Conservation Historic Gardens, Parks & Landscapes research & analysis & appraisals
Grover Lewis Associates Ltd. Urban planning
Frew Conservation Traditional building skills training & CPD
Stone, mortar, render and plaster condition surveys and repair specifications
Heritage Matters Historic Landscape - gardens and parks
Expert witness for planning appeals
Humble Heritage Limited Historic gardens, parks & landscapes: research, analysis & appraisals
Hilary Byers Heritage Conservation Advice on reconciling needs of renewable energy and heritage conservation
Michael Taylor Conservation and Planning (MTCP)
Education and training (Visiting Lecturer at University of Leicester)
Historic landscape appraisal
Liz Mayle Conservation Historic Building Recording,
Historic landscape Assessments, Project Management of heritage-led regeneration schemes
TDR Heritage Ltd Particular expertise in Townscape Heritage with experience in Stage 1 applications, Stage 2 (development phase) applications, project delivery and programme evaluation
TheUrbanGlow Urban Design, Placemaking and Public Realm. Townscape Heritage Support
Townscape Chartered Town Planning & Heritage Consultant Ltd Urban design advice
Murphy Associates Murphy
Assocaites acted as the Heritage Expert
Witness at a Public Inquiry for Horsham
District against a development of 72
houses within and affecting the setting of a listed building. The Appeal was recovered and duly dismissed by the Secretary of
State. The Inspector and Secretary of Stage agreed with the Expert Witness' evidence
that the setting of the listed building would not be preserved or enhanced.
Crenellated Arts Workshops and lectures/ talks, funding applications, digital media and arts activities relating to creative engagement for heritage projects, historic area and archival research
RSK Group Ltd. Expert Witness, EIA, Materials and Structural Analysis, Roped and Confined Space Access, Structural Geophysics and Surveying, Townscape and Visual Impact Assessment, 3D Visualisation, Archaeological Site Investigation.
Iceni Projects Planning, Transportation, Sustainability
David George Surveying and Conservation Specialist building surveys, Planned maintenance, Church inspections and surveys
High–Tech Services, Chartered Surveyors, Chartered Consulting Engineers and Historic Building Consultants Professional Structural Investigation and Assessment of Historic Buildings and Structures including bridges. Specialist Investigations
Creative Heritage Consultants Limited
See entry plus:
Feasibility studies, options appraisals and market assessments for historic buildings
Management & Maintenance Plans
Development of supporting documentation for applications for grant funding, especially to the National Lottery Heritage Fund
Dyfi Architecture Limited
Listed and Traditional Building Surveys, Condition reports, Quinquennial Inspections, Pre-purchase Surveys, Heritage Impact Assessments, Feasibility Reports, All RIBA Architectural Work Stages. Article 4 directions, Funding Applications, Management Plans for Historical Assets and Estates, Sustainable systems and Energy efficiency in Traditional and Historic Buildings, Historic Building Recording, Chartered Environmentalist
ADDC Architects
Impact and significance assessments
Heritage, Design and Access Statements
Planning Appeals
Neighbourhood Planning Design Statements
Janus Conservation
Surveying (Building Condition Surveys)
The Architectural History Practice Ltd
Urban Vision Enterprise CIC
IHBC Enterprises
Trigpoint Conservation & Planning Ltd
RMA Heritage
Antony Gibb Ltd.
Mel Morris Conservation
Soul Architects Ltd.
Grover Lewis Associates Ltd.
Purcell
Heritage Vision Ltd.
The Regeneration Practice
Frew Conservation
Node Urban Design
Heritage Matters
Holland Heritage
Humble Heritage Limited
Hilary Byers Heritage Conservation
HCUK Group Limited
Michael Taylor Conservation and Planning (MTCP)
Alex Stevenson Building Conservation and Design
Liz Mayle Conservation
TDR Heritage Ltd
TheUrbanGlow
Townscape Chartered Town Planning & Heritage Consultant Ltd
Place Services
DD Architects
Hook Mason Limited
Murphy Associates
Crenellated Arts
Listed Building Surveys Ltd.
RSK Group Ltd.
Iceni Projects
BuckleyGrayYeoman
David George Surveying and Conservation
High–Tech Services, Chartered Surveyors, Chartered Consulting Engineers and Historic Building Consultants
Donald Insall Associates
Creative Heritage Consultants Limited
Malcolm Payne Group Limited
Inspire Heritage Services
Dyfi Architecture Limited
Manorwood Construction Ltd
Gee & Co Ltd Building Conservation
ADDC Architects
Lathams
Rock Davidson Associates
James Mackintosh Architects Ltd
The WSP Heritage Planning & Placemaking Team
Janus Conservation
The IHBC's HESPR service connects clients with authoritative conservation businesses and their expert advice.
As a client, using HESPR you can easily explore the best of conservation businesses and advice to get your job done properly: efficiently, effectively and sustainably. Whether your are a private owner or representing a developer, public body, charity or community group, and whatever your size or interests, you can use HESPR businesses to find the best way to get your work done.
Specialist expertise in HESPR businesses ranges from taking leading roles in the sensitive care and repair of traditional buildings, to survey, research, guidance and advice on the finest listed properties, as well as to planning, architectural and engineering advice, guidance and work on new buildings in sensitive or historic areas. Many also offer educational and skills-related services.
Speak to the HESPR company that best suits your needs, explain what you want, and they will advise on how best to progress.
The IHBC's HESPR service helps anyone find a conservation business that best fits their needs AND works to the IHBC's conservation standards.
Owners, developers, local authorities, conservation organisations and land owners - anyone who needs conservation services or advice - can look to HESPR companies to offer conservation services.
HESPR companies can offer a wide range of conservation-related services, from new design in historic areas, to sector research or guidance on public interest and communication.
HESPR listings are for anyone who needs, or wants to offer:
- Conservation advice, to help understand, manage and care for places and properties of all types and ages
- Conservation services, to lead on changes to older or historic areas and fabric
- Specialist conservation knowledge, learning and skills within larger work or commercial programmes, such as in development or property management teams, educational services or other mainstream operations.
HESPR businesses protect their standards through having a lead professional working in line with the IHBC’s service expectations. You can find that lead professional - the 'Designated Service Adviser' (DSA) - listed on their HESPR web page.
The DSA should be the first 'port of call' for any concerns over work carried out by a HESPR company.
To find out more see our ’Find Services' or explore our 'Join HESPR' sections.
The web based searchable service provides each recognised company with an individual entry with full contact details and links to the companies own website.
The IHBC web site receives around 200,000 page visits each month and the most popular pages on the site exceed 7,000 hits each month. Apart from visits by IHBC members and other conservation professionals, many of these visits are from members of the public seeking conservation advice and enquiries fed into the site are often looking for conservation services.
The list of HESPR companies will be published annually in the IHBC Yearbook.
Local authorities and conservation bodies are likely to refer enquiries to the HESPR.
IHBC will direct those seeking specialist service providers to the HESPR.
Historic Environment Service Providers’ Recognition scheme, HESPR, is the IHBC’s recognition and promotion service for companies and practices – service providers – that seek to operate in accordance with the IHBC’s guiding principles and standards of historic environment conservation, principally our Code of Conduct.
The IHBC DOES NOT regulate a company recognised under HESPR. Recognition under HESPR allows the IHBC to ‘recognise’, and publicly acknowledge, the historic environment service standard of a company on the basis of a corresponding professional endorsement by an employee of that company, the Designated Service Adviser (DSA), who is a Full Member of the IHBC and is employed by that company.
Practices recognised under the IHBC’s HESPR agree to observe the institute’s standards through maintaining a corporate link to the IHBC in the person of their Designated Service Adviser, a nominated Full Member of the IHBC, agreed by the IHBC. That Full Member has personal professional responsibility for their endorsement of the standard of service in the practice or across a defined or discrete part of it that relates to the historic environment. The responsible person is identified as the ‘Designated Service Adviser’ (DSA), and serves as the ‘quality control’ for the practice with respect to the areas covered by the IHBC’s code of conduct. This role can be identified in their job description.
The DSA will not usually be able to monitor or control all aspects of the services provided. It should be noted that any professional testimony in support of the company they represent accords with the ordinary standards expected of a Full Member of the IHBC under our Code of Conduct. The duty of the DSA is to:
- provide a level of quality assurance that, in their professional opinion, satisfies the standards expected by the IHBC and of the HESPR
- serve as a public point of contact within the practice for HESPR-related issues or complaints to be registered and addressed
- serve as a pro-active communication route between the practice and the IHBC
maintain and update information held by the IHBC in accordance with the needs of the HESPR
Neither the IHBC nor the HESPR either control or regulate areas covered by more appropriate or more substantial regulatory regimes, including pay, benefits, insurance etc.
The Designated Service Adviser provides the quality control for the operation of the historic environment services in the company. Evidently it is essential that the DSA maintains appropriate continuing professional development, again in line with their duties as a Full Member of the IHBC. Consequently the DSA will be subject to regular CPD assessment.
Contravention of the terms of the HESPR can render the DSA subject to disciplinary measures under, at least, Item 1 of the IHBC’s Code of Conduct:“Those engaged in the conservation of historic buildings, areas and landscapes will adhere to the highest standards of ethical and responsible behaviour in the conduct of the conservation of such buildings and sites.”
Subscriptions are tiered depending on the number of professional (but not necessarily conservation specialist) employees in the organisation.
Subscription levels are as follows:
An initial application fee of £50 is required on application for recognition under HESPR and on any subsequent reapplication for recognition following any break in inclusion. This is non-returnable and intended to cover the administrative costs of processing the application.
All fees are subject to the addition of VAT.
Please take time to read the terms of reference for the scheme as well as the information on this site.
HESPR is a recognition and promotional service for companies active in the historic environment that is maintained and operated for the IHBC, the professional body for historic environment conservation specialists across the UK.
Recognition under the IHBC’s HESPR allows companies (including sole traders) to:
- subscribe to the terms of the IHBC’s professional, ethical, technical and service standards for the historic environment
- to support the IHBC’s charitable intentions, and
- to benefit from that association by having their services promoted through the IHBC’s extensive communications networks.
The IHBC does not regulate a company recognised under HESPR. ‘Recognition’ under HESPR allows the IHBC to acknowledge a company’s historic environment service on the basis of a corresponding professional endorsement by an employee of that company, the Designated Service Adviser (DSA), who is a Full Member of the IHBC and is employed by that company.
The HESPR mechanism involves the creation of an operational link between the IHBC and the corporate body through an identified IHBC member, the ‘designated service adviser’ who is formally responsible for the oversight of the standards in operation of their company.
The IHBC has no powers to regulate or discipline companies; the IHBC can only terminate recognition. However the institute can and will in any case regulate the activities of the Full Member who serves as the DSA in line with their professional responsibilities to observe the IHBC’s standards, in particular the institute’s Code of Conduct. Indeed as a charity and professional body the IHBC has a responsibility to regulate such professional operations under its Memorandum and Articles of Association. Thus, through HESPR, the IHBC will provide a mechanism within which companies can advertise an intention to maintain, adopt and support IHBC standards and carry out work in line with those standards.
HESPR is not and cannot attempt to be a guarantee of wider corporate standards, a guarantee of security (such as assurance that insurances are held) or a guarantee of standards of pay to company employees. It explicitly does not scrutinise or assess the wider business operations of an organisation, in particular those that are covered by other regulators.
Information described is supplied directly by the recognised companies and is reproduced in good faith. The Institute of Historic Building Conservation accepts no liability for any loss or damage that may result from any use of the HESPR or any subsequent appointment based upon the its contents
In summary, HESPR is a service for historic environment companies that promotes a proper standard allows companies to subscribe to appropriate standards of professional practice in the historic environment, in line with the IHBC’s Code of Conduct and associated standards, and through the IHBC acknowledge publicly their support of the IHBC’s standards, thereby securing and raising standards of professional historic environment conservation.
Further details on the service can be found in the Terms of Reference.