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Latest: Welcome to the BEFS e-Bulletin. This week has seen another Parliamentary debate
related to the Historic Environment. The Scottish Marine Bill is going
through Stage 2 of the Parliamentary process, while the English Marine
and Coastal access Bill has gained Royal Assent.
BEFS and many BEFS members are busy responding to Historic Scotland's
Guidance Notes consultation, and there are discussions regarding a
response to Defra's consultation on the UK implementation of the Marine
Strategy Framework Directive.
Next upcoming BEFS
meeting:
Thursday 10 Dec: General Meeting, at RICS, 9 Manor Place, Edinburgh.
For
further information on BEFS visit: www.befs.org.uk .
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Short-cut to
sections:- Consultations | Publications |
Scottish Government news releases | News
releases | Recent parliamentary questions | Recent parliamentary answers | Other
parliamentary activity | Events | Training
| Job vacancies
Consultations
The
Councillors' Code Of Conduct Proposal for Amendments to be made to the
Councillors' Code of Conduct Consultation Paper (SG 19/11/09)
The Councillors' Code of Conduct first came into effect on 1 May 2003 and
is a key element of the ethical standards framework introduced by the
Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000. The code plays a
vital role in setting out, clearly and openly, the standards of conduct
which must be applied to councillors. This consultation is seeking views on
proposed amendments to the code which have been drafted to address the
major legislative reforms in the Scottish Planning system and areas of the
code requiring clarification or reconsideration in light of experience
gained in its application. Consultation period 19/11/09 - 18/02/10
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/11/19125906/0
Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005: Consultation on
Options for the Implementation of the Scottish Charitable Incorporated
Organisation (SCIO) (SG 16/11/09)
Consultation on policy options for a new form of incorporation for Scottish
charities, developed by the SCIOs Working Group. The Scottish Charitable
Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) is intended to provide Scottish charities
with a simpler, more appropriate limited liability legal form than a
company, reducing dual regulation and other requirements. Consultation
period 16/11/09 - 26/02/10.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/11/16181221/0
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Publications
People
and Culture in Scotland 2008: Results from the Scottish Household Survey
Culture and Sport Module 2007/2008 (SG 24/11/ 09)
Cultural attendance and participation in Scotland based on the Scottish
Household Survey (Culture and Sport Module). Chapter 6 addresses Historic
or Archaeological sites.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/11/24085939/0
Grey to Green - How we shift funding and skills to green our cities (CABE
10/11/09)
'Grey to Green: how we shift funding and skills to green our cities'
provides fresh ideas and evidence, showing how we could design and manage
places in radically different ways. It will be of interest to anyone
involved in greening the built environment, but above all to the people
taking decisions about where to commit public money at a local and a
national level.
http://www.cabe.org.uk/publications/grey-to-green
Planning for places Delivering good design through core strategies (CABE
5/11/09)
An understanding of how a place works, what makes it special and the
opportunities it offers is critical to developing a core strategy. Planning
for places: delivering good design through core strategies has been
produced to help local authorities take a spatial approach to their
strategy. Drawing on workshops, it helps planners place good design at the
heart of their core strategies.
http://www.cabe.org.uk/publications/planning-for-places
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Scottish Government news releases
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News releases
Celebrating
modern Scottish architecture (HS 25/11/09)
Some of Scotland's leading architecture experts ask if people value
buildings created since the war.
Michael Russell, Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution,
lead the debate at Scotland, Building for the Future conference in Dundee's
Bonar Hall. The Minister said: "People have hugely varying opinions
about architecture created in the last 60 years, and how we value and
protect the best of it. you only need to look at the outcry when a new
building is proposed in a historic location to see how strong the interest
in this subject is. "This conference, hosted by Historic Scotland, is
giving people the chance to raise their concerns and discuss them with
people who can make a difference. It is also an incredible opportunity to
hear some of the leading commentators on architecture in Scotland - both on
the discussion panel and in the audience. "
http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/news/news_article.htm?articleid=26056
Hilary Benn welcomes professor read's report 'a national assessment of
forestry and climate change' (DEFRA 25/11/09)
Environment Secretary, Hilary Benn, today welcomed Professor Read's report
'A National Assessment of Forestry and Climate Change'. Professor Read's
report gives advice and recommendations on how providing extra tree cover
in the UK can help reduce carbon emissions preventing damaging climate
change. Professor Read's report, believed to be the first in the world of
its kind, was commissioned by the Forestry Commission and says that an
extra four per cent of the UK's land covered by forests would reduce the UK
carbon emissions by ten per cent.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2009/091125a.htm
IHBC LB prosecutions data on web (IHBS 24/11/09)
The IHBC launched its Listed Buildings Prosecution data resource on its web
site. IHBC director Seán O'Reilly said: "This is a special moment in
our history, the database actually predates the IHBC, yet, like much of our
best work, it arose as a voluntary initiative. We are extremely proud
to have helped in the development of this national reference for
conservation specialists." This database was created in 1996 on
the initiative of Bob Kindred - today the IHBC's voluntary Local Government
Officer - to help to establish levels of local authority prosecution
activity.
http://www.ihbc.org.uk/news_update.htm#IHBC%20LB%20241109
Advice to
owners of traditionally built properties (HS 23/11/09)
Historic Scotland issued a new CD Rom during National Maintenance Week
which brings together expert advice to show owners the best way to maintain
and care for their traditionally built properties.
Ruth Parsons, Chief Executive for Historic Scotland, launched the CD at the
Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre in Edinburgh. She said: 'It is
essential that we preserve the beauty and character of our traditionally
built homes for future generations to enjoy. We are very lucky that
we have such a wealth of beautiful architecture in Scotland and we need to
take advantage of all the information we have to ensure that we can
maintain and preserve it. 'The CD Rom, INFORM House, provides
support and information on a variety of areas from gilding to reinstating a
fireplace to sorting out broken cast iron pipes and should be an invaluable
resource for all owners of traditionally built properties.
http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/news/news_article.htm?articleid=26047
Thanks for Doors Open Day (HS 17/11/09)
Culture Minister Michael Russell thanked the hard working team, coordinated
by Glasgow Building Preservation Trust, that ensure the doors of Glasgow's
most intriguing buildings remain open. The Minister will meet the
organisers and building owners who make the annual Doors Open Day event
such a huge success. Michael Russell, Minister for Culture, External
Affairs and the Constitution, said: "Doors Open Days has grown into a
well recognised event with a dedicated audience, and that is in no small
part down to the dedication and enthusiasm of the people who organise it.
"It takes an incredible amount of work to be able to offer so many
behind the scenes glimpses and once in a blue moon opportunities to see
inside so many of the city's buildings.
http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/news/news_article.htm?articleid=25969
Winners of the EAS EnergySavers Award 2009 (EAS 12/11/09)
The winner of the EAS EnergySavers Award 2009, who received a prize of
£1,500 was the Renewable Heritage project by Changeworks Resources for
Life. The Renewable Heritage project had enabled tenants of an
Edinburgh housing co-operative, who were living in extremely hard to heat
stone tenements and were vulnerable to fuel poverty, to reduce their fuel
bills and CO2 emissions. Micro-generation solutions such as solar
water heating systems were delivered so that householders can now generate
their own energy.
The judges were impressed by how the project had overcome the difficulties
of improving older properties in a very sensitive conservation area.
They also believed the resulting report would be a very useful guide for
others wanting to improve the energy efficiency of hard to treat homes.
http://www.eas.org.uk/index.php?page_id=4&news_id=249
Creating
Healthy Environments: practical tools for increasing walking in the built
environment
A Healthy Environment is a walkable environment. Walking is the
nearest activity to perfect exercise, most people can do it and it costs
nothing. Yet between 1999 and 2005 the average distance travelled by foot
has fallen by 30%. At the same time 28% of all car journeys in 2007 were for
a distance of 2 km or less. This trend of decreasing levels of physical
activity is set within the context of increasing levels of overweight and
obesity. In Scotland in 1995 51.4% of adults were overweight or obese. In
2008 levels had increased to 62.9%. Levels of walking for everyday short
journeys can be increased through the creation of mixed-use neighbourhoods
with interconnected street patterns, where daily needs such as health
centres, public transport, shopping facilities and schools are within walking
distance of most residents. People will use streets that are safe,
pleasant, welcoming and pedestrian friendly. The Creating Healthy
Environments Toolkit is a free online resource that will help local
authorities and others to improve the walkability of our villages, towns
and cities, and to tackle health inequalities and barriers in the built
environment to active lifestyles.
http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/resources/
Launch of URBAN-NET second call for research proposals (sniffer 28/10/09)
URBAN-NET is pleased to announce the second call for research proposals on
Sustainable Urban Development. The themes of the call are Climate
Change, Sustainable Land Use and Integrated Management in an Urban
Context. For more information about the call themes and the
application process please see the URBAN-NET website.
http://www.sniffer.org.uk//news/4104/Launch-of-URBAN-NET-second-call.aspx?returnurl=%7e%2fabout-us%2fnews.aspx
England's seas get better protection after Marine and Coastal access Bill
receives Royal assent (Defra 12/11/09)
England's sea life and habitats will benefit from greater protection after
the Marine and Coastal Access Bill received Royal Assent today creating the
Marine and Coastal Access Act. No other country in the world has
successfully introduced a single piece of legislation to protect the marine
environment. The Act will create a new marine planning system designed to
bring together the conservation, social and economic needs of our seas. A
network of Marine Conservation Zones will be created that will protect rare
and threatened species and habitats. Four regional projects have
started working with local groups and businesses to identify which areas
will be designated as Marine Conservation Zones.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2009/091112c.htm
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2009/11/13123652
Scottish Government press release
http://www.snh.org.uk/press/detail.asp?id=2174
SNH press
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Recent parliamentary questions
Answers
will appear in a subsequent Bulletin, with questions reproduced. Questions
marked with a triangle are initiated by the Scottish Executive in order to
facilitate the provision of information to the Parliament. Questions in
which a member has indicated a declarable interest are marked with an
"R".
S3W-29389 Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to
secure alternative funding for projects that met the criteria for the Town
Centre Regeneration Fund but were unsuccessful. (SP 25/11/09)
S3W-29393 Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to
assess the number of vacant and derelict properties. (SP 26/11/09)
S3W-29396 Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to
assist local authorities in dealing with derelict properties. (SP 26/11/09)
S3W-29399 Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide
funding to local authorities to enable them to tackle problems caused by
derelict properties. (SP 26/11/09)
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Recent parliamentary answers
Questions
marked with a triangle are initiated by the Scottish Executive in order to
facilitate the provision of information to the Parliament.
Q S3W-28603
Patricia Ferguson: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend the
deadline for completion of work being funded by the Town Centre
Regeneration Fund in light of the delay in announcing the second round of
funding. (SP04/11/09)
A Answered by Alex Neil
(16/11/09): The Town Centre Regeneration Fund consists of capital
accelerated from 2010-11 into 2009-10, and requires to be spent in this
financial year. It is therefore still the case that grant requires to be
claimed in this financial year.
Q S3W-28569 Patricia Ferguson: To
ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to announce the projects that
have been successful in the second round of funding from the Town Centre
Regeneration Fund. (SP 03/11/09)
A Answered by Alex Neil
(13/11/09): The outcome of the second round of the Town Centre Regeneration
Fund was announced on Friday 13 November.
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Other parliamentary activity
Motions
S3M-5266
Fiona Hyslop: Learning about Scotland and its History-That the Parliament
recognises the contribution of Scotland's children and young people in
schools to a successful Year of Homecoming; acknowledges the importance of
learning about Scotland's heritage, history and culture and place in the
world, and welcomes the recent launch of Scotland's History online, a
world-leading online resource from Learning and Teaching Scotland, which
draws on resources from the National Galleries of Scotland, National
Museums Scotland, the National Library of Scotland, the National Archives
of Scotland and other sources.(SP 24/11/09)
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor1125-02.htm#Col21479
*S3M-5218 Sarah Boyack: Changeworks Wins EAS EnergySavers Award-That the
Parliament congratulates Changeworks Resources for Life and Lister Housing
Co-operative on winning the Energy Action Scotland EnergySavers Award 2009
for their Renewable Heritage project; notes that the project helped
Lister's tenants, who were living in extremely hard-to-heat stone
tenements, by fitting solar heat collectors that will reduce their fuel
bills, CO2 emissions and the risk of fuel poverty; recognises the work that
Changeworks and Lister have undertaken in partnership with the City of
Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh World Heritage in order to overcome the
difficulties encountered in delivering improvements to buildings in a very
sensitive conservation area; welcomes the publication of two best practice
guides, Renewable Heritage and Energy Heritage, funded by the eaga
Charitable Trust, that will help to inform similar projects involving
traditional and historic homes, and wishes Changeworks and its partners
success in developing further energy efficiency improvement projects to
sensitive traditional and historic buildings. (SP 18/11/09)
Petiions
PE1295
Petition by Flora Dickson calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the
Scottish Government to clarify how sites which have been identified as
areas of national scenic value can then be considered as suitable locations
for the building of crematoria and other developments and whether allowing
under the planning system for applications to build crematoria and other
developments runs contrary to the reasons for sites being designated as
such and whether the promotion and protection of our natural heritage
should merit that a full and robust Environmental Impact Assessment is
conducted for any planning applications made.(SP 18/11/09)
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Events
RIAS /
UDG Seminar: Collaborating in the City
30 November 2009, 6pm - 8pm, RIAS Council Room, 15 Rutland Square,
Edinburgh.
This
seminar, organised by the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland and
the Urban Design Group, aims to show the complexities of the stakeholders
dealing with the creation of our cities. Cities need cohesive thinking to
avoid fragmentation and that is why a collaborative approach between
architects and urban designers is required to create successful cities.
The event will be chaired by Neil Baxter (RIAS) and Jo White (UDG Scotland)
and feature Oliver Chapman, Director of Oliver Chapman Architects,
Edinburgh, Gill Henry, Project Manager at Glasgow School of Art and Robert
Huxford, Urban Design Group Director. Our speakers will explore the built
environment process from three different angles; the architect / urban
designer, the client and the theorist, focussing on ways of working between
architects / urban designers within a Scottish context.
The seminar is aimed at architects, urban designers, planners, policy
makers and people involved in the built environment. Cost: £11.50 for RIAS
and UDG members, £23.00for non members.
To book: email events@rias.org.uk,
phone Sonja Rosendahl, Communications and Events Assistant, on 0131 229
7545 or book on-line: http://www.udg.org.uk/?section_id=10
UDG Scotland Christmas Event - Accordia to Freiburg
3 December 2009, Meet from 18.30, Presentation will commence 19.00, Joseph
Pearce's Café Bar, 23 Elm Row, Edinburgh, EH7 4AA
This informal end of year event, will look at two innovative design
approaches to the redevelopment of urban brownfield sites both in the UK
and continental Europe. It will feature a short presentation by
Francis Newton (UDG), followed by discussion and debate. Complimentary wine
and nibbles will be provided.
Non Urban Design Group members welcome. The event is free for all members
and non-members. No prior booking required. Any queries please contact: Scotland_street@yahoo.com or
Alona Martinez-Perez, Convenor, Urban Design Group Scotland Email: alona.martinez@urban-design-group.org
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Training
Traditional
Mortars for Repair and Conservation
8 Dec 2009, Penicuik House, Penicuik
This seminar will give you confidence to specify traditional mortars and
includes an introduction to investigation and basic analysis techniques for
existing mortars. We will look at appropriate mortars for a range of
masonry conditions and the recognition and diagnosis of typical failures
are also covered. Repair techniques including mixing, placing and curing
and costings for remedial works are also considered. Cost: £65 + vat
including lunch.
P2 Masonry Building Conservation - Principles and Techniques
9- 11 Dec 2009 or 29-31 March 2010, Penicuik House, Penicuik
Already completed P1? Why not return for this follow on 3 day workshop
covering more complex masonry repairs to traditional buildings. This
workshop provides sufficient underpinning and practical knowledge to enable
effective specification, application, supervision and snagging of conservation
works.Topics covered include - Development of repair strategies, advanced
mortar manufacture, tile/stone repairs and stitching techniques, surface
repairs to ashlar and profiled stone, re-pointing ashlar, replacing stone
including full and partial indent, consolidating delaminating stone,
shelter coats, advanced lime washes and re-pointing traditional brickwork.
Cost: £225+Vat.
For further information on these two courses or to book a place, please
visit www.scotlime.org or contact us
phone: 01383 872722, email: admin@scotlime.org
Vacancies
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Information
in the Bulletin is extracted from a number of websites; including the Scottish Government
(SG); the Scottish Parliament (SP); Architecture and Design Scotland
(A+DS); Historic Scotland (HS); Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH); Scottish
Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO); English Heritage (EH);
Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE); Department of
Communities and Local Government (DCLG); Department of Culture, Media and
Sport (DCMS); Department of Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA); National
Assembly for Wales (NAW); Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS); Scottish
Building Standards Agency (SBSA). For further information, links are
provided to the relevant documents. Back copies of the Bulletin are
available approximately one month after publication on the BEFS website.
If you have any questions or comments on the above, or would like to submit
information to be included, please get in touch with Anne Wilkinson awilkinson@befs.org.uk or call
the BEFS Office on 0131 220 6241. We hope that you find the Bulletin
useful, however if you wish to be removed from the circulation list, please
get in touch.
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