BEFS News

The conversation around future prioritisation of Scotland’s historic sites continued last week in the Sunday Post, with BEFS Board members Ian Baxter and Peter Drummond agreeing that hard choices lie ahead. In the Arctic Circle, the question of what to keep and what to let go is addressed on a grand scale in the Kiruna Masterplan: how do you move a city two miles to the east, while preserving its character and collective memory? To see how decisions are made here, Historic Environment Scotland (HES) have released a new short film explaining their role in the planning system.

Following the unveiling of their refreshed Grants Framework, Historic Environment Scotland have announced that their new Heritage & Place Programme will launch on 30 March. This programme will replace and build on HES’ Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) funding programme, with key changes including the introduction of a two-stage application process with a match-funded Development Phase and the removal of requirement for schemes to be solely in conservation areas. Full guidance will be published on 30 March, with those wishing to note their interest invited to email HES.

BEFS notes with interest the launch of a National Retrofitting Scheme in Ireland, which aims to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades.

In measures aiming to improve the planning process, Scottish Government have announced the first increase to standard planning application fees in eight years. RTPI will be undertaking Scottish Government Funded research with Heads of Planning Scotland and the Improvement Service exploring options to support the growth of entrants into the planning profession. And, RICS have published new guidance on the Planned Preventative Maintenance of Commercial and Residential Property.

Two new Board members are sought for Architecture & Design Scotland. Scottish Ministers are particularly interested in people who understand how the built environment can help tackle the climate emergency through collaborative place-making and community engagement. Previous board experience is not required.

It’s the final opportunity to submit pictures to the Scottish Civic Trust’s My Place Photography competition, which is open to young people aged 4-18. Entries close on 20 February.

Finally, six weeks remain to enter the SPAB Heritage Awards 2022. New categories this year include the Best Loved Award and the Sustainable Heritage Award, while the John Betjeman Award returns to celebrate excellence in the repair of places of worship of all denominations and faiths. Entries close 28 March.

Get the BEFS Bulletin directly in your inbox. Subscribe here.

Consultations

NatureScot Consultation: Developing with Nature guidance
Closes 4 March 2022

New realities of retail and ecommerce in Scotland – Call for Views
The Scottish Parliament’s Economy and Fair Work Committee is seeking written views to inform its inquiry on town centres and retail.
Closes 16 March 2022

Local Development Planning – regulations and guidance: consultation
Closes 31 March 2022

Open Space Strategies and Play Sufficiency Assessments: consultation
Closes 31 March 2022

Draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) – Public Consultation
Closes 31 March 2022

Publications

National Planning Framework (NPF4): Published Reponses to the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee Call for Views

Culture in Crisis: Impacts of Covid-19 on the UK cultural sector and where we go from here (Centre for Cultural Value)

Low Cost/No Cost Tips for Sustainability in Cultural Heritage (24/01/22)

Scotland’s top charity leaders: how diverse are they? (David Hume Institute, 02/2022)

Evaluating The Impacts of Cultural Heritage for Sustainable Development (UK National Commission for UNESCO and PRAXIS, 10/02/22)

Connecting Practice: A Commentary on Nature-Culture Keywords (ICOMOS,10/01/22)
A resource for heritage practitioners and researchers who are working in the interdisciplinary field that links natural and cultural heritage conservation.

Scottish Government Publications

Building Standards verification performance framework – national customer satisfaction survey: survey findings 2021(03/02/22)

UK Parliament Publications

House of Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee: Decarbonising heat in homes (03/02/22)
The report calls on the UK Government to work with stakeholders to produce a roadmap for transition as it criticises a lack of detail in the Heat and Buildings Strategy published in October 2021.

News Releases

Progress at a Pace at Balmacara Community Trust (Heritage Trust Network)
An update on the project to restore The Old Mill Hall within the NTS Estate of Balmacara.

‘Destitute’ Galashiels flats to get a new lease of life (Southern Reporter, 05/02/22)
A planning application has been submitted to for the refurbishment of the category C Listed tenement block.

Confirmed: Five Aberdeen high-rise buildings to be given A-listed status as council drops appeal (Press and Journal, 07/02/22)
Gilcomstoun Land, Seamount Court and Porthill Court at Gallowgate, as well as Marischal Court and Virginia Court at Castlehill, now have the highest historic protections.

RIBA demands mass retrofit of 3.3m interwar homes to tackle fuel poverty (Architects’ Journal, 14/02/22)
RIBA’s Homes for Heroes report urges the government to focus a new National Retrofit Strategy on updating 3.3m homes in England that were built between 1919 and 1939.

Glasgow to be transformed into ‘thriving, climate resistant’ city in £10m project (Project Scotland, 15/02/22)
University of Glasgow researchers will work with Glasgow City Council supported by funding from the Natural Environment Research Council to create transformational projects across the city.

‘Every year it astounds us’: the Orkney dig uncovering Britain’s stone age culture (The Guardian, 15/02/22)
Many of the most intriguing finds from the Ness of Brodgar will be on show at the British Museum this month in a new exhibition, the World of Stonehenge.

Opinion & Comment

Louise Wilson: ‘A sense of joy’: Embracing community spaces in planning (Holyrood Magazine, 03/02/22)
The success of Cruyff Courts in Aberdeen demonstrates the many benefits of public spaces.

David Mitchell: Having a laugh in church? God forbid (The Guardian, 06/02/22)
A cathedral’s plan to host standup comedy has been criticised, but if it keeps places of worship relevant I’m a believer.

Lesley Riddoch: Rural Scotland needs a more inspiring plan for the future (The Herald, 07/02/22)
The draft NPF4 leaves Scotland’s rural communities at the margins.

Martin Jarvie: Retrofitting buildings is the greenest strategy (The Scotsman, 08/02/22)
Reuse and retrofit can not only slash emissions but give unloved buildings a repurpose, retaining their legacies.

Alison Bembenek: Material Considerations: Climate change, embodied carbon and the role of planners (Lichfields, 11/2/22)
This blog takes a closer look at the potential implications of emerging policies for embodied carbon in planning.

Stewart Dalgarno: Building new homes while meeting climate targets is possible (Project Scotland, 14/02/22)
The Advanced Industrialised Methods for the Construction of Homes (AIMCH) project the housebuilding industry a way to continue to improve the sector’s environmental performance.

Johannes Novy: Urban makers: why the city of the future needs to be productive (The Conversation, 14/02/22)
The European Union’s key policy document for sustainable urban development aims to enable and promote new forms of mixed-use development, that go beyond adding a retail shop at the foot of a block of flats.

Parliamentary Questions

Questions marked with a triangle (?) are initiated by the Scottish Government 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”.

Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 02/02/2022
S6W-06099: monitoring and evaluation framework for the Heat in Buildings Strategy
S6W-06098: making public sector buildings net zero by 2030
S6W-06097: Passivhaus standards for new build housing
S6W-06096: Islands Energy Strategy (retrofitting)

S6W-06104: Paul Sweeney, Glasgow, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 02/02/2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider implementing the high quality shopfront design standards developed in Traditional Shopfront Improvement Grant Scheme (TSIG) areas as a future planning requirement in Conservation Areas and in Listed Buildings, as part of the forthcoming update of the National Planning Framework.

S6W-06578: Craig Hoy, South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 14/02/2022
To ask the Scottish Government (a) how much funding did each project receive and (b) how many jobs were created by each project as a result of the 2020 round of the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund.

S6W-06606: Craig Hoy, South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date lodged: 15 February 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what additional support it has provided to Historic Environment Scotland to enable Tantallon Castle, Dirleton Castle, Seton Collegiate Church and Hailes Castle, in East Lothian, to reopen.

Parliamentary Questions and Answers

Questions marked with a triangle (?) are initiated by the Scottish Government 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”.

S6W-05814: Stephen Kerr (Central Scotland) (Con), Date lodged: 20 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what work is underway with local authorities to develop the necessary capacity building and training to ensure a planning system fit for net zero is established by 2022.
Answered by Minister for Public Finance, Planning & Community Wealth, Tom Arthur

S6W-05813: Stephen Kerr (Central Scotland) (Con), Date lodged: 20 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has sent a letter to all local authorities to emphasise the importance of addressing the climate emergency in all planning decisions, including in major developments.
Answered by Tom Arthur on 1 February 2022

Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con), Date lodged: 20 January 2022
Heat in Buildings Strategy:
S6W-05804: financial implications for rural householders
S6W-05803: consultation process
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 1 February 2022

S6W-05962: Mark Griffin, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 27/01/2022
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on implementing the recommendations of the Scottish Parliamentary Working Group on Tenement Maintenance in relation to owners (a) in tenements forming owners’ associations, (b) and building reserve funds and (c) and five-yearly building condition reports, which it committed to support through voluntary and incremental change until legislation is in place. R
Answered by Shona Robison (07/02/2022)

S6W-05963: Mark Griffin, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 27/01/2022 R
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the Scottish Law Commission in relation to carrying out a law reform project to provide a draft Bill that would implement the recommendations of the Scottish Parliamentary Working Group on Tenement Maintenance. R
Answered by Shona Robison (09/02/2022)

S6W-05784: Stephen Kerr, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date lodged: 25 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to enforce the incorporation of whole life carbon into the costing of all public sector investment and spending decisions.
Answered by Michael Matheson on 3 February 2022

Alex Rowley, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour 
Date lodged: 25 January 2022
Passivhaus standards for newbuild housing:
S6W-05871 recommendations by Climate Assembly
S6W-05872 impact on bills and emissions
S6W-05873 climate targets
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 2 February 2022

Motions

Motion S6M-03134
The Restoration of Govan’s Elder Park Gates and K13 Memorial
Paul Sweeney, Glasgow, Scottish Labour,
Date Lodged: 11/02/2022
Congratulations to Govan Cross Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) and Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) on the successful restoration of the memorial to the 1917 K13 submarine disaster, and historic main gate to Elder Park in Govan.

Events

For the full list of BEFS Members’ upcoming events see our events calendar.

Draft National Planning Framework 4: Information & Discussion events
Date & Time: Series of events from 10 February to 10 March
Online
The Scottish Government has opened registration for online events during February and March, facilitated by Kevin Murray Associates (KMA) and PAS (Planning Aid Scotland) to raise awareness and share views about the Draft NPF4, in order to inform and support the preparation of responses to the consultation, which closes on 31 March 2022. Each session will focus on a specific action area, or policy theme from Draft NPF4. A full list of upcoming sessions and booking information is available here.
Wed 23 Feb, 4.30 – 6pm – Southern Sustainability
Thurs 24 Feb, 12.30 – 2pm – Productive Places
Tues 1 March, 12.30 – 2pm – Central Urban Transformation

Aberdeen City Heritage Trust: Surveying 800 Years of Fyvie Castle
Date & Time: 16 February, 19:00
Online
From palisades to palace to party pad: Annie Robertson Surveyor, National Trust for Scotland, will provide an overview of the architectural development of the castle from its early occupation in the 13thC right through to the 20thC, along with some of the key challenges in looking after it today.

Scottish Historic Buildings Trust: Introducing Traditional Ironwork
Date & Time: 22 February, 18:00
Online
Wrought and cast iron were popular and widely-used materials during the 19th Century. Much of this material survives today, often still performing its original function, whether it’s a set of railings outside someone’s home, or a footbridge over a railway line. In this talk, Ali Davey from Historic Environment Scotland provides an insight into the history of traditional ironwork and some guidance on how to care for it.

Heritage Trust Network: Network Day
Date & Time: 23 February, 09.30
Online
At the first HTN Network Day you can learn about business planning, get an update from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, get answers to your problems and challenges from our panel of experts, and find out about holiday accommodation as a business opportunity for heritage sites. Sign up for the day – attend the sessions that interest you – share the day with colleagues. Attendees must be members of HTN (Connect membership is free).

Date & Time: 25 February, 12:00 – 14:00
Online
The onset of COVID-19 saw Scotland’s heritage organisations pivot to digitally engaging with audiences and volunteers on social media and video conferencing platforms. Amidst all the changes brought on by the pandemic, the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020 called on heritage organisations to address racism, slavery, empire and colonialism. Join us on 25 February to reflect on all we’ve learned in the past two years and discuss how to engage audiences with community heritage in our post-COVID world.

Conferences

New Lanark 2022: A Living Legacy
Date & Time: 1–3 March, 9:00 – 20:00
Location: New Lanark Mill
New Lanark Trust will be hosting a special anniversary conference marking the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Owen, the site’s most famous advocate, as well as the 20th anniversary of UNESCO World Heritage Site inscription. Speakers will celebrate New Lanark’s remarkable journey, from Robert Owen to World Heritage and beyond, exploring legacies of social reform and heritage-led regeneration.

CITiZAN Conference: Connecting Coastal Heritage, Communities and Climate Change
Date & Time: 5 March, 09:30
Museum of Liverpool, Pier Head, Liverpool, and Online
The UK, as an island nation, is home to thousands of coastal communities that are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change – whether that is from the loss of livelihoods, homes or even entire landscapes. This conference explores the opportunities and challenges of understanding these coastal processes and the impact that they have on our shoreline heritage and on the communities who live along them.

Vacancies

The Cockburn Association: Assistant Director (Fundraising and Outreach)
Hours: Full time with possibility of flexible working and hours
Location: Old Town, Edinburgh with flexibility for hybrid, home-working arrangements
Salary: £27,000
Closing date: 25 February

National Lottery Heritage Fund: Engagement Manager (Fixed Term)
Fixed term until 31 Dec 2022
Secondments and part-time or flexible working arrangements considered.
The primary purpose of this post is to engage a wider range of people with heritage. If you are excited about helping ensure that heritage is inclusive and accessible to everyone, for now and future generations, then we want to hear from you.
Closing date: 1 March

Green Action Trust: Multiple Roles
The Green Action Trust is Scotland’s leading environmental regeneration charity, working with a range of private, public and third sector partners to deliver positive action across the country to help Scotland achieve its climate change ambitions. GAT is looking to add additional capacity in order to increase, substantially, their environmental impact for communities across Scotland. Energetic, passionate, and committed people are sought to fill the following six roles:
Central Scotland Green Network – Programme Manager (Up to £45,000)
Development Manager (Up to £40,000)
Development Officer x 2 (Up to £35,000)
Project Manager x 2 (Up to £35,000)

Perth & Kinross Heritage Trust: Perth Lower City Mills Development Officer
1-Year Fulltime Fixed-Term Contract
Salary: £30,000 p.a.
PKHT have secured Development Phase funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NHLF), to develop a £2.7 million project to fully restore the A-Listed Lower City Mills, Perth, including restoration of its rare working machinery, afford public access, establish a heritage skills and conservation hub and a centre for Scottish mills and milling. This role will lead on the NLHF Delivery Phase submission, with other staff and Trustees.
Closing date: 18 March

Get the BEFS Bulletin directly in your inbox. Subscribe here.

BEFS News

BEFS congratulates Neil Gray on his appointment as Minister for Culture, Europe & International Development, and looks forward to working together. Warm wishes to Willie Coffey who is the new deputy convenor of the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee, succeeding Elena Whitham who now convenes the Social Justice & Social Security Committee.

On 25 January BEFS gave evidence on the draft NPF4 to the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee, along with BEFS Members RIAS, RTPI Scotland, Planning Democracy, and Planning Aid for Scotland (PAS). BEFS evidence reflected our ongoing engagement with Members on NPF4, with further opportunities to input planned for early March.

Scotland’s heritage was front page news last Sunday, as Dr David Mitchell of Historic Environment Scotland (HES) suggested that some sites could be left to fall into managed decay rather than being conserved. BEFS supports the public nature of this debate, and in line with our previous work on prioritisation, champions a holistic approach to all of our existing built environment. On the blog, BEFS vice-Chair Ian Baxter, Professor of Historic Environment Management at Heriot-Watt University, continues the conversation by asking whether we are heading for a good death for Scotland’s heritage.

HES has also this week unveiled its refreshed grant programmes following a review of the existing schemes and a wider public consultation. The new programmes will be rolling out through 2022. You can keep up to date with developments at HES via their new e-newsletter, Lintel.

The partnership behind the Place Standard tool have launched a new website – Our Place  – devoted to promoting the benefits of place and place-based working. The site will help to support communities, public, third and private sectors to take forward place-based approaches, helping to make positive differences across communities in Scotland.

Entries are now open for the RTPI Scotland Awards for Planning Excellence. Submissions are open until 11 March.

Museums Galleries Scotland have shared details of the new Museums Recovery Fund from Scottish Government. Applicants should contact MGS regarding their proposed applications by 25 February.

Get the BEFS Bulletin directly in your inbox. Subscribe here.

Consultations

Building Regulations – Compliance And Enforcement: Consultation
Closes 4 February 2022

Heat in buildings – National Public Energy Agency: consultation – call for evidence 2021/2022
Closes 8 February 2022

NatureScot Consultation: Developing with Nature guidance
Closes 4 March 2022

New realities of retail and ecommerce in Scotland – Call for Views
The Scottish Parliament’s Economy and Fair Work Committee is seeking written views to inform its inquiry on town centres and retail.
*NEW* Closes 16 March 2022

Local Development Planning – regulations and guidance: consultation
Closes 31 March 2022

Open Space Strategies and Play Sufficiency Assessments: consultation
Closes 31 March 2022

Draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) – Public Consultation
Closes 31 March 2022

Consultation Responses

BEFS Response to the Role of Local Government and its cross sectoral partners in financing and delivering a net-zero Scotland – consultation (21/01/2022)

Culture Counts: Consultation on Energy Efficiency of Non-Domestic Buildings (20/01/22)

Edinburgh World Heritage: Edinburgh Slavery and Colonialism Legacy Review consultation response (21/01/22)

Publications

Historic Environment Scotland Grants Framework 2021 Onwards (31/01/22)

Historic Environment Scotland COVID-19 Sector Survey Reports (24/01/22)

Future of Arts & Culture: Drivers and Impacts for the Next Decade
An international study based on 300 participants, leaders in museums, galleries, performing arts, music, funding organizations, curators and producers.

Land Reform and Taxation: Advice to Scottish Ministers (Scottish Land Commission, 01/2022)
This report sets out the Scottish Land Commission’s advice on the role of taxation in supporting current land reform objectives.

NPF4: Mainstreaming Climate Change? (SPICe Spotlight, 21/01/22)

NPF4 and the nature emergency (SPICe Spotlight, 21/01/22)

Architecture & Design Scotland Annual Review 2021

Scottish Civic Trust Doors Open Day 2021 Report

DASH report 2021: from pandemic to future planning (25/01/22)
The second Digital Attitudes and Skills for Heritage (DASH) survey report offers a unique insight into how the UK heritage sector’s use of digital has evolved during the pandemic.

Scottish Government Publications

Planning circular 1/2022: Local Place Plans (21/01/22)

Short-term lets legislation approved (19/01/22)

Short term lets – licensing scheme part 1: guidance for hosts and operators (25/01/22)

Scottish Household Survey 2020 – telephone survey: key findings (28/01/22)
Includes findings on Housing, Neighbourhoods and Communities, Culture and Heritage.

News Releases

New measures to manage impact of climate change on Scotland’s national heritage sites (SCN, 21/01/22)
The HES programme of tactile condition surveys on over 200 properties will assess the extent of deterioration of high-level masonry.

Pandemic has cost some places nearly a years’ worth of high street sales (Centre for Cities, 24/01/22)
Edinburgh lost nearly a years’ worth of sales during the pandemic, while Aberdeen saw a 5.6% increase in unit vacancy.

Charity to build first broch in Scotland for more than 2000 years (STV News, 25/01/22)
Archaeological charity Caithness Broch Project has released a digital image of what the attraction is expected to look like.

In pictures: Scotland’s climate story in art and images (BBC, 26/01/22)
The winners of the Historic Environment Scotland Visions of Climate Heritage competition have been unveiled.

Investigation into Glasgow School of Art fire fails to find “definitive cause” (Dezzen, 26/01/22)

Local place plans circular published (The Planner, 28/01/22)

Braemar Castle secures funding to begin restoration (SBI, 31/01/22)
After three years of community fundraising, capital works at Scotland’s first community-run castle are getting under way.

Opinion & Comment

LGiU Blog: Seven Scottish towns take action against climate change (24/01/22)
Anja Ekelof, Communications Manager at Architecture and Design Scotland (A&DS) discusses the company’s role in the ‘Climate Action Towns project’.

Agenda: Scotland’s Covid recovery will grow successfully from nation’s grassroots (The Herald, 25/01/22)
Phil Prentice, chief officer of Scotland’s Towns Partnership, argues that the only truly sustainable way to rebuild our national economy is by starting locally.

Edinburgh World Heritage: On-street communal bins – Updated Statement (28/01/22)
EWH has raised concerns that proposed mitigation measures do not go far enough to prevent harm to the World Heritage Site.

Leigh Sparks: Stirling – all at C (28/01/22)
Comments on Stirling’s plans for an out-of-town retail and mixed-use development, from Leigh Sparks, the Institute for Retail Studies, University of Stirling.

Gabriella Bennett: Why we still need a ‘crap towns’ list (The Sunday Times, 30/01/22)
A side effect of highlighting inequalities is that those in local government who control the purse strings take notice after a public shaming.

What price heritage? Scotland’s ancient buildings to be left to the elements (The Herald on Sunday, 30/01/22)
Dr David Mitchell, HES Director of Conservation, examines the challenges of protecting the nation’s historic structures.

Rosemary Goring: Should Scotland’s most historic buildings be allowed to fall into ruins? (The Herald, 2/02/22)
Sadly, preserving everything as it currently stands will soon not be possible.

Calls to allow people to return to Edinburgh’s Radical Road (BBC, 2/02/22)
The route has been closed for more than three years after 50 tonnes of rock fell from cliffs onto the path.

The Construction Material Pyramid (CINARK – Centre for Industrialised Architecture)
A visual interactive tool comparing the carbon footprints of different construction materials.

Parliamentary Questions

Questions marked with a triangle are initiated by the Scottish Government 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”.

S6W-05962: Mark Griffin, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 27/01/2022
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on implementing the recommendations of the Scottish Parliamentary Working Group on Tenement Maintenance in relation to owners (a) in tenements forming owners’ associations, (b) and building reserve funds and (c) and five-yearly building condition reports, which it committed to support through voluntary and incremental change until legislation is in place.

S6W-05963: Mark Griffin, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 27/01/2022 R
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the Scottish Law Commission in relation to carrying out a law reform project to provide a draft Bill that would implement the recommendations of the Scottish Parliamentary Working Group on Tenement Maintenance.

S6W-06013: Stephen Kerr, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date lodged: 28 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what resources it plans to invest in order to enable regional and local institutions to apply deliberative approaches to engage civic society in planning for the net zero future of their communities and places.

S6W-05784: Stephen Kerr, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date lodged: 25 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to enforce the incorporation of whole life carbon into the costing of all public sector investment and spending decisions.

Alex Rowley, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour 
Date lodged: 25 January 2022
Passivhaus standards for newbuild housing:
S6W-05871 recommendations by Climate Assembly
S6W-05872 impact on bills and emissions
S6W-05873 climate targets

Parliamentary Questions & Answers

Questions marked with a triangle are initiated by the Scottish Government 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”.

Mark Griffin (Central Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Government:
S6W-05774 what steps it takes to audit the quality of past energy efficiency and retrofit works, and what its plans are to review works where it is found that PAS 2035 standards have not been met.
S6W-05775 when it will require compliance with PAS 2035 standards for its energy efficiency and retrofit delivery programmes.
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 27 January 2022

S6W-05796: Alasdair Allan, Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party, Date lodged: 20 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will reconsider the extent to which PAS 2030 and PAS 2035 ventilation standards need to be applied in its Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland: Area Based Schemes (HEEPS: ABS) and Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland: Warmer Homes Scotland (HEEPS: WHS) programme for homes in rural areas with high average windspeeds.
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 27 January 2022

S6W-05673: Liam Kerr, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date lodged: 17 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government when in 2022 it expects the consultation on detailed proposals for introducing regulations on minimum standards of energy efficiency for all private housing to begin; what the duration of the consultation period will be, and when it expects to publish the results of the consultation.
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 24 January 2022

Events

For the full list of BEFS Members’ upcoming events see our events calendar.

Falkland Society: Rory Young: His Life and Work
Date & Time: 9 February, 19:00
Online
Rory is a stone sculptor and ‘artificer’, one who makes things, always well-considered and beautiful. He has been called the ‘Prince Charming of the ‘Lime Revival in Britain’. He carried out the lime-based works to the Sea Captain’s House in Kirkcaldy. The West Doorway of York Minster is probably his most famous work.

Glasgow City Heritage Trust: Where are the Women?
Date & Time: 9 February, 19:30
Online
Can you imagine a different Glasgow, a city where women are commemorated in statues and streets and buildings? Join author Sara Sheridan as she talks about her guidebook to that alternative city. Her 2019 book Where are the Women? remaps Scotland as if women’s achievements were memorialised in our built and rural landscape in the same way as men’s are.

Aberdeen City Heritage Trust: Retrofit the North – Calum Maclean Architect
Date & Time: 9 February, 19:00 – 20:00
Online
In this first Aberdeen Heritage Lecture of 2022 and following COP26 in Glasgow last year , Calum will provide insights into how to go about retrofitting traditionally constructed and historic buildings.

Date & Time: 9^th February 1800-1930
Online
RSA Fellows’ Media, Creative Industries Culture & Heritage Network extends an invitation to all to register for “International Cultural Relations: Evaluation and Evidence” with speakers Ian Thomas (British Council) and Professor J P Singh (George Mason University USA, and formerly of University of Edinburgh).

Draft National Planning Framework 4: Information & Discussion events
Date & Time: Series of events from 10 February to 10 March
Online
The Scottish Government has opened registration for online events during February and March, facilitated by Kevin Murray Associates (KMA) and PAS (Planning Aid Scotland) to raise awareness and share views about the Draft NPF4, in order to inform and support the preparation of responses to the consultation, which closes on 31 March 2022. Each session will focus on a specific action area, or policy theme from Draft NPF4. Upcoming events are:
Thurs 10 Feb, 12.30 – 2pm – Northeast Transition
Tues 15 Feb, 12.30 – 2pm – Northern Revitalisation
Thurs 17 Feb, 4.30 – 6pm – Liveable Places

AHSS: Not Dead Space – Edinburgh’s Five World Heritage Site Graveyards
Date & Time: 14 February, 18:30
Online
Dr Susan Buckham describes the history, development and significance of the five WHS burial grounds over their long lifetimes and explores how best to breathe new life into them in a sustainable way, in order to support their heritage values and their role as urban greenspaces.

Training

Jedburgh CARS: Repairing Traditional Windows and Doors
14 February, 18:00 – Evening Talk & Demonstration 
15 February, 09:30 – Full Day Workshop
Location: Jedburgh Town Hall
Free, advance booking required
Jedburgh Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) are working with Frew Conservation to deliver a series of individual day and evening sessions tailored for tradespeople and homeowners, respectively. Upcoming is Repairing Traditional Windows and Doors, with an evening event aimed at homeowners on Monday 14 February at 6pm, and a full-day workshop for tradespeople on Tuesday 15 February, beginning at 9:30am.

Living Streets Scotland: Walkable Communities Two-Part Webinar
Date & Time: 8 & 22 February, 10:00 – 11:45
Online
Living Streets Scotland invite you to their two-part webinar series which offers a fresh perspective on walking infrastructure: what it is and how to get it. They encourage local authorities, active travel advocates, and equalities groups to join them in their mission to find a route to walkable neighbourhoods that everyone can travel. Register separately for Part One and Part Two.

Vacancies

Edinburgh World Heritage: Head of Engagement
Edinburgh World Heritage is looking to appoint a Head of Engagement to communicate the work and value of our organisation, and of Edinburgh as a World Heritage Site, maximising the impact of our reputation, income, profile and engagement. The Head of Engagement leads, and provides strategic direction for, the communications, interpretation, advocacy and learning and engagement programmes, as well as developing and implementing our fundraising strategy.
Closing date: 7 February, 10am

The Cockburn Association: Assistant Director (Fundraising and Outreach)
Hours: Full time with possibility of flexible working and hours
Location: Old Town, Edinburgh with flexibility for hybrid, home-working arrangements
Salary: £27,000
For further information and job specification, please email director@cockburnassociation.org.uk or call 0131 557 8686.
Closing date: 18 February

Get the BEFS Bulletin directly in your inbox. Subscribe here.

BEFS News

BEFS is delighted to welcome a new Trustee to our Board. Fernanda Acosta Ballesteros, of Archaeology Scotland, brings her experience from diverse roles and organisations across the cultural heritage sector, as well as a focus on engagement, community heritage, inclusion and diversity. BEFS warmly thanks Eila Macqueen as she steps down from the Board after six years.

Ahead of yesterday’s Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee debate on Retrofitting of Properties for Net-Zero, Patrick Harvie wrote to the committee to set out the Scottish Government’s position, and SPICe published a spotlight blog taking a closer look at the issues involved.

Opening the debate, it was good to hear Committee Convenor, Ariane Burgess, mention a fabric-first approach, the known skills shortage, and VAT as she acknowledged the scale of the challenge ahead. Questions were raised by Fergus Ewing in relation to tenements, along with support for BEFS report Why Flats Fall Down. Although the Scottish Government work plan is currently delayed, previous work by the Tenement Working Group was rightly referenced by Paul Sweeney as an area where progress can be made. Read the debate transcript here.

Meanwhile, work on NPF4 continues, and SPICe have published a central hub for briefings, blogs, and online resources as parliamentary scrutiny of the draft progresses. A new blog from Hazel Johnson, BEFS Policy & Strategy Manager, outlines the results from BEFS initial engagement with Members in forming a response to the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee’s call for views.

Museums Galleries Scotland have shared details of new funding from the Scottish Government. The Museum Capital Resilience Fund will support capital costs that impact the long-term resilience of Scottish museums. All applicants should contact MGS regarding their proposed applications no later than 5pm on Friday 4 February 2022.

As part of the Empire, Slavery & Scotland’s Museums project, MGS also have a follow-up survey that investigates the work museums and galleries in Scotland have done, or plan to do, in relation to the historical impact and lasting legacy of Scotland’s links to the British Empire and colonialism. The survey is open until 7 February.

2022 is Scotland’s Year of Stories. The second round of applications to the Community Stories Fund, which will support organisations and community groups to deliver public facing activities and events taking place in Scotland during 2022, will open on 24 January until 18 March 2022.

The deadline for entries for the Scottish Civic Trust’s My Place 2022 Awards, which celebrate community-led built environment projects, has been extended to 13 February.

Finally, the Architectural Heritage Fund have also welcomed two new Trustees to their Board, while Jenny Gilruth, Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development, has today announced the appointment of Hugh Hall as the new Chair of Historic Environment Scotland. Congratulations to all.

Get the BEFS Bulletin directly in your inbox. Subscribe here.

Consultations

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee – Call for Views: The role of local government and its cross-sectoral partners in financing and delivering a net-zero Scotland
Closes 21 January 2022

Building Regulations – Compliance And Enforcement: Consultation
Closes 4 February 2022

Heat in buildings – National Public Energy Agency: consultation – call for evidence 2021/2022
Closes 8 February 2022

Local Development Planning – regulations and guidance: consultation
Closes 31 March 2022

Open Space Strategies and Play Sufficiency Assessments: consultation
Closes 31 March 2022

Draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) – Public Consultation
Closes 31 March 2022

Consultation Responses

BEFS Response to the Committee for Local Government, Housing and Planning – Call For Views on NPF4 (10/01/2022)

BEFS Member responses to the committee’s call for views: Archaeology Scotland, RTPI, SURF

Publications

Scottish Homeowners’ Views on Making Domestic Buildings Energy Efficient: Awareness, Challenges, and the Way Forward (Novoville Insights, 18/11/21)

Levelling Up and social needs: An analysis of government’s progress (NPC, 11/01/22)
NPC investigate where Levelling Up money is going and how it compares with public priorities.

SPICe Spotlight: Retrofitting homes for net-zero (13/01/22)

Learning Points: A Blue-Green Strategy for Kilmarnock Town Centre (Architecture & Design Scotland, 19/01/22)
A&DS gathered a group of experts to see how good practice in blue-green infrastructure could be applied to the East Ayrshire regeneration strategy for Kilmarnock Town Centre.

Rebuilding Heritage Resources
Collected blogs, guides, and toolkits from the NLHF-funded support programme to help the heritage sector respond to the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Scottish Government Publications

Building standards – (fire safety) external wall systems: consultation analysis (17/01/22)

UK Government Publications

UK Climate Change Risk Assessment 2022
This report outlines the UK government and devolved administrations’ position on key climate change risks and opportunities. The risk assessment considers UK-wide climate risks across multiple sectors of the economy and priorities several for action.

News Releases

Scotland Regeneration Capital Grant Fund: Projects set for £25m funding boost (The Herald, 03/01/21)
22 projects in locations across Scotland which will share £25 million of funding.

Project appoints mentors to help develop traditional skills in Fife (Project Scotland, 14/01/22)
The Inverkeithing Heritage Regeneration project has appointed Roz Artis and William Napier to work with individuals and SMEs in Fife who wish to develop traditional skills within their workforce.

‘Wallunteers’ build it better at Bannockburn House (Scottish Construction Now, 17/01/22)
The Bannockburn House Trust completed the then biggest urban community buy-out in the UK in 2017. A team of 20 volunteers have so far repointed more than 150 square metres of wall.

Hill House Box shortlisted for EU contemporary architecture prize (The National, 17/01/22)

One of Edinburgh’s oldest buildings to host culture project inspired by climate crisis (The Scotsman, 18/01/22)

Archaeological research in the Highlands (National Trust for Scotland, 14/12/21)
The National Trust for Scotland has 17 properties that fall within the Highland Council area and are therefore covered by the recently published Highland Archaeological Research Framework.

Opinion & Comment

David Lonsdale: Local councils must act to boost our town centres (The Herald, 7/01/22)
The director of the Scottish Retail Consortium argues newly-elected council administrations this Spring must ensure their policies and approach towards retail are supportive.

Podcast: What does the future hold for cities? (RSA Bridges to the Future, 11/01/22)
Matthew Taylor is joined by two Harvard economists, Edward Glaeser and David Cutler, to examine the history and future of the global city.

Edinburgh’s St Giles Cathedral could be handed over to Historic Environment Scotland as part of radical shake-up by Church of Scotland (Edinburgh News, 11/01/22)

M. Nolan Gray: Stop Fetishizing Old Homes (The Atlantic, 11/01/22)
Considering the American city, city planner Gray argues that whatever your aesthetic preferences, new construction is better on nearly every conceivable measure.

A look ahead at the coming year (Scottish Land Commission, 12/01/22)
Chief Executive Hamish Trench looks ahead to the Commission’s focus in 2022.

David Williams: Planning’s second century needs to learn from the errors of its first (The Planner, 14/01/22)
Instead of ‘creating place’, planners should focus on improving existing heritage -not just listed buildings and conservation areas, but the whole built fabric.

Home truths on the challenge to make Scotland a net zero nation (The National [Subscribers], 16/01/22)
Homes account for around thirteen per cent of Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions, and over two million need to be retrofitted to meet net zero targets.

Timothy Brittain-Catlin: Are Scotland’s baronial castles worth saving? (Apollo, 16/01/22)
Scotland is strewn with baronial ruins like those of Buchanan Castle; many more have been demolished.

Parliamentary Questions & Answers

Questions marked with a triangle are initiated by the Scottish Government 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”.

S6W-05062: Liam Kerr, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 14/12/2021
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the best and most cost effective way to insulate traditional granite homes, such as those in the north east and Aberdeen; what the reasons and evidence are for its position, and how it plans to support the decarbonisation of such homes.
Answered by Patrick Harvie (06/01/2022)

S6W-05067: Liam Kerr, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date lodged: 15 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Historic Environment Scotland publication, Guide to Energy Retrofit of Traditional Buildings, regarding the need for “an extensive programme of domestic retrofit” and the part that “the existing built environment, including older or historic buildings, will need to play…in the national refurbishment effort”.
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 11 January 2022

S6W-05393: Colin Beattie, Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party, Date lodged: 24 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what level of funding can be provided by Historic Environment Scotland (HES) to stabilise and develop the site of Mavisbank House in Loanhead; what engagement HES is undertaking with relevant stakeholders to take forward development of this site; what short-term developments HES anticipates for this project, and whether HES will take a leadership role in the site’s development.
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 11 January 2022

S6W-05249: Willie Rennie, North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date lodged: 20 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the climate emergency, and in regard to energy saving and efficiency improvements delivered through its national fuel poverty scheme and other related schemes, what action it has taken to ensure that improvements that are made to homes prioritise environmentally-friendly technologies and heating systems.
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 17 January 2022

Other Parliamentary Activity

Subordinate Legislation on Short-Term Lets Considered by The Local Government, Housing And Planning Committee on 21 December 2021 (published 12/01/22)

Letter from Patrick Harvie, Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants’ Rights to the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee Convener regarding Retrofitting Housing for Net Zero – January 2022 (11 January 2022)

Retrofitting Housing for Net Zero – Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee Debate (18 January 2022) Scottish Parliament TV Recording, Transcript

Events

For the full list of BEFS Members’ upcoming events see our events calendar.

AHSS Strathclyde Group: Conservation in Post-War Scotland
Date & Time: 20 January, 19:30
Online
Gordon R Urquhart, historian and author, charts the development of architectural conservation in Scotland from late 18th-century antiquarianism through to the emergence of a popular (and professional) conservation movement in the tumultuous postwar era.

ICON Archaeology Group: Conservation of the Galloway Hoard
Date & Time: 27 January, 12noon
Online £10 / Icon Members free
The Galloway Hoard was found in 2014 and an exhibition is now on tour in Scotland after extensive research and conservation work. It was a true conservation challenge having a variety of material (glass, rock crystal and other minerals, minerally preserved organics) in addition to the precious metals. This lecture will be given by Martin Goldberg (curator) and Mary Davis (conservator).

SPAB Scotland: Milling Matters – John O’Groats Corn Mill 
Date & Time: 1 February, 12noon
Online: £6 / £5 members or £21 for all four lectures
In the first in a series of four ‘Milling Matters’ lectures from SPAB Scotland and Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust, Rognvald Brown, chairman of the John O’Groats Mill Trust will present the experiences of the Trust with re-establishing this B listed former corn mill in Caithness as a heritage visitor attraction and community venue.

Scottish Historic Buildings Trust: The Port House, Jedburgh
Date & Time: 1 February, 18:00
Online
Built in 1899 to the designs of Architect James Pearson Alison, the Port House, originally a Co-operative department store, had fallen into disrepair in recent times and was on the Buildings at Risk Register before being saved by the Jedburgh Community Trust. In this presentation, Emma Berry, a Partner and Advanced Level Conservation Architect at LDN Architects, will discuss the project from its inception to its imminent completion.

Heritage Trust Network: At the Heart of the Community – A Future for Your Church
Date & Time: 3 February, 10:00 – 11:30
Online
Heritage Trust Network and Historic Churches Scotland are joining forces to host this event for any community group contemplating the future of their church building. We will hear a case study from Dinah McDonald, trustee of Historic Kilmun, who will talk about their journey to taking ownership, building repairs, fundraising and the current focus of becoming sustainable.

SoAoS: Diversity is not a silo: routes to anti-racist work in Scottish heritage
Date & Time: 7 February, 18:00
Online
Dr Churnjeet Mahn will discuss what we need from the past to make more inclusive futures for BAME groups across Scotland. Case studies will explore how BAME people in Scotland are systematically excluded from the educational and organisational structures that underpin the management and public understanding of heritage in Scotland. Rather than being part of decision making on ‘national’ bodies, or in the board rooms of influential organisations, BAME people are more likely to be found in ‘community’ settings or events. How do we begin to think beyond silos of diversity?

Training

Arts & Business Scotland: Culture and Business Scotland Conference 2022
Date & Time: 10 February, 14:00 – 17:00
Online
Hosted by BBC Scotland’s Arts Correspondent Pauline McLean, this event welcomes the business, public, and culture sectors to come together to discuss how engaging with creativity and culture can be the key to not simply surviving but thriving in the face of key collective universal challenges.

Vacancies

Edinburgh World Heritage: Head of Engagement
Edinburgh World Heritage is looking to appoint a Head of Engagement to communicate the work and value of our organisation, and of Edinburgh as a World Heritage Site, maximising the impact of our reputation, income, profile and engagement. The Head of Engagement leads, and provides strategic direction for, the communications, interpretation, advocacy and learning and engagement programmes, as well as developing and implementing our fundraising strategy.
Closing date: 7 February, 10am

Get the BEFS Bulletin directly in your inbox. Subscribe here.

BEFS News

Happy New Year from all of us at BEFS! 2021 saw big changes at BEFS, and we go into 2022 with a brand new team. To help direct any contact you may wish to make with the BEFS team, you can read more about each of our roles below. We look forward to working with you in 2022 to advocate on behalf of Scotland’s existing built environment.

Ailsa Macfarlane – Director
Hazel Johnson – Policy & Strategy Manager
Jess Burrows – Communications & Membership Manager
Ilona McAllister – Company Secretary & Business Administrator

In a return to our previous schedule, this year the Bulletin will be sent on the first and third Wednesday of each month. If you have any news, publications, or events that you think might interest readers of the Bulletin, you can send details directly to Jess by email.

Next Tuesday 11 January is #HeritageTreasures day on social media. Get ready to share your favourite places, programmes, and projects.

Entries close on 6 February for the Scottish Civic Trust’s My Place 2022 Awards, which celebrate community-led built environment projects, as well as for their My Place Photography 2022 competition for young people aged 4-18.

Get the BEFS Bulletin directly in your inbox. Subscribe here.

Consultations

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee – Call for Views: National Planning Framework (NPF4)
Closes 10 January 2022

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee – Call for Views: The role of local government and its cross-sectoral partners in financing and delivering a net-zero Scotland
Closes 21 January 2022

Building Regulations – Compliance And Enforcement: Consultation
Closes 4 February 2022

Heat in buildings – National Public Energy Agency: consultation – call for evidence 2021/2022
Closes 8 February 2022

Local Development Planning – regulations and guidance: consultation
Closes 31 March 2022

Open Space Strategies and Play Sufficiency Assessments: consultation
Closes 31 March 2022

Draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) – Public Consultation
Closes 31 March 2022

Publications

Dundee Cultural Recovery: a policy report. King’s College, London. England, L. (2021)
The findings highlight the significant contribution and performance of the cultural and creative sector prior to Covid and outlines a critical pathway for recovery.

Scottish Government Publications

Targeted funds for culture and events (03/01/21)
Details of a financial package worth £65 million for culture and major events have been confirmed by the Culture Secretary Angus Robertson.

News Releases

Scotland Regeneration Capital Grant Fund: Projects set for £25m funding boost (The Herald, 03/01/21)
22 projects in locations across Scotland which will share £25 million of funding.

Scheme to preserve ancient craft skills expanded across island of Ireland (Irish Examiner, 03/01/22)
The initial bursary scheme saw six students undergo training in Northern Ireland to learn the skills needed to maintain historic monuments and buildings.

More than 400 churches close in a decade amid ‘shocking’ threat to parishes (Paywall, The Telegraph, 03/01/22)
Analysis by The Telegraph shows nearly 1,000 have closed in just over 30 years.

Aberdeen Council lawyers to be called into action on controversial high-rise A-listing(Press & Journal, 01/01/22)
The Council is considering seeking a judicial review after the A listed status of five tower blocks was upheld by the Scottish Government at appeal.

West Lothian plans new ‘town of tomorrow’ with futuristic neighbourhood (Edinburgh Live, 30/12/21)
Winchburgh, as it grows, will be home to one of Scotland’s pioneering new town concepts – the 20-Minute Neighbourhood.

South Ayrshire Council zero emissions plan could cost up to £575m to put in place (Daily Record, 28/12/21)
A report on retrofitting existing local authority properties has produced three options with costs ranging from £205m to £575m.

Opinion & Comment

Ariane Burgess: All of us will have to play a part in bringing our homes up to standard(John O’Groat Journal, 01/01/22)
Ariane Burgess MSP, Convenor of the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee, on the need for a ‘fabric first’ approach to a national home retrofitting project.

Janey Douglas: Upgrading listed buildings is key to the net-zero drive (The Herald, 30/12/21)
Most of today’s commercial real estate will still be in use in 2045 when Scotland plans to be net zero. The only way we can feasibly hit this target is to upgrade buildings already in use.

Simon Jenkins: Churches could double as banks, or even serve beer. We can’t leave them empty (The Guardian, 31/12/21)
These mainly listed buildings sit at the heart of almost every community – we are squandering a precious legacy.

Parliamentary Questions

Questions marked with a triangle are initiated by the Scottish Government 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”.

S6W-05393: Colin Beattie, Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: 24 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what level of funding can be provided by Historic Environment Scotland (HES) to stabilise and develop the site of Mavisbank House in Loanhead; what engagement HES is undertaking with relevant stakeholders to take forward development of this site; what short-term developments HES anticipates for this project, and whether HES will take a leadership role in the site’s development.

Parliamentary Questions & Answers

Questions marked with a triangle are initiated by the Scottish Government 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”.

S6O-00551: Christine Grahame, Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date Lodged: 08/12/2021
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has taken to support town centres.
Follow-up question from Christine Grahame: Is current compulsory purchase legislation sufficient to permit a local authority to take ownership and redevelop vacant town centre retail stores?
Follow-up question from Siobhian Brown, Ayr, Scottish National Party
What further action could be taken to improve the appearance of our town centres, where many shops lie empty and are deteriorating, along with derelict land and buildings?
Taken in the Chamber on 16/12/2021

S6W-05223: Paul Sweeney, Glasgow, Scottish Labour  
Date lodged: 20 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether a presumption in planning policy against the demolition of existing buildings will be incorporated into National Planning Framework 4 in order to meet the carbon reduction measures that were agreed at COP26.
Answered by Tom Arthur on 23 December 2021

Events

For the full list of BEFS Members’ upcoming events see our events calendar.

RSA Fellows’ MCICH Network: Re-Purposing Heritage
Date & Time: 18 January, 18:00 – 19:30
Online
Learn about two great examples of Italian heritage buildings finding a new purpose in the modern world. These very different projects began before the pandemic, one in 2000, one later. Both were challenging, as Charlotte Horton and Paolo Petrocelli will explain via illustrated presentations followed by facilitated debate. For exploration are challenges and opportunities since, post pandemic, many heritage buildings – both urban and rural – assume new lives and purpose.

EWH: Hiding in plain sight: the legacy of slavery and colonialism in Edinburgh
Date & Time: 20 January, 18:00 – 20:00
Online
In this free new talk, Nicholas Hotham, former Head of Engagement at Edinburgh World Heritage, will present an objective view of Edinburgh’s connections to slavery and colonialism during the 18th and 19th centuries, and ask what, if anything, we should do about it.

HES: Sir Walter Scott’s Abbotsford: “The Delilah of his Imagination”
Date & Time: 20 January, 14:00
Online
Join Kirsty Archer-Thompson, Collections and Interpretations Manager at Abbotsford, as she discusses what Scott was trying to achieve in terms of Abbotsford’s composition and curation, using examples from the fabric of the building alongside the collections housed within, to illustrate how he created a space for the celebration of history, memory and storytelling.

AHSS: Not Dead Space – Edinburgh’s Five World Heritage Site Graveyards
Date & Time: 14 February, 18:30
Online
Dr Susan Buckham describes the history, development and significance of the five WHS burial grounds over their long lifetimes and explores how best to breathe new life into them in a sustainable way, in order to support their heritage values and their role as urban greenspaces.

Training

CIfA: Inclusion Awareness Training
Date & Time: 12 January, 14:00 – 15:00
Online, £15 (CIfA Members £10)
The training session will cover how to recognise conditions such as Dyslexia, DCD/Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia, ADHD and Autistic Spectrum Condition at work. This workshop is ideal for line managers, those who work alongside neurodiverse colleagues and/or neurodiverse individuals who wish to suggest changes or make adaptations to workplace behaviours or task management.

Vacancies

Glasgow City Heritage Trust: Heritage Officer (Grants)
GCHT seek a Grants Officer to support the implementation of the Trust’s new Historic Built Environment Grants programme for the benefit of all people living and working in and visiting Glasgow. Managing a caseload of external grants, the core of this role is working closely with residents, communities, professionals and contractors in Glasgow in support of the Trust’s Strategic Plan to promote the benefits of safeguarding, enhancing and engaging with Glasgow’s Historic Built Environment.
Closing date: Noon, 17 January

Get the BEFS Bulletin directly in your inbox. Subscribe here.

BEFS News

Kate Forbes delivered the budget statement in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 9 December. Find the full statement and accompanying documents below, under Scottish Government Publications. BEFS Director, Ailsa Macfarlane, gives her overview of place and historic environment within the draft budget on the BEFS blog.

Attention is also drawn to several newly released Consultations and Calls for Views. Committees seek early responses on NPF4 and on the role of local government and its cross-sectoral partners in financing and delivering a net-zero Scotland. Meanwhile, a closing date of 31 March has been set for new consultations on Local Development Planning and Open Space Strategies and Play Sufficiency Assessments, along with the public consultation on the draft NPF4.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2021 SURF Awards for Best Practice in Community Regeneration, who were announced on the 9th December at a celebratory presentation event in Glasgow.

BEFS was delighted to see Hannah Smith, ICE, has been invited to join the Just Transition Commission. Congratulations also go to BEFS Board Member, Tyler Lott Johnston, who becomes SPAB Scotland Chair.

As part of the Facing Our Past project, the National Trust for Scotland has published an interim report on the connections between the properties in their care and historical enslavement.

BEFS is very pleased to back Stirling’s bid for UK City of Culture 2025. Stirling is the only Scottish city to make the UK longlist.

A Call for Papers is now open for Archaeological Research in Progress (ARP) 2022, a one-day conference presenting new research ?ndings and best practice in archaeology, taking place 28 May 2022. The deadline for proposals is 27 Feb 2022.

BEFS remains hopeful of holding a social event for Members and Associates at the end of January, but given the current uncertainty around potential restrictions, now looks forward to issuing invitations in the New Year.

Finally, BEFS Team and Board wish all of our readers a relaxing festive period, and a happy New Year.

Get the BEFS Bulletin directly in your inbox. Subscribe here.

Consultations

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee – Call for Views: National Planning Framework (NPF4)
Closes 10 January 2022

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee – Call for Views: The role of local government and its cross-sectoral partners in financing and delivering a net-zero Scotland
*NEW * Closes 21 January 2022

Building Regulations – Compliance And Enforcement: Consultation
Closes 4 February 2022

Heat in buildings – National Public Energy Agency: consultation – call for evidence 2021/2022
Closes 8 February 2022

Local Development Planning – regulations and guidance: consultation
*NEW * Closes 31 March 2022

Open Space Strategies and Play Sufficiency Assessments: consultation
*NEW * Closes 31 March 2022

Draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) – Public Consultation
Closes 31 March 2022

Publications

20 Minute Neighbourhoods in draft NPF4 (SURF, 29/11/21)

Historic Opportunities: How heritage-led regeneration can drive town centre change (Lichfields, 1/12/21)

RTPI Scotland responds to budget (10/12/21)

Culture Counts responds to the budget (16/12/21)

Interim report on the connections between the properties now in the care of the National Trust for Scotland and historical enslavement (NTS 20/12/21)

Levelling up policies should target disparities between entire regions and within them (Bennett Institute 16/08/21)

The role of ‘Place’ in collaborations between HEI’s and the Arts and Cultural Sector (11/2021)

Scottish Government’s response to Scotland’s Climate Assembly Goal 3: Retrofitting Homes 

Scottish Government Publications

The Scottish Budget 2022-23 has been published with the following accompanying documents:
Scottish Income Tax: 2022-2023
Equality and Fairer Scotland Budget Statement 2022-23
Changes to Scottish Income Tax for 2022 to 2023: factsheet
Scottish Income Tax: distributional analysis 2022-2023
Scottish Rate Resolution 2022-23: motion and explanatory note
Public sector pay policy 2022 to 2023
Public sector pay policy 2022 to 2023: equality impact assessment
Investing in Scotland’s Future: Resource Spending Review Framework
The Scottish Government’s Medium Term Financial Strategy

Regeneration Capital Grant Fund: projects in some of Scotland’s more disadvantaged and rural communities will share more than £25 million of funding (SG, 17/12/21)

News Releases

12 European heritage sites shortlisted for the 7 Most Endangered Programme 2022 (Europa Nostra, 14/12/21)

GHA’s Bell Street development wins another design award (Scottish Housing News, 17/12/21)

Help for residents who faced £330k bill for major roof works to Aberdeen tenement (Scottish Housing News, 20/12/21)

Opinion & Comment

Move over Mack, Scotland’s forgotten architectural geniuses deserve their moment in the limelight (The Herald, 11/12/21)

Parliamentary Questions

Questions marked with a triangle are initiated by the Scottish Government 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”.

S6W-05062: Liam Kerr, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date Lodged: 14/12/2021
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the best and most cost effective way to insulate traditional granite homes, such as those in the north east and Aberdeen; what the reasons and evidence are for its position, and how it plans to support the decarbonisation of such homes.

S6W-05067: Liam Kerr, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: 15 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Historic Environment Scotland publication, Guide to Energy Retrofit of Traditional Buildings, regarding the need for “an extensive programme of domestic retrofit” and the part that “the existing built environment, including older or historic buildings, will need to play…in the national refurbishment effort”.

S6W-05249: Willie Rennie, North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: 20 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the climate emergency, and in regard to energy saving and efficiency improvements delivered through its national fuel poverty scheme and other related schemes, what action it has taken to ensure that improvements that are made to homes prioritise environmentally-friendly technologies and heating systems.

Parliamentary Questions & Answers

Questions marked with a triangle are initiated by the Scottish Government 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”.

S6W-04639: Jeremy Balfour, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: 25 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on its Single Building Assessment programme, and when it anticipates the programme will be concluded.
Answered by Shona Robison on 10 December 2021

Motions

Motion ref. S6M-02425
Sauchiehall Avenue Wins National Urban Design Award 2021
Submitted by: Kaukab Stewart, Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish National Party.
Date lodged: Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Motion ref. S6M-02531
The Furniture Project (Stranraer) Wins Prestigious Regeneration Award
Submitted by: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party.
Date lodged: Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Motion ref. S6M-02530
Fraserburgh Wins SURF Award for Scotland’s Most Improved Place 2021
Submitted by: Liam Kerr, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party.
Date lodged: Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Motion ref. S6M-02522
RIG Arts Wins Creative Regeneration Category at 2021 SURF Awards for Best Practice in Community Regeneration
Submitted by: Stuart McMillan, Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party.
Date lodged: Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Events

For the full list of BEFS Members’ upcoming events see our events calendar.

RSA Fellows’ MCICH Network: Re-Purposing Heritage
Date & Time: 18 January, 18:00 – 19:30
Online
Learn about two great examples of Italian heritage buildings finding a new purpose in the modern world. These very different projects began before the pandemic, one in 2000, one later. Both were challenging, as Charlotte Horton and Paolo Petrocelli will explain via illustrated presentations followed by facilitated debate. For exploration are challenges and opportunities since, post pandemic, many heritage buildings – both urban and rural – assume new lives and purpose.

SCT: My Place 2022 Awards open for entry
Entries close 6 February 2022
The My Place Awards celebrate community-led built environment projects. Eligible projects include new buildings, historic buildings or monuments that have been reused or refurbished, designed public realm schemes (streetworks, parks) and designed landscapes (gardens, public green spaces).

SCT: My Place Photography 2022 competition open for entry
Entries close 6 February 2022
My Place Photography Competition is a Scotland-wide built environment photography competition for young people aged 4-18. If you’re a teacher, home educator or leader of a youth group, having your young people participate in the competition encourages them to explore their local area and experiment with using photography as a means of creative expression.

Vacancies

Glasgow City Heritage Trust: Heritage Officer (Grants)
GCHT seek a Grants Officer to support the implementation of the Trust’s new Historic Built Environment Grants programme for the benefit of all people living and working in and visiting Glasgow. Managing a caseload of external grants, the core of this role is working closely with residents, communities, professionals and contractors in Glasgow in support of the Trust’s Strategic Plan to promote the benefits of safeguarding, enhancing and engaging with Glasgow’s Historic Built Environment.
Closing date: Noon, 17 January

Get the BEFS Bulletin directly in your inbox. Subscribe here.

BEFS News

As scrutiny of the draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) document gets underway, BEFS will hold a roundtable in early January to discuss the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee call for views. Further opportunities for discussion of the draft National Planning Framework in full will be available at the Historic Environment Working Group (HEWG) meeting on 23 February (BEFS Members and Associates), and at a planned workshop in early March which will be open to wider sector participation.

Aberdeen Art Gallery has won the RIAS 2021 Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award, following an ‘outstanding’ refurbishment and extension by Hoskins Architects.

Congratulations too to Archaeology Scotland, who are joint winners of the Engagement and Participation award at the Archaeological Achievement Awards. Over on the BEFS blog this week, Maria Gundestrup of Archaeology Scotland looks back at the online and in-person events of Scottish Archaeology Month 2021.

Scottish Civic Trust’s My Place Awards 2022 are now open for entries. The My Place Awards celebrate community-led built environment projects. Eligible projects include new buildings, historic buildings or monuments that have been reused or refurbished, designed public realm schemes (streetworks, parks) and designed landscapes (gardens, public green spaces).

Scottish Civic Trust are also highlighting a community initiative to find a new use for Glasgow’s Egyptian Halls. The public consultation is open until 20 December.

BEFS wish Stuart Beattie well as he retires from Scotland’s Churches Trust. Stuart has been a champion of heritage over many years, supporting grants, volunteers and research across the sector – as well as being a past Trustee of BEFS. We also warmly welcome Dr DJ Johnston-Smith as the new Director of SCT, and look forward to working with him from January when he takes up his new role.

BEFS also welcome Eilish McGuinness in her new role. She will take over from Ros Kerslake CBE, who announced in July she was stepping down as CEO of the Heritage Fund and National Heritage Memorial Fund after five and a half years.

December is traditionally the time of BEFS AGM, and this year was no different – if entirely virtual. The due process was swiftly completed, and we said farewell, and extended thanks, to Eila Macqueen who steps down from the Board after several years of insightful service.  BEFS Members voted in favour of welcoming Archaeology Scotland’s nomination for the Board, Fernanda Acosta Ballesteros. We’ll let Fernanda introduce herself more fully in the new year. Early 2022 has plans for an in-person social gathering and an opportunity to meet BEFS Board, and BEFS Team.

Get the BEFS Bulletin directly in your inbox. Subscribe here.

Consultations

Draft Heat Networks Delivery Plan
Closes 13 December 2021

Building Regulations – Compliance And Enforcement: Consultation
Closes 4 February 2022

Heat in buildings – National Public Energy Agency: consultation – call for evidence 2021/2022
*NEW* Closes 8 February 2022

Draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) – Public Consultation
Closes 31 March 2022

Consultation Responses

BEFS Response: Scottish Building Regulations: Energy Standards and Associated Topics Consultation (18/11/2021)

Publications

Scottish Futures Trust ‘Place Guide’

Heritage, Disaster Response and Resilience (UNESCO)

Low Carbon Learning (Construction Scotland Innovation Centre)

Understanding Scotland – The Scottish Wellbeing Index (Nov 2021)

Some observations on moving forward after COP26 (IHBC@COP26 Helpdesk+)

Heritage, Equity & the Climate Crisis: Lecture Series (Scottish Civic Trust, 12/11/21)

Fostering Sustainable Cities through Resilience Thinking: The Role of Nature-Based Solutions (NBSs): Lessons Learned from Two Italian Case Studies (21/11/21)

The Scottish Third Sector Tracker (SCVO 23/11/21)

Supporting our communities: Time to move from false competition to needs-based investment (RSA 29/11/21)

Scottish Government Publications

Scotland 2045: fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) – draft: integrated impact assessment – environmental report (29/11/21)

Scotland 2045: fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) – draft: lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions – research (29/11/21)

Scotland 2045: fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) – draft: society and equalities impact assessment (29/11/21)

Short term lets – draft Licensing Order and business and regulatory impact assessment: consultation report (23/11/21)

News Releases

‘Netflix for churches’ launched in bid to save crumbling places of worship (The Telegraph, paywall 24/11/2021)

Scotland Loves Local Awards winners revealed (25/11/21)

First Hampden Park campaigners in bid for World Heritage Site status (The Herald, 27/11/21)

Application to list Crawick Multiverse as a designated landscape (The Scotsman, 1/12/21)

BRE helps build new embodied carbon database (BRE Group)

Solar panels approved for Edinburgh Castle (The Herald, 6/12/21)

£1m funding awarded for historic Stirling conservation projects (Scottish Construction Now, 6/12/21)

Glasgow University to lead HES ‘imperial connections’ mapping project of historic sites(The Scotsman, paywall, 8/12/21)

Opinion & Comment

Urban feminism: the answer to the failures of our blokey built environment? (The Fifth Estate, 23/11/21)

Place: the missing key for unlocking a circular economy (RSA Blog, 24/11/21)

Historic Photographer of the Year awards 2021 (The Guardian, 25/11/21)

Mark O’Neill: Hard choices ahead for Scotland’s built environment (Press and Journal, 26/11/21)

Gabriella Bennett: Improving tenements in Scotland needs smart thinking (The Times, paywall, 28/11/21)

Podcast: Carbon neutral? I don’t see how! (Scottish Housing News)

Podcast: If Glasgow’s Walls Could Talk, with accessibility consultant Emily Rose Yates (Glasgow City Heritage Trust)

Parliamentary Questions

Questions marked with a triangle are initiated by the Scottish Government 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”.

S6W-04639: Jeremy Balfour, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party 
Date lodged: 25 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on its Single Building Assessment programme, and when it anticipates the programme will be concluded.

Parliamentary Questions & Answers

Questions marked with a triangle are initiated by the Scottish Government 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”.

S6W-04221: Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con)
Date lodged: 9 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government when it will confirm the date for the removal of the requirement for EWS1 forms, and their replacement with Scottish Government-funded Single Building Assessments.
Answered by Shona Robison on 23 November 2021

S6W-04365: Mercedes Villalba, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: 15 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that home efficiency targets are delivered in the (a) private rented sector and (b) social rented sector, without tenants having to take financial responsibility for the targets being met.
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 24 November 2021

S6W-04439: Liam Kerr, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: 18 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to enforce the transition of buildings to an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C by 2033, and whether it plans to impose any restrictions or bans on sales of properties that have not achieved an EPC rating of C by 2033.
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 2 December 2021         

S6W-04499: Paul Sweeney, Glasgow, Scottish Labour 
Date lodged: 18 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any implications of the ending of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), due to take place in March 2022, for the development and expansion of district heating schemes in Scotland.
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 2 December 2021 

S6W-04535: Fulton MacGregor, Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party  
Date lodged: 19 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to support insulation and sound mitigating measures for ceilings in flatted developments that do not currently have them.
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 2 December 2021

S6W-04583: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: 23 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set a target of installing 1GW of solar PV capacity on public and commercial buildings by 2030, as recommended in the Scottish Renewables publication, Beyond COP26: Next steps for Scotland’s clean energy revolution.
Answered by Michael Matheson on 6 December 2021

Other Parliamentary Activity

Licensing of Short -Term Lets – SPICe Analysis of Survey Responses (25/11/21)

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee: Evidence Submission from the Existing Home Alliance Scotland on the Retrofitting of Existing Homes (25/11/21)

Motions

Motion ref. S6M-02375
Aberdeen Art Gallery Crowned Best Building in Scotland
Submitted by: Douglas Lumsden, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party.
Date lodged: Friday, December 3, 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.

Motion ref. S6M-02442
Scotland Loves Local
Submitted by: Tom Arthur, Renfrewshire South, Scottish National Party.
Date lodged: Monday, December 6, 2021

Motion ref. S6M-02382
Scotland Loves Local Benefitting Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale
Submitted by: Christine Grahame, Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party.
Date lodged: Monday, December 6, 2021

Events

For the full list of BEFS Members’ upcoming events see our events calendar.

SoAoS: Presbyterianism and Philhellenism, 1821–56
Date & Time: December 13^th 6:00pm to 7:30pm GMT
Both in-person at NMS Auditorium and online via YouTube live.
Short description of event: This lecture explores the philhellenic writings and initiatives of these figures during the period between the outbreak of the Revolution and the end of the Crimean War, evaluating their significance within their wider Scottish, British imperial, and Greek contexts. It argues for the existence of a distinct, dissenting Presbyterian missionary philhellenism that was in turn linked with Britain’s political and colonial interests in the eastern Mediterranean.

AHSS: The Architectural Legacy of Sir Walter Scott
Date & Time: 13 December, 18:30
Online or in-person at the Augustine United Church, 41 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh
This talk with Simon Green looks at the influence Sir Walter Scott had on the ‘Scottishness’ of Scottish architecture, and how his celebration of the Medieval past fuelled a re-examination of ancient buildings. As we shall see, the Scots Baronial in its varied manifestations is indebted to Scott, but so too, through William Morris, is the Arts & Crafts Movement.

Training

Arts & Business Scotland: Hybrid working
Date & Time: 9 December, 12:00 – 13:30
Online: via Zoom
This webinar will provide practical guidance and insights into the move towards hybrid working and flexible working arrangements and the employment law implications. Delivered by Employment Lawyers from Anderson Strathern, the session will cover:
•     Top tips on managing a hybrid working policy.
•     How discrimination risks can be identified and mitigated
•     How can mental health and capability issues be appropriately managed
•     Can staff be made to work from home?
•     What if everyone wants to work from home?
•     What if the home is outside the UK

•    Essential clauses including those covering cancellations and restrictions due to COVID-19.

Vacancies

Heritage Trust Network: Heritage Trainee (Graduate)
The Heritage Trust Network is recruiting for a new post of Heritage Trainee (Graduate) for a fixed term of 6 months. This post has been designed to help the successful graduate develop on-the-job skills and knowledge to help them gain early-career access to the heritage sector.
Closing date: 13 December 

RTPI Scotland: Intern Project Officer 
The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Scotland branch are looking for a motivated person who can use collaborative and analytical skills to support the engagement of the Scottish membership with the scrutiny of the draft NPF4. This paid internship will be key in helping to deliver RTPI’s engagement strategy through the important formal consultation process before a final draft is presented to the Scottish Parliament.
Closing date: 15 December

Get the BEFS Bulletin directly in your inbox. Subscribe here.