Get The Latest Built Environment News, Policy Developments, Publications, Consultations And More.
BEFS News
The National Lottery Heritage Fund is once again accepting project funding applications up to £100,000. This funding is to help the heritage community recover from the effects of the pandemic, and re-engage with the communities hardest hit. Grants are available to organisations working with heritage to build their resilience and engage with those most in need in our communities. The Fund has also launched interest free loans aimed at organisations looking to restart and develop their income generating potential. Find out more here.
Applications are open for the new Social Enterprise Academy’s, National Lottery Heritage Fund programme – Steps to Sustainability. The programme will help UK heritage organisation be ambitious, forward thinking and deliver exciting new projects. Starting in February 2021. Find out more here.
The Scottish Government has published Securing a Green Recovery on a Path to Net Zero, an update to Scotland’s 2018-2032 Climate Change Plan, which sets out the a pathway to new and ambitious targets set by the Climate Change Act 2019. It is a key strategic document on our green recovery from COVID-19.
Ahead of next year’s Scottish Parliament elections, the Scottish Civic Trust has published an action plan that outlines five priorities for the new Scottish Government: 1) Planning that genuinely benefits all communities, 2) Safe-guarding Scotland’s built heritage, 3) Homes and environments for well-being and climate change resilience, 4) Education that builds civic pride, and 5) A place for everyone. Read more.
BEFS responded to Historic Environment Scotland’s Talking About Heritage consultation, drawing on input from Members. Feedback was largely positive and Member’s working with community groups around an asset saw great benefit in the document’s approach. There were questions about what actions to take from the document, and whether more tailored, bite-size, sections would be available in the final iteration. Read the full response here.
BEFS is delighted to learn that Under One Roof, the advice website for flat owners and their advisers, is set to expand as it becomes a new charity. It is looking for a Chief Executive to lead it in its second phase where it plans more outreach work with tenement and flat owners in Scotland. Job details are available here.
At our AGM earlier this month, BEFS wished four wonderful board members a fond farewell. We would like to thank Jocelyn Cunliffe, Kate Houghton, Stuart Beattie and Tom Addyman for their expertise and support of the team. We would also like to welcome our newest board member Peter Drummond.
The Heritage Alliance will be counting down to the 25th December by sharing a different facet of the heritage sector each day on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Get in the festive spirit heritage style with #12DaysOfHeritage.
Finally, team BEFS would like to wish you a very merry festive season and a fantastic start to 2021!
Consultations
Draft Public Engagement Strategy for Climate Change
Opened 16 Dec 2020 and closes 17 Mar 2021.
Planning system – promotion and mediation: draft guidance
Opened 15 Dec 2020 and closes 12 Mar 2021.
Consultations on Draft Guidance and Museums Processing Fee
– 1. Implementing a museum processing fee for archaeological assemblages in Scotland
– 2. New draft guidance for the minimum standards for the transfer of archaeological assemblages to museums in Scotland
Opened 14 Dec 2020 and closes 8 Feb 2021.
Inquiry – 21st century places: values and benefits
Opened 30 Nov 2020 and closes 29 Jan 2021.
New Build Heat Standard – Scoping Consultation
Opened 9 Dec 2020 and closes 3 Mar 2021.
Consultation: Scotland’s Third Land Use Strategy
Opened 2 Dec 2020 and closes 17 Jan 2021.
Scotland’s Economic Performance – The contribution of place-based economic development zones
Closes 20 Dec 2020.
National Planning Framework: Position Statement
Closes 19 Feb 2021.
COVID-19 Creative Industries Impact Survey
Community landownership and the climate emergency
Consultation Responses
Short-term lets – licensing scheme and planning control areas: consultation analysis (SG 10/12/20)
Publications
Edinburgh, Lothians & Borders Archaeology Conference Talks (12/20)
Architectural Heritage Fund Annual Review 2019-20 (AHF 14/12/20)
State of the Nation Report – Scotland (ICE 12/20)
Land and property taxation in Scotland: Initial scoping of options for reform (SLC 10/12/20)
Fire safety design summary (SG 09/12/20)
Common Good Land – A Protocol (SLC 03/12/20)
Delivering design value: The housing design quality conundrum (UKCCHE 12/20)
Gross Domestic Wellbeing (GDWe): an alternative measure of social progress (CUKT 12/20)
Respond, recover, reset: the voluntary sector and COVID-19 (11/20)
COVID-19 Voluntary Sector Impact Barometer (11/20)
Depositing Archaeological Finds & Assemblages in Scottish Museums 2020 Survey Report (SAS 10/20/)
Scottish Government News Releases
National Planning Framework 4 Position Statement – getting involved and having your say (SG 15/12/20)
We published our NPF4 Position Statement on 26 November 2020, setting out our current thinking towards the production of the next National Planning Framework. At the same time, we also published an updated Programme for Engagement.
New standards for short-term lets (SG 10/12/20)
Existing hosts of short-term lets will now have until April 2023 to apply for a licence under Scottish Government plans for regulation.
Setting housing standards to cut climate change emissions (SG 09/12/20)
Views sought on proposed rules requiring zero emissions heating systems in all new build homes.
News Releases
More than £165 million in repayable finance announced to support major arts and heritage institutions as Culture Recovery Fund marks £1 billion milestone (DDCMS 11/12/20)
£165 million offered to organisations including the National Theatre, Southbank Centre, English National Opera and Royal Shakespeare Company who will be supported by major loans from the Culture Recovery Fund.
Changes to the land and property tax system could support Scotland’s recovery and renewal (SLC 10/12/20)
Taxes on land and property could serve as a powerful tool for helping Scotland develop a robust, resilient wellbeing economy, according to a new report published today.
12 European heritage sites shortlisted for the 7 Most Endangered Programme 2021 (EN 10/12/20)
Europa Nostra and its partner organisation, the European Investment Bank Institute, have today announced the 12 most threatened heritage sites in Europe shortlisted for the 7 Most Endangered programme 2021.
‘Conservation, Places and People’ APPG (IHBC 08/12/20)
Westminster’s new All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on ‘Conservation, Places and People’, chaired by Layla Moran MP and with the IHBC as its Secretariat, has embarked on its first public inquiry, with the call closing on 29 January 2021 and oral evidence sessions to be announced in due course.
Caithness Iron Age stone tower conserved (BBC 08/12/20)
Conservation work has been completed on an Iron Age drystone tower that was damaged by Victorian archaeologists.
Make Your Mark in Volunteering (HES 04/12/20)
An initiative which aims to increase the number and diversity of heritage volunteers in Scotland has been launched.
+Home and Connector Housing are Named Joint Winners of the Government’s Home of 2030 Competition (A 04/12/20)
Launched in March 2020, and managed by the RIBA, the competition encouraged the design of environmentally friendly homes that support people in leading independent, fulfilling lives as our society ages.
Our infrastructure is also our heritage – we must maintain and reuse it for a greener future (HES 03/12/20)
Director of Heritage, Barbara Cummins, explains why we need to keep the infrastructure of our past and reuse it for a greener future.
New Protocol on local authority management of Common Good Land (SLC 03/12/20)
Clear expectations on the management of Common Good land by local authorities will help make the most of this unique form of ownership for communities, says the latest protocol from the Scottish Land Commission.
Opinion & Comment
The house of the future? A sun-filled, shape-shifting, shed-share paradise (Guardian 04/12/20)
Green growth vs degrowth: are we missing the point? (OD 04/12/20)
Parliamentary Questions & Answers
Questions marked with a triangle (?) are initiated by the Government in order to facilitate the provision of information to the Parliament.
Question S5W-33095: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 06/11/2020
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to prioritising the installation of low-carbon heating in the existing housing stock ahead of improving energy efficiency in that sector.
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse (03/12/2020)
Question S5W-33487: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 23/11/2020
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of research by Scottish Renewables recording a 20% reduction since 2011 in the number of local authority planning department staff, how it will ensure that councils are appropriately resourced to deliver the planning consents needed to deliver the renewable energy generation required to meet the net-zero target.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (02/12/2020)
Question S5W-33486: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 23/11/2020
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of research by Scottish Renewables recording a 20% reduction since 2011 in the number of local authority planning department staff, how the forthcoming NPF4 planning reforms will ensure that the planning system will be focused on tackling the climate emergency.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (02/12/2020)
Events
For the latest information about BEFS Members’ events see our events calendar.
2020 Virtual SURF Awards Dinner
Date & time: 18th February 2021, 7pm.
Online platform details: Streaming live via Vimeo.
SURF and the Scottish Government have teamed up again to deliver the prestigious SURF Awards for Best Practice in Community Regeneration. These are presented to projects that are judged by a panel of independent regeneration experts to be performing outstanding regeneration work in Scotland’s communities. The awards process concludes with a celebratory dinner event, at which the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government will reveal the 2020 SURF Award winners. As public gatherings look uncertain for the foreseeable future, the dinner will be streamed live from Glasgow via Vimeo, with projects and partners joining the hosts virtually.
Vacancies
Chief Executive
Under One Roof, the highly praised advice website for flat owners and their advisers in Scotland, is set to expand as it becomes a new charity. It is looking for a Chief Executive to lead it in its second phase where it plans more outreach work with tenement and flat owners in Scotland. Job details are available on its website.
BEFS needs your help to protect Scotland’s cultural heritage.
Scotland’s architectural and archaeological heritage are a fundamental part of our identity and economy, and it is important that they remain protected in post-Brexit legislation.
The definition of “environment” within the amended draft UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity)(Scotland) Bill is currently inconsistent with both Scottish and European legislation and it may weaken environmental protections for cultural heritage. The wording proposed following Stage 2 of the Bill’s progress introduces a new definition which could result in future legal challenge.
To fully align with the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005, referred to in sections 11 and 13 of the draft Bill , we would recommend that the definition of “environment” should be amended to match that found in Schedule 3, Section 6 of the 2005 Act which fully aligns with Annexe II of Directive 2001/42/EC of the European Parliament.
We would propose the following amendments to ensure continued protection for cultural heritage and for consistency across Scottish legislation:
In section 12, page 10 line 14 leave out subsections 2, (a) and (b) and insert –
(a) means biodiversity, population, human health, fauna, flora, soil, water, air, climatic factors, material assets, cultural heritage, including architectural and archaeological heritage, landscape, and
(b) the inter-relationship between the issues in (a)
In section 40, page 23, line 19, leave out subsections (3) (a) and (b) and insert—
(a) means biodiversity, population, human health, fauna, flora, soil, water, air, climatic factors, material assets, cultural heritage, including architectural and archaeological heritage, landscape, and
(b) the inter-relationship between the issues in (a)
If you would like to protect Scotland’s cultural heritage, please do share the above with your MSPs. You can find out how to contact your MSP via this link.
BACK
BEFS Policy & Strategy Manager offers her thoughts on the Scottish Government’s NPF4 Position Statement released November 2020.
Rarely is a Statement released that so frequently states, reiterates, and supports, BEFS own policy positions made in previous responses to consultations.
A clear understanding of both the existing built environment as multi-faceted assets – capable of continuing to support our economic, environmental and social needs – but also as an essential part of the character and identity of places. This Statement takes into account the totality of our places, not just those considered special enough for Listing, Scheduling, or being part of a Conservation Area.
There is a strong thread of appropriate re-use, adaptation and appreciation of embodied carbon, an appreciation of our existing environment as part of our infrastructure. All the while being mindful of both the national strategy for the Historic Environment (OPiT) and giving the Historic Environment Policy for Scotland its appropriate policy role.
Aspects such as the UN-Sustainable Development Goals sit front and centre along-side the National Performance Framework and the aspiration for planning to support a Wellbeing Economy.
If there is an appropriate strategy or national plan – it is name checked, connected to this position statement, and the desire to ‘align’ strategic thinking across a raft of proposals is consistently reiterated. The Statement covers how it needs to link/interact/align to the following (this list is merely those that come to mind instantly… not all, by any means):
Infrastructure, Travel, Heat in Buildings, Place Principle, Place Standard, Housing, Developer Contributions, Health, sustainable Tourism, Climate, Nature and the Natural Environment, our Coasts, the Culture Strategy, Circular Economy, Rural Scotland, Town-Centre approaches, 20min Neighbourhoods Localism, and Design principles.
This Position piece is a veritable nirvana of built environment policy. Improved, well-designed, places enabling 20min neighbourhoods, building back our local and national economies for a carbon-neutral future, with infrastructure fit for the time-ahead we can only imagine.
Of the detailed, 45 page document, a scant two and a half pages are spent on Delivery of this appealing vision. This is understandable, it is a position statement -it is not the NPF4 – that, we are told, will come with a Delivery Programme.
For the future to look as bright as this document enables our dreaming to be, the ‘ground work’ needs to be started imminently. The evidence bases, appraisals, and skilled agents of all kinds across the planning, assessment, community and design sectors need to be in place, and resourced so any of these excellently intended plans can move past the ‘drawing board’ stage.
The final paragraph of the Delivery section, and the final part of the document not addressing the consultation it starts, leaves us with Masterplan Consent Areas – they remain presented as a useful, proactive tool; and perhaps this hints at the where the onus may lie in terms of delivery. Are Planning Authorities resourced to deliver the scale of vision set out here?
The numerous strategies and national plans mentioned demonstrates a real leap of connected – and connecting – thinking. This is what numerous organisations have been calling for, over many years. If it comes to fruition, it could enable our place (be that local or regional, rural, or city centre, coastal or mountain top) to fulfil its potential delivering both preventative-spend benefits, but tangible improvements to the lives of every citizen.
This statement suggests so much, perhaps too much. Whilst, the importance of planning cannot be understated, how the hierarchies of strategies/plans and investment shake-down in reality could leave planning with too much of the economic heavy-lifting, without it itself being resourced and skilled appropriately across the social, economic and cultural facets it seeks to deliver.
BEFS looks forward to working with Members in relation to the consultation on this in the new year.
BACK
Get The Latest Built Environment News, Policy Developments, Publications, Consultations And More.
BEFS News
BEFS is looking for your help. The Draft UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity)(Scotland) Bill has completed Stage 2 of its progress through the Scottish Parliament and the definition of “environment” currently excludes cultural heritage. This could not only weaken environmental protections for the historic environment but also means the Bill is inconsistent with both Scottish and EU legislation. We need you to tell your MSP about this as soon as possible so that it can be amended at Stage 3. Find out what you can do to help here.
BEFS is supportive of the Scottish Government’s Draft Infrastructure Investment Plan for Scotland, particularly the inclusion of existing homes within the definition of infrastructure; the support for resilient and sustainable places, and the acceptance of the recommendations previously made by the Infrastructure Commission for Scotland. Read the full consultation response here.
Work is well underway on the National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) which will review and update the current NPF3 and Scottish Planning Policy. The Scottish Government have now published a Position Statement to update the public on progress. The Position Statement sets out the governments current thinking now that they have digested the evidence received from stakeholders through the Call for Ideas. BEFS Policy & Strategy Manager reflects on the statement here.
Kevin Stewart MSP, Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning has launched Transforming Places Together: digital strategy for planning. Transforming Places Together sets out a vision for Scotland to have a world leading digital planning system that helps connect people with their places to deliver a prosperous, green and fair country and a framework to achieve whole-system digital transformation of planning over the next 5 years.
Nick Wright outlines how community-led planning is an opportunity not only to progress community projects, but also to influence public services and future development of land and buildings, in our blog this week.
Consultations
Consultation: Scotland’s Third Land Use Strategy
Opened 2 Dec 2020 and closes 17 Jan 2021.
Scotland’s Economic Performance – The contribution of place-based economic development zones
Opened 21 Nov 2020 and closes 20 Dec 2020.
National Planning Framework: Position Statement
Opened 26 Nov 2020 and closes 19 Feb 2021.
Fair Rents (Scotland) Bill
Closes 7 Dec 2020.
HES – Talking About Heritage
Closes 15 Dec 2020.
Community Heritage Volunteer Recruitment Campaign
Closes 15 Dec 2020.
Consultation Responses
Scottish Planning Policy and Housing – technical consultation: analysis (SG 25/11/20)
Publications
Building standards technical handbooks 2020: summary of changes (SG 02/12/20)
Scottish house condition survey: 2019 key findings (SG 01/12/20)
Scottish House Condition Survey Key Findings Infographic Summary 2019 (SG 01/12/20)
COVID-19 and Communities Listening Project: A Shared Response (CUKT 26/11/20)
Fourth National Planning Framework: position statement (SG 26/11/20)
Transforming Places Together: digital strategy for planning (SG 26/11/20)
National Planning Framework 4 – improving air quality outcomes: research (SG 25/11/20)
Housing Land Allocation, Assembly and Delivery: Lessons from Europe (SLC 24/11/20)
Transforming Planning, Places and Scotland (Case studies) (RTPI 23/11/20)
Traditional Buildings Health Check – Pilot Project Review (HES 23/11/20)
Proposed amendments to Scottish Planning Policy: Key Agencies Group joint statement (SG 23/11/20)
Scottish Replacement For EU Structural Funds (SG 19/11/20)
Coronavirus (COVID-19): tourism and hospitality sector guidance (SG 19/11/20)
Has ‘affordable housing’ remained affordable across Scotland? (Shelter Scotland 11/20)
Accelerating Digital: Learning from a digital inclusion accelerator programme (CUKT 11/20)
Making a Difference: Libraries, Lockdown and Looking Ahead (CUKT 11/20)
The Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 Development Planning – Transitional Guidance (SG 11/20)
Scottish Government News Releases
Scottish House Condition Survey: 2019 Key Findings (SG 01/12/20)
The Chief Statistician has released figures on fuel poverty, energy efficiency, the condition of housing and other key descriptors of the occupied housing stock in Scotland.
Increased funding commitment for affordable homes (SG 29/11/20)
Housing providers and the construction sector can plan more affordable homes thanks to an additional £200 million funding commitment announced today by Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell.
Transforming planning for the digital age (SG 22/11/20)
A £35 million five-year programme will make it easier for planners to work together and for members of the public to get involved in creating and shaping their places.
Replacement for European Structural Funds (SG 19/11/20)
Meeting Scotland’s distinctive needs and priorities. Plans for a Scottish replacement for European Structural Funds after EU exit have been published.
News Releases
Scottish Land Fund boosts 29 community groups with £3.6m funding (SCN 01/12/20)
Plans to purchase a 55-acre site in Lochinver for the provision of affordable housing is among a number of projects across Scotland have received £3.6 million of funding in the latest round of grants from the Scottish Land Fund.
Architect calls for embodied carbon targets to be enshrined in planning policy (BD 01/12/20)
Developers must be incentivised to reduce embodied carbon right from the start of projects if the UK is to make significant progress towards its net zero-carbon commitments, a leading architect has said.
RTPI Scotland welcomes NPF4 position statement (RTPI 27/11/20)
The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has welcomed the publication by the Scottish Government of the National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) Position Statement.
RIBA announces new chair elect (SCN 27/11/20)
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has today announced that architect and past RIBA president Jack Pringle has been selected as chair elect of the RIBA board of trustees.
Community Land Scotland calls for new powers to control sales of large estates (SHN 26/11/20)
Community Land Scotland (CLS) has called for new powers to control sales of large estates and to break up landowning monopolies in its new manifesto for a sustainable Scotland.
New project funding and loans to support sector resilience (NLHF 25/11/20)
The National Lottery Heritage Fund has resumed accepting small and medium project funding applications and launched an interest free loans pilot.
Digital planning could benefit Scottish economy by £200m, says RTPI report (RTPI 23/11/20)
The Scottish economy could benefit to the tune of more than £200m over the next ten years by introducing digital planning services, according to a study by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) in Scotland.
My Place Awards: 2021 (SCT 11/20)
The My Place Awards celebrate community-led built environment projects that have transformed their locality. The Awards honour projects that have excelled in terms of design and community involvement/impact.
Opinion & Comment
Kevin Stewart: Building a planning system for the future (SHN 02/12/20)
Communities Realising the Potential of Vacant and Derelict Land (SLC 26/11/20)
Land for Housing – What Europe can teach us (SLC 24/11/20)
Five things we’ve learned about improving Stirling’s historic built environment (HES 23/11/20)
Finding the way to build back better (Building Design 19/11/20)
What would you ask a conservator? (HES 18/11/20)
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”.
Question S5W-33486: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 23/11/2020
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of research by Scottish Renewables recording a 20% reduction since 2011 in the number of local authority planning department staff, how the forthcoming NPF4 planning reforms will ensure that the planning system will be focused on tackling the climate emergency.
Question S5W-33487: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 23/11/2020
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of research by Scottish Renewables recording a 20% reduction since 2011 in the number of local authority planning department staff, how it will ensure that councils are appropriately resourced to deliver the planning consents needed to deliver the renewable energy generation required to meet the net-zero target.
Parliamentary Questions & Answers
Questions marked with a triangle (?) are initiated by the Government in order to facilitate the provision of information to the Parliament.
Question S5W-33094: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 06/11/2020
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to improve the energy efficiency of (a) business buildings, (b) local authority buildings, excluding housing, (c) social housing and (d) domestic housing in each of the last five years.
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse (18/11/2020)
Question S5W-33091: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 06/11/2020
To ask the Scottish Government how much it is has invested in (a) decarbonising heat and (b) improving energy efficiency in each of the last five years, broken down by sector.
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse (30/11/2020)
Question S5W-33042: Claire Baker, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 05/11/2020
To ask the Scottish Government how the £97 million in UK Government consequentials announced on 5 July 2020 has been allocated as packages of support for the arts, culture and heritage sectors, and how much is still to be distributed.
Answered by Fiona Hyslop (16/11/2020)
Events
For the latest information about BEFS Members’ events see our events calendar.
Make your Mark in Volunteering – Campaign Launch
Date & time: Fri, 4 December 2020; 11:00 – 12:30.
Online.
Fiona Hyslop Cabinet Secretary and OPiT CEO Group chair Alex Paterson, Historic Environment Scotland invites you to the MYM Launch.
Dunglass Harbour: Its History, Repair and Management
Date & time: Mon, 7 Dec 2020, 18:15.
Online Event.
Architect Ben Tindall reveals how a typical small harbour can be brimming with interest, from geology and mining to smuggling and science, as well as fishing and disaster. Characters encountered in the talk include the explorer Captain Basil Hall, the engineer Joseph Mitchell, Somerville the Soldier, and the artist E A Walton. We will also discover how repairs in the marine environment can be complex, particularly when funding is hard to get.
Ding Dong! Merrily, at home! with Edinburgh World Heritage
Date & time: 6pm, Thursday 10 December 2020
Online: Zoom (ticketholders will receive joining info in their email confirmation
Don’t suffer a blue Christmas, join Edinburgh World Heritage at home for the holidays with our special guests on Thursday 10th December. We’ll wish you a merry Christmas with mistletoe and wine through your screen (BYOB). Baby, it’s cold outside, so park yourself in front of the (virtual) fire and toast to a wonderful Christmastime with an evening of music, song, poetry and performance. Special guests include Alexander McCall Smith in the role of Mr. Charles Dickens, as well as soloists from St Mary’s Music School, and members of the choir of Old St Paul’s.
Training
Retrofitting Traditional Buildings: Principles & Practice
Date & time: A two part Online Masterclass. Day 1 – 4th December / Day 2 – 11th December 2020; 9.30am-1.00pm both days.
Price: £100 per person.
Guest speaker, Nick Heath of NDM Heath Ltd , will examine current issues, solutions and emerging best practice in how to achieve ‘responsible retrofit’ – sustainable, low-energy traditional buildings with retained character, minimal risk to buildings and occupants and real benefits for all.
Vacancies
Administration Co-ordinator
Arts & Business Scotland are looking for an experienced Administration Co-ordinator, currently based in our Edinburgh office. We are looking for an all rounder, with exceptional organising and multi-tasking skills, a sound knowledge and experience of databases, websites and social media.
Closing date: Wednesday, 9 December 2020.
NCCSS seeks a new Chairperson
The National Committee on the Carved Stones in Scotland (NCCSS) is seeking a pro-active chairperson to lead this unique national organisation and work with representative members to ensure that carved stones of all ages in Scotland play an active part in our appreciation and understanding of Scotland’s past. The role is voluntary and will require a commitment to actively contribute to Committee meetings, to give firm strategic direction to the organisation, set overall policy and define goals. Applications are sought from persons with specialist knowledge of curatorial and/or research opportunities and challenges relating to carved stones from all periods in Scotland.
Closing date is Monday, 14th December 2020.
Corporate Services Manager
The Green Action Trust, one of Scotland’s leading environmental charities, is seeking a Corporate Services Manager. This is a great opportunity for a highly driven, competent and innovative individual with a successful background in corporate administration and/or change management to put their own mark on shaping our future.
Closing Date: 14.00 on Wednesday 16 December 2020.
Nick Wright outlines how community-led planning is an opportunity to influence public services and future development of land and buildings.
This blog was originally published by Nick Wright on 24 November 2020 on his website here.
Communities sometimes ask: what’s the point of a community-led plan? Why sit around talking about a plan? Why not just get on with what needs to be done?
There are two answers to this. The first answer is: how do you know what needs to be done if you haven’t done a Community Action Plan? That’s because a really important part of Community Action Planning is asking the local community what’s important for them. Without asking people, the community won’t know what’s dearest to people and what could have most impact on their community.
For example, some folk might say that improving the local play area should be the number one priority, others might say build a swimming pool. Or different folk might say what’s needed are better health care, homes and jobs. The truth is that there’s no way of knowing without some kind of survey or research – like a Facebook survey or simple interactive map, for example.
The second point of doing a Community Action Plan is because it helps to unlock money and support. Whether for improvements to a park or something else, any project is likely to need a combination of:
- Money – from external funders or local organisations
- Time – from local volunteers, whether to put funding bids together or to do work on the ground
- Permission – from the owners of the park.
If a project is a priority in your Community Action Plan, it’s more likely to get the support it needs to happen.
And with Local Place Plans on the horizon, there’s the opportunity for Community Action Plans (which have a lot in common with Local Place Plans) to influence land use planning policy and public sector service delivery too. That means that community-led planning is an opportunity not just to progress the community projects, but also to influence public services and future development of land and buildings.
Let’s give some real examples – real success stories that other communities have achieved through Community Action Plans that I’ve been involved with over the last few years:
Crianlarich
The local community did a while back now, in 2011. Some of the projects in the Plan were things that the community could do themselves, like painting fences to smarten up the village. Others relied on the goodwill of others like the Council and the National Park Authority. The community took the attitude that they would simply get on with what they could do without waiting for others, whilst challenging others to step up to the mark.
It worked. Within days of the Community Action Plan being published, the National Park committed £15,000 to refurbish the public toilets. That might sound mundane, but they are an important reason for people to stop in the village whilst travelling between the Central Belt and the West Highlands. A few months later the local authority agreed to give the community control of a prominent disused railway yard in the very heart of the village, offering a 10 year lease to the local Community Development Trust. With local volunteers, the Trust quickly converted the yard into a visitor car park with picnic tables and attractive landscaping, encouraging visitors to stop and use the shop, cafe, bar and hotel.
One of the bigger projects in the Community Action Plan was to create a signposted path network around the village – another part of the Plan’s strategy of encouraging visitors to stop in the village (and spend money!). Since much of the path network was on land owned by the Forestry Commission and it needed investment of over £100,000 to build new paths, the project took five years of hard work. But the end result was a network of new signposted paths which give local residents an opportunity to have safe walks away from traffic, and give visitors another reason to stop or stay. The success of the project also encouraged more local folk to get involved in the Community Council and the Development Trust.
Moffat
Moffat might be a little bigger than Crianlarich, but the lessons are just as relevant. had lots of priorities: eleven ‘game-changers’ emerged through the community engagement process, as you can see in the plan.
One of the immediate successes of the Community Action Plan was to get the local authority, Dumfries and Galloway Council, to the table. The local community had long been concerned that Moffat didn’t get much attention from the Council. Whether this was perceived or genuine doesn’t matter: the point was that within days of publication of the Action Plan, senior Council managers had agreed to come to a “Town Summit” in Moffat to discuss how to work together to deliver what was in the Plan. That was a big step forward for the community.
At the same time, specific projects highlighted in the Action Plan also began to move forward more quickly. Within weeks, the Action Plan helped to secure funding to replace a worn-out play area in Burnside Park near the centre of town.
A couple of bigger projects also began to move forward: the Community Council secured major funding from Sustrans to redesign the High Street less traffic-dominated and more accessible and attractive for pedestrians (especially for older and disabled people). And the idea of a Business Improvement District to support local businesses is being developed.
Both of these bigger projects are being taken forward jointly with the local authority, which is why the Town Summit was so important.
Johnstonebridge
The final example is Johnstonebridge, between Moffat and Lockerbie – a tiny place that proves you don’t need to be a big community to make use of a Community Action Plan.
During the community engagement for the Action Plan, the community’s big concerns were the need to keep local services (school, healthcare and village hall), have things for young people to do, and for community organisations to work together. When a local resident who was qualified as a youth leader saw the ’s recognition of how little there was for young people to do in the village, he offered to set up a youth club with local kids.
They jumped at the chance! Inclusion of the idea in the Community Action Plan meant that the club could quickly get money to pay for a weekly rental in the village hall and buy equipment. In a village of less than 400 people, having a weekly youth club attended by 30+kids with its own equipment and funds is a big deal.
You can see the Johnstonebridge Community Action Plan . It’s short and succinct, and worth a look to get you thinking about what a Community Action Plan for Kirkfieldbank might look like. What I think is good about it is that it sets seemingly small actions, like restarting the youth club, as part of a bigger picture – retaining population, public services and quality of life.
The common lesson…
Each of those three communities relied on local folk involved in a group to take things forward. In Johnstonebridge, all it needed was one local volunteer who used the Community Action Plan to get the necessary support. In Moffat and Crianlarich, the Community Councils (with the Development Trust in Crianlarich) took the lead in delivering the Community Action Plan – taking forward projects themselves and chivvying others along.
What’s important to remember is that, in all three places, projects only happened because they emerged as community priorities through the Community Action Planning process, and because the Community Action Plan showed how important they were.
That’s the point of Community Action Planning: it makes things happen.
Nick Wright of Nick Wright Planning.
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Get The Latest Built Environment News, Policy Developments, Publications, Consultations And More.
BEFS News
BEFS has responded to a number of consultations in recent weeks. BEFS responded to the Scottish Government’s consultation on draft proposals for changes to Permitted Development Rights for the four development types selected for Phase 1 of their programme. Read the submission here. BEFS also responded to the Scottish Government’s technical consultation on proposed amendments to Scottish Planning Policy and Housing, here. Finally, look out for BEFS response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the Draft Infrastructure Investment Plan that closes today and sets out a vision for Scotland’s future infrastructure, on our consultations page.
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) would like your feedback on the Make Your Mark Community Heritage Volunteer Recruitment Campaign. Find out more here.
Next week is National Maintenance Week (20-27 November 2020) – the SPAB’s annual reminder to give your home, whether it’s a 1930s semi-detached or a medieval manor, a maintenance check before the winter months. Alongside resources and top tips for keeping buildings in good condition, SPAB’s National Maintenance Week 2020 includes a number of free online events to help owners and users get to know their old buildings better and take practical action to look after them. Find out more about the events including one tailored specifically for Scotland, one for Faith buildings and then some more general maintenance talks, here.
Edinburgh World Heritage and writer Vivian French have published a new education resource for children in primaries 3 and 4 and their families for Book Week Scotland. Designed for outdoor learning, it is aimed at making children more aware of the state of traditional buildings in the World Heritage Site, getting them involved in identifying signs of neglect, and encouraging a conversation around maintenance as a solution. The resource takes the form of a ‘story trail’. Find out more here and download the trail.
Icon Scotland is welcoming BEFS Director Euan Leitch as the speaker for its 23rd annual Plenderleith Memorial Lecture next Thursday, 26th November. Book now!
In addition to those mentioned, there are number of exciting events and training opportunities coming up at the end of the month from across the sector, so do check them out in the events section below.
Consultations
Draft Infrastructure Investment Plan – 2021-22 to 2025-26
Closes 19 Nov 2020.
Equality at the Heart of HES: Our Equality Outcomes Consultation
Closes 30 Nov 2020.
Fair Rents (Scotland) Bill
Closes 7 Dec 2020.
HES – Talking About Heritage
Closes 15 Dec 2020.
Community Heritage Volunteer Recruitment Campaign
Closes 15 Dec 2020.
Publications
Northern Powerhomes: A green recovery plan to decarbonise homes in the North (IPPR 17/11/20)
Coronavirus (COVID-19): tourism and hospitality sector guidance (SG 09/11/20)
Affordable housing for rural and island communities (SG 11/11/20)
Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for the performing arts and venues sector (SG 10/11/20)
Coronavirus (COVID-19): tourism and hospitality sector guidance (SG 09/11/20)
Green Recovery Inquiry – Report (ECCLR Committee SP 08/11/20)
RIAS Quarterly – Activism in Architecture (11/20)
Measuring What Matters – Planning Outcomes Research (RTPI 11/20)
Productive Placemaking (APPG Building Communities 11/20)
News Releases
£194,349 awarded to coasts and waters heritage projects (HES 16/11/20)
Historic Environment Scotland has awarded funding to eighteen projects across the country.
World heritage status for Scottish peat bogs could help UK hit net zero goals (Guardian 13/11/20)
Hopes rise that the Flow Country, the world’s largest carbon store, could become first peatland to win the status.
European Commission and Europa Nostra announce Europe’s top heritage award winners 2020 (EN 10/11/20)
The winners of the 2020 European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards, Europe’s top honour in the field, were celebrated this afternoon with a virtual gathering that connected heritage lovers, professionals, volunteers and supporters from across Europe and beyond.
Government loses potential for £15bn economic boost and job creation (FMB 05/11/20)
The Government must cut VAT on home improvement works to 5% to boost jobs and stimulate the economy. This is in response to the PMI data, published today, which shows that staffing numbers across the construction sector were in decline.
Archaeological Scientists – ScARF Needs You! (ScARF 11/20)
Please get in touch with us directly if you haven’t heard from us yet and would like to be involved in our ScARF Science update project.
We’re backing the heritage sector to adapt and thrive again (NLHF 04/11/20)
As everyone around the UK faces the challenges of responding to COVID-19 amid varying guidance and restrictions, our Chief Executive shares The Fund’s latest plans to support our heritage community.
Green New Deal: Glasgow (CW 11/20)
Explore our interactive remodelling of the city, where we visualise a transformative space that puts people and the climate first.
Opinion & Comment
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”.
Question S5W-33042: Claire Baker, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 05/11/2020
To ask the Scottish Government how the £97 million in UK Government consequentials announced on 5 July 2020 has been allocated as packages of support for the arts, culture and heritage sectors, and how much is still to be distributed.
Question S5W-33091: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 06/11/2020
To ask the Scottish Government how much it is has invested in (a) decarbonising heat and (b) improving energy efficiency in each of the last five years, broken down by sector.
Question S5W-33094: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 06/11/2020
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to improve the energy efficiency of (a) business buildings, (b) local authority buildings, excluding housing, (c) social housing and (d) domestic housing in each of the last five years.
Question S5W-33095: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 06/11/2020
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to prioritising the installation of low-carbon heating in the existing housing stock ahead of improving energy efficiency in that sector.
Parliamentary Questions & Answers
Questions marked with a triangle (?) are initiated by the Government in order to facilitate the provision of information to the Parliament.
Question S5W-32965: Jackie Baillie, Dumbarton, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 02/11/2020
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will temporarily re-categorise museums to allow them to be classified as public buildings and remain open in areas under tier 3 restrictions.
Answered by Fiona Hyslop (06/11/2020)
Question S5W-33092: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 06/11/2020
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to reintroduce the Energy Efficiency (Domestic Private Rented Property) (Scotland) Regulations, and when it expects these will come into force.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (10/11/2020)
Question S5W-32616: Angus MacDonald, Falkirk East, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 16/10/2020
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for an awareness campaign on the implementation of changes to the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 to ensure that homeowners, landlords, and those responsible for complying with the new regulations are aware of their responsibilities before 1 February 2021.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (30/10/2020)
Question S5W-32766: Andy Wightman, Lothian, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 26/10/2020
To ask the Scottish Government what specific steps it has taken to inform homeowners of the changes introduced by the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 (Tolerable Standard) (Extension of Criteria) Order 2019 since January 2019, and when it took these steps.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (02/11/2020)
Question S5W-32595: Liz Smith, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 15/10/2020
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the Scottish Land Commission Report on regional land use partnerships.
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham (16/11/2020)
Question S5W-33114: Jackie Baillie, Dumbarton, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 09/11/2020
To ask the Scottish Government what funding is available for tenement properties that require urgent repair.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (13/11/2020)
Question S5W-33113: Jackie Baillie, Dumbarton, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 09/11/2020
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been allocated to each local authority for improvement and repair grants in each year since 2007.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (13/11/2020)
Question S5W-33093: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 06/11/2020
To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for support through the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme have been received in each of the last five years, broken down by eligibility criteria, and how many (a) have been approved, (b) have been rejected and (c) are awaiting a decision.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (12/11/2020)
Debates
Covid-19 Support (Tourism and Hospitality) (11/11/20)
Events
For the latest information about BEFS Members’ events see our events calendar.
Heritage Trust Network Conference 2020 – Grassroots Heritage: Empowering recovery
Date: Friday 20th November, with lead up events on the 19th.
Join HTN members and friends from across the UK, to find out how to drive your heritage project through recovery. Our expert speakers will offer guidance, knowledge and inspiration on a range of topics aimed to help you adapt and succeed in the most difficult of times. We will have sessions on fundraising, environmental sustainability, strategy and innovation, along with workshops from our key partners.
Edinburgh, Lothians and Borders Archaeology Conference
Date & time: Saturday 21 November 2020; 10:00am – 3:00pm.
This annual archaeology conference is organised by City of Edinburgh Council, East Lothian Council and Scottish Borders Council. It provides an important opportunity to hear and discuss first hand accounts of the archaeological fieldwork and research being undertaken in Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian and the Scottish Borders. This year the conference will be held online. It is free to attend, but please book a place.
Maintenance Matters in Scotland
Dates: 20 – 27 November 2020
Prerecorded Online Lecture
Free – registration required
This illustrated lecture will focus on identifying and tackling commonly-encountered maintenance issues for old buildings in Scotland, with reference to typical building forms, materials and environmental conditions. Presented by Jamie McNamara, current Chairperson of SPAB Scotland. Jamie has worked with the conservation of canals, churches, city regeneration schemes and within the traditional skills area.
Maintenance for Faith Buildings
Dates: 20 – 27 November 2020
Prerecorded Online Lecture
Free – registration required
In this session, we will consider the importance of regular care at places of worship of all dates and types, as well as the vital role played by volunteers in looking after these complex buildings at the heart of our communities. Presented by Kate Andrew, heritage consultant. Kate was a regional project officer for the SPAB’s recent Maintenance Cooperatives Project (MCP).
Maintenance Question Time
Date & time: 21 November 2020, 11:00 – 12:00
Live Online Forum
Free – registration required
All buildings, old and new, benefit from regular care, and many maintenance tips are widely applicable. Join the SPAB’s advisers for this interactive introduction to maintenance, which includes an online Q&A and discussion of how to tackle some of the common problems found with old buildings, and how regular care and attention can prevent or reduce them.
Maintenance Matters! An Introduction to Caring for Your Old Building
Date & time: 24 November 2020, 14:30 – 15:30
Live Online Lecture
Free – registration required
This illustrated talk explores how old buildings are different to new, how and why they can decay, what maintenance is and why it’s important. It includes practical advice on getting started and working safely. Presented by James Innerdale, an architect and historic buildings consultant. James was the Technical Officer for the SPAB’s recent Maintenance Cooperatives Project (MCP).
If you seek a monument, gaze around
Date & time: 26 November 2020; 18:00 – 19:00.
Great sculptors have lived and worked in Edinburgh for centuries, and the city has one of the finest collection of public monuments of any city. In this live event, our panel will talk about their favourite Edinburgh sculpture, and discuss whether the city’s monuments present an incomplete and outdated version of the past. Special guests include sculptor Alexander Stoddart, the Queen’s Sculptor in Ordinary in Scotland, Director of Edinburgh Art Festival Sorcha Carey and more.
Archaeology Scotland Online AGM and Members’ Day 2020
Date & Time: Saturday 28th November 2020 10am – 12noon.
Online via Zoom.
Short description of event: Archaeology Scotland is excited to welcome you to our online AGM and Members’ Day. Not a member? That’s ok. We have a number of talks open to non-members on topics such as The Peebles Bronze Age Hoard, Stobs’ Camp, and Archaeologists of the Future for those budding young archaeologists out there. We hope to see you there!
“Whose Festival is it Anyway?” The 2020 Cockburn Association Annual Lecture
Date & time: Monday 30th November at 7.00pm.
Online (Zoom).
Join Professor Cliff Hague as he delivers 2020’s Annual Cockburn Lecture, this year discussing what Edinburgh’s Festivals should look like in the future. He will discuss how the sheer scale of the city’s Festivals has come to be a source of controversy to many residents and offer some suggestions how these events might become more citizen-friendly from 2021 onwards. His talk will build on the “Our Unique City” manifesto produced by the Cockburn Association that outlines our vision for life in Edinburgh in a post-COVID era. Tickets to the event are free to Cockburn members and by donation to non-members.
Scottish Housing Policies after Covid: Challenges and Constraints to 2025
Dates: 1-3 Dec. 2020.
As 2020 comes to a close, and the news of potential vaccines for Covid-19 brings new hope of recovery in 2021, the CaCHE Scottish Housing Policy Conference (SHPC) provides a space for all to: 1) look back at the housing impacts of the pandemic to date; and, 2) look ahead to the long-term impacts for housing choices and policy in Scotland over the next five years. The SHPC is an annual conference organised by the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (CaCHE). This year, the conference will be held virtually for the first time and will take place across three days, featuring a combination of pre-recorded materials and panel discussions with leading academics and professionals from across Scotland and beyond.
At the Heart of the Community – A Future for Your Church
Date & time: Wednesday 2nd December, 10 – 11am
Heritage Trust Network and Historic Churches Scotland are joining forces to host this introductory discussion forum for any group contemplating the future of their church building. Whether you have managed your church for decades or currently contemplating taking the building on, this event is for you.
The Rhind Lectures
Dates & times: Six free lectures open to all, premiered one every evening at 6pm from Sunday 13 December 2020 to Friday 18 December 2020.
Online via the Society YouTube channel, with a live Q&A on Zoom for the final lecture.
The Rhind Lectures are our most highly anticipated event of the year. Since 1876 the Society has invited experts to give an annual series of six lectures on a historical or archaeological topic. This year, Dr Alison Sheridan FSAScot will discuss the Neolithic period in Scotland, from the first appearance of farming to the end of the era with the arrival of new people, ideas, technology and practices from the Continent around 2,500 BC.
Training
Damp, Masonry Decay, & Sustainability
Dates & times: 2.00-3.45pm online on three consecutive Thursdays: 19 & 26 Nov, 3 Dec 2020
– Day 1
– Day 2
– Day 3
Moisture is a key factor in almost all forms of decay, and damp fabric increases heat loss. However, identifying its source can be complicated as moisture is so mobile. It can condense from humid air onto cold surfaces and it can spread through a structure by capillary action and gravity. Understanding these mechanisms and their consequences is vital, particularly now that we are increasing insulation levels in historic buildings and restricting ventilation. Getting it wrong can be disastrous.
Keeping in touch with your supporters: keeping yourself right with data protection law (GDPR)
Date & time: Wednesday, 25 November 2020; 13:00 – 16:00.
Online via Zoom.
During this difficult time when so many venues are closed, we are keeping in touch with our audiences, supporters and followers virtually. Of course some events can take place online and as a result you may obtain more contact information and personal data than you usually do, but what can you do with that lawfully? The proper use of personal data is important, not only to ensure compliance with the law but also to maintain the trust of supporters. This session will provide you with an understanding of the law, using practical examples from the sector to bring the topic to life.
CPD: Retrofitting the Canongate Housing Development
Date & time: Wednesday 2nd December 2020 – 12:30-1:30pm.
Online via Zoom.
Addressing energy efficiency is one of the most pressing issues for older, traditionally-constructed buildings. Retrofitting can bring new life to old buildings whatever their age, use or type. Low energy refurbishments designed to minimise fuel bills will enhance traditional buildings for improved function and less running costs whilst retaining original features and charm. Join us for this CPD, delivered by Scott Abercrombie and Barbara Lantschner from John Gilbert Architects, to look in detail at their retrofitting methodology in the context of their ongoing project to improve the energy efficiency of the Canongate Housing Development, alongside undertaking vital conservation work.
Get The Latest Built Environment News, Policy Developments, Publications, Consultations And More.
BEFS News
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has published updated results of a follow up survey scoping the impacts of COVID-19 on the country’s historic environment sector. Key findings from the latest survey show the most common effects on the heritage sector were again loss of revenue, with 70% of respondents citing this; while 65% of those surveyed noted postponement/cancellation of planned income-generation or marketing events having the biggest impact on their operation. 63% of respondents also listed loss or postponement of work due to the ongoing pandemic. More details here.
In response to the issues and challenges facing the sector, and to support COVID-19 recovery activity, Make Your Mark working group is proposing a Community Heritage Volunteer Recruitment Campaign and HES would like your views on it. Make Your Markis a sector-led campaign currently under development which will aim to increase the number and diversity of heritage volunteers in Scotland. Further information about the campaign can be found via the link to the survey here.
Applications are now open to the NLHF-funded Business Support Programme, ‘Surviving to Thriving’ – developed by Built Environment Forum Scotland (BEFS) and partners – with applications due by noon, 3 December.
The Edinburgh, Lothians and Borders Archaeology Conference has just launched its programme for 21st November.
Tonight at 6pm, HES are Talking About Heritage in relation to the current consultation, still time to book your place.
Finally, we have updated our COVID-19 Funding Advice page with recent developments.
Opened 7 Oct 2020 and closes 30 Nov 2020.
Community Heritage Volunteer Recruitment Campaign
Opened 14 Oct 2020 and closes 15 Nov 2020.
Emerging from lockdown survey – Museums Galleries Scotland
Proposed Changes to Pre-Application Consultation Requirements in Planning
Closes 6 Nov 2020.
Island Communities Impact Assessments Guidance and Toolkit
Closes 9 Nov 2020.
Programme for Reviewing and Extending Permitted Development Rights (PDR) in Scotland – Consultation on Phase 1 Proposals
Closes 12 Nov 2020.
Draft Infrastructure Investment Plan – 2021-22 to 2025-26
Closes 19 Nov 2020.
Fair Rents (Scotland) Bill
Closes 7 Dec 2020.
HES – Talking About Heritage
Closes 15 Dec 2020.
Publications
Good Work for Wellbeing in the Coronavirus Economy (CUKT 28/10/20)
Housing Regulator publishes annual report and accounts for 2019/20 (SG 28/10/20)
Energy Efficient Scotland Phase 2 pilots: final social evaluation report (SG 23/10/20)
Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES): phase 2 pilots evaluation (SG 23/10/20)
Properties in the Care of Scottish Ministers Annual Report 2019-20 (HES 15/10/20)
Tourism Recovery Recommendations (STRT 10/20)
Designing for a Changing Climate: Carbon Conscious Places (A&DS 10/20)
Scottish Government News Releases
Three flagship venues will receive funding as part of the ongoing emergency coronavirus (COVID-19) support for cultural and heritage organisations.Proposals for tourism recovery (SG 23/10/20)
The Scottish Tourism Recovery Taskforce has published its recommendations for supporting the sector’s recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.Grants for businesses (SG 23/10/20)
Details of grants available to businesses as part of Scotland’s refreshed strategic approach to suppressing coronavirus (COVID-19) have been published.
News Releases
Unique underwater discovery of medieval Scottish bridge (HES 29/10/20)
We are proud to present ‘Celebrating Archaeology in Scotland 2020’, the third issue of our report on the delivery of Scotland’s Archaeology Strategy.The circular economy in numbers (RICS 21/10/20)
Construction materials and the building sector are responsible for more than one-third of global resource consumption. Modus crunches the numbers on the challenge the construction industry has to become more circular.
New Future Leaders’ Forum to transform skills in the built environment (SCN 19/10/20)
Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC) is calling on early career professionals and students with drive, ambition and determination to join a new Built Environment Future Leaders’ Forum.
Black History Month (HES 10/20)
Throughout October, we’re celebrating the achievements of inspirational people and sharing the stories history books often forgot or intentionally wrote out.
Opinion & Comment
Structures of Oppression (AT 10/20)
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”.
Question S5W-32766: Andy Wightman, Lothian, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 26/10/2020
To ask the Scottish Government what specific steps it has taken to inform homeowners of the changes introduced by the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 (Tolerable Standard) (Extension of Criteria) Order 2019 since January 2019, and when it took these steps.
Parliamentary Questions and Answers
Questions marked with a triangle (?) are initiated by the Government in order to facilitate the provision of information to the Parliament.
Question S5W-32143: Oliver Mundell, Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 29/09/2020
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its Programme for Government advising that plans for the Transient Visitor Levy have been put on hold due to COVID-19, and that “future consideration of the levy will take account of the changed context the industry is operating in”, for what reason a similar approach was not extended to its proposals on short-term let regulation.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (14/10/2020)
Question S5W-32142: Oliver Mundell, Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 29/09/2020
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered piloting its proposed short-term let regulations before implementation.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (14/10/2020)
Question S5W-32140: Oliver Mundell, Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 29/09/2020
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason its short-term let consultation document makes no reference to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism sector.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (14/10/2020)
Question S5W-32139: Oliver Mundell, Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 29/09/2020
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a business regulatory impact assessment to accompany its plans to introduce short-term let licensing and planning control areas.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (14/10/2020)
Motions
Putting Artists In The Picture: A Sustainable Arts Funding System For Scotland
Events
For the latest information about BEFS Members’ events see our events calendar.
Festival of Place
Date & time: 2 – 13 November 2020.
Online.
Festival of Place presents an exciting season of inspiring talks and dynamic workshops for city-shapers, placemakers, planners, developers, architects and investors. Shape your own learning across two weeks of keynote speeches, think-ins, masterclasses, case studies and placehacks about how to design and develop places where people thrive; putting citizens first. Come together with international urban shapers in our social lounge to question, challenge and learn.
Partners in Planning Online Conference: Working with Climate Change in Mind
Dates & times: 9th – 13th November at 4pm.
Webinars.
Partners in Planning invite you to attend this online conference looking at at how planners can work together to support the climate change agenda. Over the course of the week there will be a one hour session each afternoon looking at different aspects of the impact planning can have on our environment. Please see the outline agenda below for further details of each afternoons topics. This conference is free, we welcome all built environment professionals and students to join us in the discussion.
Why Are Tenements Tiled?
Date & time: Thursday 12th November 2020 | 6pm.
Zoom event.
Tenement flats have provided homes to Glaswegians for almost two centuries. Join GCHT and conservation consultant Darren McLean for a fascinating evening lecture, which will explore ‘wally tiles’ and their history. Some tiles are now in poor condition, while others are near pristine, yet they all make a statement about the time that they were installed. This talk will cover not only tiles within the common areas of tenements but also complimentary element such as glass and metal. With stunning pictures, case studies and expert knowledge from Darren, this surely an event not to be missed by tenement tile enthusiasts!
Date & time: Sat, 14 November 2020; 10:00 – 12:30.
Online Event.
Our first Conversation will be a half-day event on the morning of Saturday 14th November, under the banner ‘Celebrating Resilience’, and we have invited speakers from community groups who have pushed forward with their projects during this oh-so-challenging year, and have ambitions for the immediate future. With your help, we will be creating a memorable day of talks through hearing from you all about your involvement with community heritage in testing times.If you seek a monument, gaze around
Date & time: Thu, 26 November 2020; 18:00 – 19:00.
Online Event.
Sculptors and experts share and discuss the city’s outstanding monuments and public art. Special guests include sculptor Alexander Stoddart. Edinburgh World Heritage autumn 2020 programme. Great sculptors have lived and worked in Edinburgh for centuries, and the city has one of the finest collection of public monuments of any city. In this live event, our panel will talk about their favourite Edinburgh sculpture, and discuss whether the city’s monuments present an incomplete and outdated version of the past. Special guests include sculptor Alexander Stoddart, the Queen’s Sculptor in Ordinary in Scotland, Director of Edinburgh Art Festival Sorcha Carey and more.
Training
Zoom Meeting
The ‘Sustainable Renovation Guide’, created by Chris Morgan in association with SEDA and The Pebble Trust, describes ten ways in which those involved in the retrofit and renovation of Scotland’s homes can improve upon current practice, achieving better energy performance while simultaneously gaining wider sustainability benefits. GCHT is delighted to collaborate with Chris to present this CPD, which will be of interest to anyone working with existing buildings, from those working in government, housing associations and councils, as well as architects, surveyors, builders and those wanting to refurbish their own homes. This CPD will include detailed information and drawings of exactly how parts of a building can be upgraded along with a commentary on practical issues to look out for, and why our guidance differs from most conventional wisdom on the subject.
Get The Latest Built Environment News, Policy Developments, Publications, Consultations And More.
BEFS News
Applications are now open to the NLHF funded Business Support Programme, ‘Surviving to Thriving’, developed by Built Environment Forum Scotland (BEFS), Museums Galleries Scotland and greenspace scotland to support heritage organisations in Scotland to develop sustainable business models. The programme will deliver a comprehensive resilience and leadership training programme free of charge to approximately 40 heritage organisations across Scotland. Information and application form can be found here. To have a chat about the programme and application, join us at surgeries throughout November. Book a place .
Tender opportunities are also now live for the procurement of training provision and evaluation of the Business Support Programme. Full details .
The UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (CaCHE) and the Land Commission Scotland have published a new report ‘Delivering More Homes and Better Places’, co-produced with the Housing and Place Delivery Forum (HPDF), of which BEFS is a member. This report examines five housing developments in Scotland to extract lessons for future housing and place delivery. The report provides some clear and constructive lessons on how the way land is assembled for development can deliver more homes and better places. A summary of the report can be found here.
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has published its 6-month Action Plan until March 2021. The Plan comes in response to Covid-19 in place of an Annual Operating Plan and sets out how HES will prioritise and continue to resume its core activities over the next six months.
The Climate Heritage Network (CHN), of which BEFS is a member, is running Culture x Climate, a virtual forum designed to unite leaders, practitioners, activists, researchers, and experts, all sharing how arts, culture and heritage can help drive transformative climate action in our communities. Running from 12 October through to 27 November, Culture x Climate features CHN-sponsored webinars, weekly themes and affiliated events from CHN members and allies. Find out more about upcoming events.
This year Scotland’s Community Heritage Conference has been re-imagined as a new series of Community Heritage Conversations. The first Conversation will be a half-day event on the morning of Saturday 14th November, under the banner ‘Celebrating Resilience’, and speakers will be from community groups who have pushed forward with their projects during this oh-so-challenging year. More information here and save the date!
BEFS is delighted to welcome its newest member The Ridge Foundations CIC (TRF), a construction company and social enterprise, part of the Ridge SCIO charity. Find out more about the invaluable work they do in providing high quality training in traditional skills and supporting employment in their local community in this week’s blog.
Consultations
Island Communities Impact Assessments Guidance and Toolkit
Opened 12 Oct 2020 and closes 9 Nov 2020.
Fair Rents (Scotland) Bill
Opened 12 Oct 2020 and closes 7 Dec 2020.
Talking About Heritage
Opened 22 Sep 2020 and closes 15 Dec 2020.
Emerging from lockdown survey – Museums Galleries Scotland
Coronavirus (COVID-19): supporting people and communities – call for ideas
Closes 23 October 2020.
External wall systems – advice note: background, consultation questions and response form
This targeted consultation will be completed on 25 October 2020.
Proposed Changes to Pre-Application Consultation Requirements in Planning
Closes 6 Nov 2020.
Programme for Reviewing and Extending Permitted Development Rights (PDR) in Scotland – Consultation on Phase 1 Proposals
Closes 12 Nov 2020.
Draft Infrastructure Investment Plan – 2021-22 to 2025-26
Closes 19 Nov 2020.
Consultation Responses
Publications
HES Action Plan 2020-21 – Mid Year Update (HES 20/10/20)
Heritage Now – How Heritage Can Support National Recovery (THA 10/20)
Backing the Bedrock 2020 – Five Heritage Fiscal & Funding Priorities 2020 (THA 10/20)
HES publishes its annual reports for 2019-20 (HES 15/10/20)
COVID-19 & BEYOND: Challenges and Opportunities for Cultural Heritage (EN 15/10/20)
Learning from lockdown – 12 steps to eliminate digital exclusion (CUKT 15/10/20)
Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for retail, tourism and hospitality customers (SG 09/10/20)
Coronavirus (COVID-19): tourism and hospitality sector guidance (SG 08/10/20)
Pride in place – The RSA Heritage Index 2020 (RSA 10/20)
The House of Good – The economic and social value of church buildings to the UK (NCT 10/20)
Scottish Government News Releases
New grant for local projects (SG 18/10/20)
A new £1 million ‘Scotland Loves Local’ fund will provide grants of between £500 and £5,000 to hundreds of projects to promote town centre and online businesses.
Scotland’s Green Recovery (SG 09/10/20)
Fast-tracked funding to help local communities drive their green recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been announced.
News Releases
Planning for the future (HES 21/10/20)
We believe that Scotland’s past can lead the way to a green recovery and an energy efficient future – after all, the greenest building is the one that already exists.
£1m Scotland Loves Local Fund Open for Applications (STP 20/10/20)
A new £1 million ‘Scotland Loves Local’ fund will provide grants of between £500 and £5,000 to hundreds of projects to promote town centre and online businesses.
HES has published its 6-month Action Plan until March 2021 (HES 20/10/20)
The Plan comes on the back of HES’ first 6-month Action Plan, which was produced in April in response to Covid-19 in place of an Annual Operating Plan and sets out how we will prioritise and continue to resume our core activities over the next six months.
HES publishes its annual reports for 2019-20 (HES 15/10/20)
HES reflects on the past year with the publication of its Annual Report and Financial Statements 2019-20 and Properties in Care Report.
RSA Heritage Index reveals the UK’s heritage hotspots (NLHF 14/10/20)
The 2020 report highlights the UK’s best areas for heritage and puts forward the case for heritage as a means of recovery in the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Free holidays in historic buildings for charities (TLT 10/20)
This programme offers fifty midweek (four nights) and weekend (three nights) breaks in March, at selected Landmarks across England, Wales, Scotland and even a trip by helicopter to the island of Lundy.
Help for heritage organisations to build better businesses (NLHF 10/20)
Apply now to take part in workshops and training to boost skills and confidence and improve your organisation’s leadership and management.
Past Protectors are Prize Winners! (PAS 09/10/20)
Participants in a PAS project have won first prize in a national archaeology competition, after showing off their presenting and filming skills in the Council for British Archaeology run Festival of Archaeology.
My Place Awards 2020 Winners Announced (SCT 08/10/20)
The winning, highly commended and commended projects for the My Place Awards 2020 were announced on 8th October. The My Place Awards celebrate community-led built environment projects that have transformed their localities and are supported by the Scottish Government.
Free Membership Form of Europa Nostra (18-30 years old) (EN 10/20)
Are you aged between 18 and 30 years old? You can apply for free membership. Would you like to be part of the largest heritage network in Europe? Do you think you can contribute to our mission through your experiences, creativity and skills?
The Kickstart Scheme – Expressions of Interest (MGS 10/20)
The UK government has introduced the new Kickstart Scheme, a £2 billion fund to create hundreds of thousands of high-quality work placements. To enable MGS to apply for the Scheme, we must ensure there is sufficient demand from the museums and galleries sector.
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”.
Question S5W-32595: Liz Smith, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 15/10/2020
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the Scottish Land Commission Report on regional land use partnerships.
Question S5W-32616: Angus MacDonald, Falkirk East, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 16/10/2020
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for an awareness campaign on the implementation of changes to the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 to ensure that homeowners, landlords, and those responsible for complying with the new regulations are aware of their responsibilities before 1 February 2021.
Parliamentary Questions & Answers
Questions marked with a triangle (?) are initiated by the Government in order to facilitate the provision of information to the Parliament.
Question S5W-31673: Maurice Golden, West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 08/09/2020
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-31438 by Fiona Hyslop on 3 September 2020, how many awards from the culture and heritage support package in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have been allocated in each local authority area toward each of the 13 purposes set out in the response, also broken down by the (a) largest, (b) smallest and (c) average size of award.
Answered by Fiona Hyslop (22/09/2020)
Question S5W-31693: Willie Coffey, Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 09/09/2020
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent announcement that the culture and heritage sectors are to receive a £59 million funding package to protect jobs and help the industry weather the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, when access to this funding package will be available; how this is being communicated to local cultural organisations; whether individuals can apply to the fund; how the fund will be disbursed; who will consider the bids, and how it will ensure the equanimity of awards so that all cultural communities will benefit.
Answered by Fiona Hyslop (18/09/2020)
Question S5W-31751: Colin Smyth, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 10/09/2020
To ask the Scottish Government how the £275 million regeneration fund announced in the Programme for Government will be allocated; when this funding will become available, and over how many years it will be spent.
Answered by Aileen Campbell (25/09/2020)
Question S5W-31745: Colin Smyth, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 10/09/2020
To ask the Scottish Government whether it still aims to have zero or ultra-low emission city centres by 2030.
Answered by Michael Matheson (24/09/2020)
Question S5W-31815: Andy Wightman, Lothian, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 15/09/2020
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comment by the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning on 8 January 2020 that “we will review the tax treatment of short-term lets to ensure that they make an appropriate contribution to the communities that they operate in” (Official Report, c.37), what progress has been made with this review, and when the results will be published.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (29/09/2020)
Question S5W-31843: John Finnie, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 16/09/2020
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the Member’s letter of 4 August and its reply of 3 September 2020, whether it will provide an answer to the request for it to commission independent research into the social and environmental impact of tourism.
Answered by Fergus Ewing (30/09/2020)
Question S5W-31866: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 17/09/2020
To ask the Scottish Government what lessons it can learn from the roll-out of Spaces for People regarding the need for effective and accessible community consultation, which can be applied to other initiatives.
Answered by Michael Matheson (29/09/2020)
Question S5W-31963: Edward Mountain, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 22/09/2020
To ask the Scottish Government when the Scottish Tourism Recovery Task Force will publish its report on the recovery of the industry.
Answered by Fergus Ewing (06/10/2020)
Events
For the latest information about BEFS Members’ events see our events calendar.
Heritage and the Urban Environment: Whose Heritage is it Anyway
Date & time: Thursday 29th October 2020, 15:00- 16:30.
Venue: live online Zoom seminar.
Historic Environment Scotland is the lead public body for the historic environment in Scotland – what does that mean in practice? What does HES do and how does that reflect how a 21st century population views heritage. HES has been undertaking ground-breaking research both in Scotland and internationally and opening up the conversation about heritage to different audiences. There has been controversy in the press around contested heritage through the Black Lives Matter campaigns; how does this fit with HES role and what does it mean for how we tell Scotland’s story in future? Who gets a say in what gets recognised in Scotland? HES has also been at the forefront of climate research and its impact on the historic environment, what will this mean for sites and monuments around Scotland in the future and how might that affect all of us?
A city so beautiful it breaks the heart again and again
Date & time: 29 October 2020; 18:00 – 19:00.
Online event.
“A city so beautiful it breaks the heart again and again” – Alexander McCall Smith
Painters, past and present, have depicted Edinburgh in countless different ways as both a backdrop and as the subject of great art. In this live event, our panel will talk about some of their favourite Edinburgh paintings, and discuss why the city has been such a potent muse for artists of all ages. Special guests include Scottish watercolourist Hugh Buchanan, RSA New Contemporaries 2020 exhibited young artist Lyndsey Mackenzie and Chief Curator of European and Scottish Art & Portraiture, National Gallery of Scotland, Patricia Allerston.
Architecture Fringe 2021 | October Open Meet-Up
Date & time: 29 October 2020; 19:00 – 20:30.
Online.
We’re off and running for the Architecture Fringe 2021! Join us for our first monthly open meet-up for an evening of good ideas, good chat and good people. Got a project idea or need some help? Our monthly meet-ups are for participants to share ideas, get feedback and get some help for self-directed work being put towards the Architecture Fringe 2021 Open Programme. We’ll be online via Zoom* on Thursday 29th October 2020, 7pm-8:30pm with a warm and facilitated evening of inspiration, information and support. Each meet-up will kick off with a short provocation on a different topic in context to next year’s theme of (Un)Learning. For October, we’re delighted to be joined by award-winning architect, academic, author and recent RIBA Presidential candidate Sumita Singha.
Loudoun Castle and Landscape Design in Scotland c.1700
Date & time: 2 Nov 2020, 18:30.
Online event.
Join Margaret Stewart for a presentation and screening of a film about landscape design in Scotland. Architectural historian Margaret Stewart introduces a short film entitled Loudoun, a documentary about landscape design in Scotland around 1700, and follows the screening with a talk on the making of the film. This is our annual joint lecture with Scotland’s Garden and Landscape Heritage. Our online Winter Lectures are hosted on Zoom. We recommend downloading Zoom before the start of a talk. Instructions on how to join a lecture will be sent by email on the day of the event.
Training
CPD: The Circular Economy with Katie Carter and Roger Curtis, HES
Date & time: Tuesday 27th October 2020 | 12.30-1.30pm.
GCHT Zoom Meeting.
The philosophy of the circular economy is to work towards zero waste operations, in which we maintain, repair, upgrade, repurpose, reuse and recycle everything we use in a continual loop. At a time when climate change and sustainability are at the top of the agenda for all of us, the studies into the circular economy are crucial to forging sustainable and responsible working solutions in the building conversation and construction sector. GCHT are therefore delighted to present this exclusive CPD lecture by two leading experts, Katie Carter and Roger Curtis from HES; Katie will provide an overview of the circular economy, followed by a look into some case studies with Roger.
RIAS Conservation Challenges 2020 – Autumn Seminar
Date & time: Tue, 27 October 2020; 13:00 – 16:30.
Online Event.
Join RIAS online for the Autumn Conservation CPD seminar chaired by Jocelyn Cunliffe, Convenor of the RIAS Conservation Committee. Presentations will include conservation theory, principles and challenges; stories of tenement improvements and deterioration; traditional window repairs; VAT rules and existing buildings; and conservation and the circular economy.
CPD: The Sustainable Renovation Guide with Chris Morgan
Date & time: 11th November 2020 | 12.30-1.30pm.
GCHT Zoom Meeting.
The ‘Sustainable Renovation Guide’, created by Chris Morgan in association with SEDA and The Pebble Trust, describes ten ways in which those involved in the retrofit and renovation of Scotland’s homes can improve upon current practice, achieving better energy performance while simultaneously gaining wider sustainability benefits. GCHT is delighted to collaborate with Chris to present this CPD, based upon the ‘Sustainable Renovation Guide,’ which will be of interest to anyone working with existing buildings, from those working in government, housing associations and councils, as well as architects, surveyors, builders and those wanting to refurbish their own homes.
Vacancies
Tender Opportunities: Training Provision & Evaluation
Tender opportunities are now live for the procurement of training provision and evaluation for our new NLHF-funded Business Support Programme – ‘Surviving to Thriving: Supporting Sustainable Scottish Heritage Businesses’ with Museums Galleries Scotland, Built Environment Forum Scotland and GREENSPACE SCOTLAND.
Deadline for tenders 30 Oct 2020.
Chief Executive at Scotland’s Regeneration Forum (SURF)
SURF is seeking an outstanding leader to build on our success and actively promote better understanding and practical cooperation between all regeneration partners, sectors and perspectives. You will have the opportunity to bring fresh thinking, creativity and ultimately make a difference for communities across Scotland.
Shortlist meeting (Livingston James and SURF): w/c 30th November.
A new series of events to bring together volunteers, community groups and heritage professionals.
Archaeology Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, the Scottish Council on Archives, Northlight Heritage, the Scottish Community Heritage Alliance, and CIfA are delighted to announce Community Heritage Conversations, a new series of events to bring together volunteers, community groups and heritage professionals, providing them with a stage to share experiences, inspire one another with ideas and plans, and to celebrate the places that matter to us all.
Community Heritage Conversations is a re-imagining of Scotland’s Community Heritage Conference, which since 2012 has developed into a lively forum bringing together many different voices from the heritage world. Life has changed in 2020, of course, and this year the organisers bring you a series of monthly online events to explore the themes of resilience, innovation, adaptation & celebration. The series will start in November 2020 and run throughout 2021.
Regular attendees of the Community Heritage Conference will find many of the familiar features (and familiar faces) that have made it such a success – short talks showcasing the wonderful achievements of community heritage ventures around the country, lively discussions and, of course, the rapid-fire One Minute Mayhem.
The first Conversation will be a half-day event on the morning of Saturday 14th November, under the banner ‘Celebrating Resilience’, and speakers will be from community groups who have pushed forward with their projects during this oh-so-challenging year, and have ambitions for the immediate future. The event promises to be a memorable day of talks through hearing from those involved with community heritage in testing times.
This will be followed on Wednesday 9th December by the second event, on the theme ‘Adapting to Digital’; more details of this will follow in the coming weeks. The organisers would like your help in shaping these Conversations, so please get in touch if there is a theme you would like to see discussed, or if you know of a great project that needs to be highlighted.
The Conversations will be hosted on Zoom and will be free to attend. Some people have found it difficult to engage with virtual platforms, but please be assured that the organisers will be on hand to help you get the most out of the day.
Details and booking:
- Saturday 14th November, 10.00 – 12.30 Celebrating Resilience
- Wednesday 9th December, 10.00-12.30 Adapting to Digital
Any questions – don’t hesitate to get in touch with the organising team at chcscot@gmail.com.
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BEFS newest member, The Ridge Foundations CIC, a construction company & social enterprise, describe their invaluable work in the local community.
Apprentices in the stocks ©TRF
The Ridge Foundations CIC (TRF) is a construction company/social enterprise, part of the Ridge SCIO charity. Our core focus is to provide high quality training in traditional skills, and supported employment for those who would otherwise struggle to access or sustain either.
Based in Dunbar, we offer opportunities to local people, in an area of geographical isolation. Opportunities to access training, entry-level jobs and support services are largely situated at least 2 costly bus journeys and a couple of hours away at the far end of the county, or in Edinburgh. For those already struggling to cope with day-to-day life, the additional barriers can prove insurmountable. And in this way, the potential of individuals is so often missed, with catastrophic negative impacts for the individuals themselves, for their families, the wider community and for the taxpayer, as their reliance on a range of services spreads and deepens.
The fabulous Dunbar Conservation Area is at risk, in large parts, of permanent loss, due to decades of neglect. This impacts on how local people feel about the place where they live, and about themselves. It also inhibits the local economy, deterring visitors and new businesses alike, limiting the massive potential of this Scottish Burgh Townscape, two harbours and castle, alongside the rich history of the place.
At TRF, local people learn high quality skills to help reverse this situation. Traditional stonemasonry and joinery skills are taught by skilled and experienced trainers, supported closely by Historic Environment Scotland (HES). As a CITB-registered company, and SQA centre, we offer Modern Apprenticeships (7 currently) for our trainees, alongside qualifications such as the National Progression Award in Construction (Craft and Technician) for local school pupils and for unemployed adults. Working in close partnership with East Lothian Council and the Jobcentre Plus, we provide access to this training to individuals from across the county as well as Dunbar locals.
The grants which support our work are increasingly supplemented by commercial contracts. This also improves the range of experience of trainees, of both the practical elements of their trade and the ‘real world’ of working for customers. The rest of the time, they are either in college, or working on our own projects, including Black Bull Close, just off Dunbar High Street.
Building 4 (as it is romantically known) of Black Bull Close is being restored with support from HES, via generous funding and close technical supervision, as we aim to deliver a simple restoration, which is also fit for modern purposes. Every aspect of the project is an opportunity for skills training and for wider learning. We aim to include the local community as far as possible in the process, including running Community Archaeology and heritage engagement events.
There was deep scepticism locally at the outset, and many people believed it would be a waste of time to try and save the Close ruins. This has now been inverted, and the local community is thrilled with the transformation to date. The wider impact has been that other local buildings previously despaired of, are now being viewed as viable. The power of a positive, visible model!
For us, the process has deepened our passion for the built environment, and its potential to change lives. We are really keen to be part of and to contribute to the dialogue at a national level, in particular around how traditional skills can be mainstreamed and their benefits accessed without barriers. We aspire to being part of a national network of traditional skills training centres and feel that BEFS membership would be a great forum for discussing this and engaging with like-minded individuals and organisations nationally.
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