BEFS News

Community Land Scotland and INHERIT have published their report, Community Empowerment and Landscape, which looks at the relationship between communities of place and landscape designations. The findings of the research have a bearing on natural and historic environment designations in rural and urban Scotland; some may recall that one of the authors, Chris Dalglish, spoke at a BEFS conference on HES policy in April. BEFS are planning a joint event with Community Land Scotland and INHERIT in the near future, which will look at the positive steps that can be taken towards more empowered participation.

BEFS is holding a workshop looking at the draft HES Corporate Plan on Friday 26th October, further details and booking here.

The Listed Property Owners’ Club has lodged a petition calling for the UK Government to reduce VAT to 5% on repairs and approved alterations to listed buildings. BEFS, like the Scottish Government and 60 other organisations, has previously been a signatory to the Cut the Vat campaign and we would encourage individuals to respond to the petition, which will at least force the UK Government to respond, at best result in a debate in Westminster. If the campaign achieves its aims this would mitigate the loss of the zero rate in 2012, but with only 47,000 buildings in Scotland being listed it would still leave the vast majority of building owners at a disadvantage. It would not apply to unlisted buildings in conservation areas nor most tenemental properties in need of maintenance, many of which are in financially challenged areas. A Parliamentary debate would allow these issues to be aired and the petition requires 100,00 signatories for this to take place.

The Local Government and Communities Committee continues to debate the Planning Bill at Stage 2, which is likely to continue through until early November. At the time of writing, the minutes from 26th Sept meeting are not yet available but the amendment to stop the removal of statutory supplementary guidance was not moved in response to assurances from the Minister that removal would not weaken environmental protections. He reported that analysis undertaken by officials had revealed over 300 supplementary planning guidelines attached to local development plans and that the proposed system would strengthen environmental protection. We have asked Scottish Government for sight of their analysis. The committee minutes will become available here and when stage 2 is complete we will provide a report of the fate of the amendments.

The Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee heard from specialists on the Glasgow School of Art last week and the official report makes interesting reading. Is it perhaps premature to open this discussion before the official report on the cause of the fire is available? There seems to be a degree of conjecture in the discussion but it will perhaps help better frame questions once the cause is known.

Don’t miss the opportunity to send us your ideas and methodologies for prioritisation within built heritage, and take part in a robust and open discussion on the topic. All ideas are welcome and should be submitted by Monday 5th November 2018.

You can now read the minutes of the most recent meeting of the Scottish Parliamentary Working Group on Tenement Maintenance on our website here.

Wiki Loves Monuments UK is part of the world’s largest photo contest. Dr Sara Thomas, Scotland Programme Coordinator at Wikimedia UK shares her enthusiasm for the competition on our blog. Submit your entries from Scotland by 30th September.

Take a look back at the success of the Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology 2017 with this short film of highlights by VisitScotland.

Consultations

The Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee has launched a call for evidence, as part of the Committee’s on-going scrutiny of the Article 50 Negotiations, looking at the impact on Scotland’s individuals, businesses and organisations.
The deadline for written submissions is Friday 12 October 2018. 

The Finance and Constitution Committee invites written evidence on the estimated financial implications of the Fuel Poverty Bill as set out in its accompanying Financial Memorandum (FM).
The call for written views will close on 2 November 2018. 

Consultation on the Strategic Environmental Assessment for 15 proposed Special Protection Areas
Opened 14 Sep 2018 and closes 9 Nov 2018.

Scotland’s Forestry Strategy 2019-29
Opened 20 Sep 2018 and closes 29 Nov 2018. 

Delivering improved transparency in land ownership in Scotland: Consultation on draft regulations
Closes 8 Nov 2018 

Local Governance Review: Democracy Matters: Your Community. Your ideas. Your Future.
Closes 30 Nov 2018

Publications

Housing Statistics for Scotland 2018: Key Trends Summary (SG 25/09/18)

Talk of the Town – The economic links between cities and towns (Centre for Cities 24/09/18)

Living Cities: towards ecological urbanism (Scottish Wildlife Trust 22/09/18)

Reducing emissions in Scotland – 2018 Progress Report to Parliament (Committee on Climate Change 21/09/18) 

The Culture, Tourism, Europe & External Affairs Committee has published the latest SPICe Brexit update (SP 21/09/18)

Community Empowerment and Landscape (Community Land Scotland & INHERIT 19/09/18)

Working in the Public Interest (WITPI) Field Report: Edinburgh (RTPI 18/09/18)

Edinburgh City Plan 2030 Development Plan scheme (Edinburgh Council) 

New Powers, New Deals: Remaking British Towns after Brexit (Carnegie UK Trust)

Remaking British Towns after Brexit: Key Actions for Policy Makers and Planners (Carnegie UK Trust)

Town Centre Living: A Caring Place Case Studies (A&DS)

Historic Environment Scotland Annual Report 2017-18 (HES 13/09/18)

Properties in the Care of Scottish Ministers Annual Report 2017-18 (HES 13/09/18)

Scottish Government News Releases

Cupar Digital Improvement Pilot (SG 26/09/18)
Cupar will become a Digital Improvement District, a first for Scotland, fulfilling the Programme for Government commitment to fund a business improvement district dedicated to digital improvement. It will soon have town centre WiFi and act as a potential model for future small town designs.

More homes for Scotland (SG 25/09/18)
Affordable housing programme on target at halfway point. The Scottish Government is on track to meet its ambitious affordable housing target, new statistics show.

4% increase in housing supply in 2017-18 (SG 25/09/18)
Total new housing supply in Scotland increased by 4% in 2017-18, to 19,428 new housing units, or 745 more homes than the previous year, the fifth consecutive annual increase in total housing supply, and the highest annual figure since 2008-09.

News Releases

Saving Scotland’s Heritage From the Rising Seas (NYT 25/09/18)
Jim Dwyer, a New York Times reporter, and Josh Haner, a Times photographer, traveled to a Scottish archipelago in the North Atlantic to see how people are trying to save thousands of ancient structures.

Partners in Planning
A new information portal has been launched in Scotland, ‘Partners in Planning’, which aims to provide an online platform ‘to promote a single access point to the knowledge and skills that enables behavioural change in planning’.

Scotland’s Most Beautiful High Street- Entries Close This Sunday! (STP 24/09/18)
Scotland’s Towns Partnership has once again teamed up with Keep Scotland Beautiful and The Herald on Sunday to find Scotland’s Most Beautiful High Street. Any organisation or individual can enter their high street, and we call on local authorities, improvement districts, development trusts, community councils and any other local group to apply.

Not so pretty vacant. Scottish Land Commission and SEPA target new uses for derelict and vacant land (SLC 21/09/18)
Two of Scotland’s leading land and environment bodies have set their sights on finding ways to bring thousands of acres of derelict and vacant land back into productive use. The Scottish Land Commission and SEPA have today launched their innovative partnership and taskforce to transform Scotland’s approach to vacant and derelict land.

New £5 million fund for Highlands & Islands tourism (SRN 21/09/18)
The new Natural & Cultural Heritage Fund, led by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) will support projects that encourage visitors to experience more of the unique nature and culture of the Highlands & Islands. The fund is part of the next phase of the Scottish Government’s European Regional Development Fund programme, which runs through to 2023.

Focus Group Field Report: Edinburgh (WITPI/RTPI 18/09/18)
Our fourth focus group took us to Edinburgh to explore planning in Scotland. The focus group, which took place at the RTPI’s Edinburgh office, represented senior levels of expertise from across the public, private and NGO/charity sectors as well as including some young planners from both public and private arenas.

Shortlist announced for Great British High Street Awards 2018 (MHCLG 17/09/18)
38 high streets across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have been shortlisted in this year’s Great British High Street Awards 2018.

Call for Papers – Monuments in Monuments Conference 2019 (HES)
Are you a conservation professional? We’re inviting contributions for abstracts for our conference next year on the conservation of stone monuments and objects inside traditional buildings.

Conference Call for Papers – Women & Power: Redressing the Balance (UoO)
Organised by the National Trust and University of Oxford, the ‘Women & Power: Redressing the Balance’ conference has invited submissions for papers on a number of topics. This two-day conference will explore the research and presentation of women’s lives in public history and heritage, and reflect upon responses to the suffrage centenary anniversary in 2018.

Poll reveals strong public support for greater government investment in housing (SHN 18/09/18)
Commissioned to coincide with Scottish Housing Day, the survey shows that 46% of Scots think that the government is responsible for ensuring everyone has a home to live in, compared to 29% who think it is the responsibility of either housing associations or local authorities.

Conservation a Key Soft Power Resource, Icon Tells Heritage Minister (ICON 18/09/18)
On 4 September 2018, Icon Chief Executive Alison Richmond and Policy Advisor Anni Mäntyniemi met with Heritage Minister Michael Ellis at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in Westminster.

Entries open for RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence (RTPI 17/09/18)
Nominations for the RTPI Awards for Planning Awards Excellence are now open through to 14 December 2018. For 40 years they have rewarded the brightest talent in the profession; the teams, projects and individuals that transform economies, environments and their communities all over the UK and internationally.

Behind the scenes at the new V&A Dundee (HES 15/09/18)
A behind the scenes view from our paper conservation team as rarely seen treasures from the HES Archives are put on display at the new V&A Museum in Dundee.

European Heritage Awards/ Europa Nostra Awards – Call for Entries (EN 14/09/18)
The European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards are Europe’s highest honour in the heritage field. The Awards recognise the best conservation projects, the most impressive research; the most dedicated heritage professionals and volunteers; and the finest awareness raising, training and educational programmes. Deadline: 15 November 2018.

Opinion & Comment

Small cairns, big questions: community empowerment and landscape (Dr Calum Macleod 26/09/18)

A striking building, but at what price to urban regeneration elsewhere? (Alf Young in The Times 19/09/18)

1p per person: how local democracy is being ‘systematically eroded’ (The Ferret 19/09/18)

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-18849: Miles Briggs, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 17/09/2018
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with local authorities to promote the use of locally sourced stone in buildings and in streetscapes.

Question S5W-19082: Claudia Beamish, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 26/09/2018
To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale is for the introduction of the Compulsory Sale Order power.

Question S5W-19081: Claudia Beamish, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 26/09/2018
To ask the Scottish Government what role the Land Commission and SEPA partnership taskforce on vacant and derelict land will have in advancing the introduction of compulsory sale orders.

Question S5W-19055: Jackie Baillie, Dumbarton, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 26/09/2018
To ask the Scottish Government how many public sector construction projects in each of the last five years have used locally-sourced stone, and how much this represented as a percentage of the overall cost of each project.

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-18312: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 20/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government what modelling work it has carried out to analyse the costs of reaching energy performance certificate (EPC) (a) B and (b) C ratings for (i) domestic and (ii) residential buildings.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (11/09/2018)

Question S5W-18313: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 20/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has carried out to evaluate its campaign of awareness-raising to increase the uptake of energy efficiency measures for (a) domestic and (b) residential buildings.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (04/09/2018)

Question S5W-18329: Andy Wightman, Lothian, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 20/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government how many affordable homes have been built under the National Housing Trust model since May 2016.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (11/09/2018)

Events

For the latest information about BEFS Members’ events see our events calendar.

Find out more about the new Natural & Cultural Heritage Fund
Date: Tuesday 2 October 2018 – 12:00 to Wednesday 7 November 2018 – 12:00
Venue: Multiple Venues
Organiser: Scottish Natural Heritage
This Challenge Fund of £5million of ERDF money is being made available through a single competitive funding round opening in January 2019 and closing in April 2019. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) are looking to use this money to support around 10 major projects to be delivered by 2022. Projects must be seeking an ERDF grant of a minimum of £250k .The fund can support up to 70% of project costs and therefore total eligible project costs must be a minimum of £360k.

Places for Health: Creating Healthy, Vibrant and Safe Communities
Date: Thursday 25 October 2018
Venue: COSLA, Verity House, 19 Haymarket Yards, Edinburgh EH12 5BH
This event will examine how we can work across sectors – health, housing, community planning and regeneration – to design and sustain good quality places to live and work that support our health and wellbeing.

Edinburgh and the Slave Trade: The true cost of the New Town
Date: Thursday 25 October 2018
Time: 6pm – 7pm
Location: Canongate Kirk, 153 Canongate, Edinburgh
We would be delighted if you could join us on Thursday 25 October for a groundbreaking new lecture to celebrate Black History Month. Human rights activist and Professor Emeritus in the School of Life Sciences at Heriot-Watt University, Sir Geoff Palmer O.B.E. will expose Edinburgh’s long and profitable relationship with slavery.

Destination High Street: restoring vibrancy to Scotland’s towns
Date:  Wed. 7 November, 09.30-17.30.
Venue: The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3NY
This conference, organised jointly by the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland (AHSS) and the Scottish Civic Trust (SCT) will explore the challenges faced by Scotland’s high streets and smaller town centres. Speakers will examine projects and schemes aimed at regenerating high streets and the conference will bring together experts on the subject tackling the issue from a range of perspectives. This is a rare chance to hear from people working at the cutting-edge of practice and policy.

Edinburgh, Lothians and Borders Archaeology Conference
Date: Saturday November 17, 2018
Venue: Queen Margaret University, Musselburgh
This annual 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.

Education Buildings Scotland Conference 2018
Date: 21-22 November 2018.
Venue: EICC, 150 Morrison Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8EE.
Learner participation and wellbeing by design will form two key themes at the Education Buildings Scotland conference, November 21-22 at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre. The focus is on highlighting design as a tool to help prevent stress and a tool to empower learner’s wellbeing. Let’s share what’s possible, co-designing better wellbeing futures for all.

Training

Making & Using Traditional Mortars C1 – Contractor Level 1
Date: 24 – 25 October 2018
Venue: Merryhill Training Centre, Fife KY11 3DR
Our most popular two day introductory course – this practical workshop will provide attendees with a strong understanding of lime technology
The reasons for using traditional mortars on solid walls will also be explained, to allow you to better advise clients. The course will guide participants to be able to complete pointing work to traditional buildings to a high standard.
The content of this workshop provides the underpinning knowledge required for assessment and accreditation of SQA National Unit 1 – ‘Preparing and Using Basic Lime Mixes’.
Course Programme
Day 1 – Making Traditional Mortars

• Health and Safety issues
• Historic use of lime mortars
• Processing lime
• Best practice for mortar mixing
• Inspecting masonry
• Using the right tools

Day 2 – Using Traditional Mortars

• Preparing masonry joints
• Techniques of working
• Placing of mortar for repointing
• Joint finishing
• Curing and protection regimes

Winter Working with Lime
Dates: 26 October 2018 and 23 November 2018.
Venue: Charlestown Workshops, Fife KY11 3EN
Join us for the ultimate guide to winter working with lime! Our hints, tips and practical advice will help you extend your season working with lime mortars successfully. The reality is that contracting is a 365 days a year business and you don’t have the luxury of picking your weather windows.
Topics include:

• Background to the risk elements of winter working in inclement weather;
• Creating a sensible regime for work;
• Best site practices;
• How temperature influences the performance of mortars;
• The importance of detailing on a building;
• Using additives in mortars;
• How to achieve the successful curing of mortars;
• Options for protecting and covering work from the elements.

Traditional Masonry Repair C2 – Contractor Level 2
Dates: 30 October – 1 November 2018
Venue: Merryhill Training Centre, Fife KY11 3DR
This 3 day workshop builds on the knowledge and skills gained on ‘C1 Making and Using Traditional Mortars’. The workshop aims to enable you to complete seamless rebuilding and repair of traditional masonry to match original work. You will gain a conservation ethic and be able to develop repair strategies suitable for a variety of traditional masonry types.
The course deals with build types from ashlar to rubble walling, as well as finishes including harling and limewashing. Participants will be able to undertake sensitive surface repairs to ashlar and profiled stone to the highest standards using indenting, part indenting and mortared surface repairs
This workshop provides the underpinning knowledge and a practical rehearsal of the assessment and accreditation procedure for SQA National Unit 2 and Unit 3.

Repairing Traditional Masonry P1 – Professional Level 1
Dates: 7 – 8 November 2018
Venue: Charlestown Workshops, Fife KY11 3EN
This is our most popular 2 day workshop for building professionals and provides an introduction to the effective conservation and repair of traditional masonry structures and buildings, for the most part using traditional lime based mortars.
By the end of the course attendees will be able to recognise vernacular and historic finishes to masonry buildings and will gain an understanding of building diagnostics in order to be able to develop specifications in relation to exposure, season, substrates and the nature of masonry repairs required.

Crowdfunding for Arts & Heritage Organisations (Edinburgh)
Date & time: Friday 9 November 2018, Registration: 09:30 | Event: 09:45 – 16:30
Location: Arts & Business Scotland, Rosebery House, 9 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh, E12 5EZ
This training event will provide a ‘how-to’ guide to crowdfunding for cultural organisations. The event will include:

• The who, what and why of crowdfunding
• Crowdfunding stories
• Practical group exercises
• Methodologies
• Developing your network and target audience

This event is aimed at organisations who are considering undertaking a crowdfund and who have a project in mind and who want to understand how to plan a crowdfund.

Sash & Case Window Repairs
Dates: 10 November 2018
Venue: Merryhill Training Centre, Fife KY11 3DR
Don’t rip out your sash and case windows, did you know that in most cases you can undertake simple repairs and retain these period features?
This practical course will prove invaluable if you have a property with Sash and Case Windows. We will cover a short history of the development of windows before looking at the different components that make up a window and the issues to consider when approaching repairs. The course will allow attendees to identify and address various problems that commonly occur with sash windows. Topics covered will include window dismantling and reassembly, replacing ropes, weights, panes and putty. Various repair and improvement techniques will also be covered.

A Guide to Tax for Arts & Heritage Organisations (Edinburgh)
Date & time: Friday 16 November 2018, Registration: 09:15 | Event: 09:30 – 12:30
Location: Arts & Business Scotland, Rosebery House, 9 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh, E12 5EZ
This half-day seminar is a must for all financial or budget holding staff and anyone who wants to know how tax affects (and can benefit) arts and heritage organisations with charitable status in Scotland. The tax guide provides a practical summary and guidance on how tax affects the arts and heritage organisations.  The event and guide are also a great refresher and reference for those who need reminding of basic principles and want to know how different taxes interact with each other.

Vacancies

Communications & Events Officer
Would you like the opportunity to play a leading role in developing the Scottish Civic Trust’s communications strategy? We are looking for a Communications & Events Officer.
Deadline for applications: 5pm on 3rd October 2018.

Digital Communications Officer
RSA are looking for a fantastic Digital Communications Officer to help promote the RSA’s mission of enriching society through ideas and action across our digital communications channels.
In this role you’ll manage social media and content production for the Digital Team, working with colleagues across the organisation to ensure that the RSA’s research and Fellowship outputs are promoted as effectively as possible – reaching a diverse audience of policymakers, practitioners, RSA Fellows and others interested in a range of cross-cutting issues dealt with in our work.
The closing date for receipt of applications is 10:00am on Thursday 4th October 2018.

Natural & Cultural Heritage Fund Project & Funding Officer
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has been appointed by Scottish Government as the Lead Partner for the new Natural & Cultural Heritage Fund (NCHF). This is part of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Programme, which aims to increase economic activity and employment. NCHF will support major capital infrastructure tourism projects such as visitor and cultural centres, as well as digital interpretation and campaigns.
The purpose of this post is to promote the Fund, advise potential applicants to the Fund as they develop their project ideas, and then support grantees to get projects up and running.
Closing date: midnight 14 October 2018. 

Heritage Lottery Fund / National Heritage Memorial Fund Trustee for Scotland
The Heritage Lottery Fund / National Heritage Memorial Fund (HLF/NHMF) Chair and up to 14 Trustees are appointed by the Prime Minister. The Board operates within laws made by Parliament and directions given by Government. Their decisions about individual applications and matters of policy are made entirely independently. The HLF/NHMF Board set the strategic and policy framework within which grants to benefit the heritage of the UK are awarded. The Board determines the Strategic Framework and annual Business Plan, which sets out the activities which enable the HLF/NHMF Funds to deliver their strategies.
The Trustee for Scotland presents an exciting and challenging opportunity for an individual with a strong commitment to, and enthusiasm for Scotland and rest of the UK’s diverse heritage, to make a lasting contribution.
The deadline for completed applications is 12:00pm (midday) 24 October 

BACK

BEFS News

People want built heritage in all its forms, to: receive the care, protection and examination needed; for heritage to be able to facilitate the greatest benefits; and for those benefits to be widely accessible and understood. But what are those benefits – academic, social, economic, cultural? And in a period of continued constraint in public funding can we have it all, for everything? BEFS invites those open to exploring strategies for the prioritisation of built heritage to put forward methodologies for robust and open discussion. Find out more.

BEFS has produced a briefing paper for the Local Government and Communities Committee to inform their discussion of Stage 2 of the Planning (Scotland) Bill. Find our more here.

BEFS recently submitted a response to the Government consultation on the Culture Strategy (open until 19th September). BEFS consulted widely with members and also worked extensively with Museums Galleries Scotland, Heritage Lottery Fund, National Trust Scotland and Historic Environment Scotland on shared concerns relating to the visibility of heritage within a strategy designed to be inclusive of all forms of culture.

The Scottish Government has published the Scottish Household Survey 2017. Key findings show that the number of adults who visited historical or archaeological places increased by 7 percentage points between 2012 and 2017 (28% to 35%) and after cinema attendance is the most popular.

Formal consultation is now open for Historic Environment Scotland’s draft policy for historic environment-related planning issues. Communities, local authorities, developers and heritage sector stakeholders are invited to comment on the draft Historic Environment Policy (HEP), a key document for decision-makers in the planning process and others managing heritage assets. Consultation on the draft HEP runs until Monday 3rd December. The survey can be accessed here.

Historic Environment Scotland has also launched the public consultation on its new draft Corporate Plan 2019-22.

Dr Sara Thomas, Scotland Programme Coordinator at Wikimedia UK. shares her enthusiasm for the photo competition Wiki Loves Monuments and encourages entries from Scotland, in our first blog.

Richard Rodger, Emeritus Professor at Edinburgh University and Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, argues that Edinburgh New Town had little to do with town planning, in our second blog this week.

Consultations

Scottish Building Regulations: Review of Energy Standards: ‘Call for Evidence’
Closes on 14 Sep 2018.

Barclay Implementation: A consultation on non-domestic rates reform
Closes on 17 Sep 2018.

A Culture Strategy for Scotland
Closes on 19 Sep 2018.

Building Standards Compliance and Fire Safety – a consultation on making Scotland’s buildings safer for people
Closes 26 Sep 2018.

Help HES write the next chapter in its story – Public consultation on draft Corporate Plan 2019-22 launched
Closes 2 November 2018.

Historic Environment Policy Consultation
Closes 3 December 2018.

Publications

Climate Change Plan: third report on proposals and policies 2018-2032 – summary document (SG 12/09/18)

Housing Beyond 2021 (SG 05/09/18)

Delivering for Today, Investing for Tomorrow – The Government’s Programme for Scotland 2018-19 (SG 04/09/18) 

Scotland’s People Annual Report: Results from the 2017 Scottish Household Survey (SG 04/09/18)

Age, Home and Community – The Next Phase (SG 30/08/18) 

Cultural Value Scoping Project (AHRC 08/18)

Priced Out: Home ownership and public    service workers (UNISON 08/18)

Scottish Government News Releases

More money for self-build homes (SG 07/09/18)
£4 million loan fund open for applications. People across Scotland who want to build their own homes will be able to apply to the self-build loan fund from today.

Delivering for today, investing for tomorrow (SG 04/09/18)
A major reform of mental health services, investment in infrastructure and legislation to underpin a Scottish National Investment Bank are at the forefront of the Scottish Government’s priorities for the year ahead.

Helping older people to live independently (SG 30/08/18)
Strategy will address isolation, loneliness and improve access to housing. Older people are being helped to understand how their housing choices will impact on their lives as they age. A refreshed joint strategy between the Scottish Government and COSLA, which champions independent living for older people within their community, has been launched.

News Releases

Creating a training programme that really does have an impact on productivity (CITB 13/09/18)
Improving productivity is of crucial importance for the survival of the construction industry and the economic well-being of the UK. It is clear that training has a role to play, but who should be trained in what and how? Whole Life Consultants Ltd and Experian are working with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) to create a trailored training programme. Have you say by completing this short survey:

Scottish Heritage Angel Awards finalists unveiled (HES 12/09/18)
The rescue of a historic picture house in Campbeltown, restoration of an early 20th century Japanese Garden at Cowden and a project to promote archaeology in Caithness are among the finalists for the Scottish Heritage Angel Awards 2018, as the shortlist was revealed today (Wednesday 12 September).

V&A Dundee is ready to open its doors (DCMS 12/09/18)
Iconic cultural institution arrives in Scotland causing great excitement. Scotland Secretary David Mundell has hailed the arrival of the V&A Dundee, which opens on Saturday ( 15 September).

We are now making our final approach… (EWH 11/09/18)
The APPROACH project is dotting its i’s and crossing its t’s after a whirlwind two years in the making.
The project has created four 3D models of the historic centres of Edinburgh, Lublin, Granada and Budapest.

The European Saints That Made Scotland (HES 07/09/18)
Discover some of the European saints who have shaped Scottish history including a bloody tale of feuding Norwegian cousins, a gruesome gift for a Pictish king and the origins of our patron saint.

Young women explore heritage with Action for Children and the Scottish Civic Trust (SCT 04/09/18)
The Scottish Civic Trust is working with Action for Children to support the Heritage and Inclusion Project, which reduces the levels of isolation felt by young women from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds by helping them discover diverse history and heritage.

Europa Nostra welcomes and contributes to the 10 European initiatives of EYCH 2018 (EN 03/09/18)
The European Commission, in collaboration with key partners, is running long-term projects around 10 themes, called the 10 European Initiatives, so as to build a lasting legacy of the European Year of Cultural Heritage (EYCH) 2018.

Scotland’s Most Beautiful High Street (STP 31/08/18)
Scotland’s Towns Partnership has once again teamed up with environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful and The Herald on Sunday to find Scotland’s Most Beautiful High Street. Any organisation or individual can enter their high street, and so we call on local authorities, business improvement districts, development trusts, community councils and any other local group to apply.

SURF Awards Application Deadline Approaching!
So if you know of or work with a great project or you think the area that you live/work in is worthy of the ‘Most Improved Place’ title them put them forward for an Award! It is a straightforward application form! This year the 5 categories are: Community Led Regeneration; Youth Employment: Overcoming Barriers; Scotland’s Most Improved Place; Housing; Creative Regeneration. The closing date for applications is 5pm on Monday 17th September.

Social landlords continue to show strong performance against the Scottish Social Housing Charter (SHR 30/08/18)
Scottish social landlords continue to show strong performance across most of the standards and outcomes of the Scottish Social Housing Charter. This is the main finding of a new report published today by the Scottish Housing Regulator.

New innovation fund for places of worship (HLF 28/09/18)
Places of Worship: Inspiring Ideas opens today. It’s a new strategic funding initiative that welcomes applications from projects looking to explore innovative ideas and test new approaches to managing, caring for, and funding historic places of worship, of all faiths and denominations.

Opinion & Comment

A Place of Pilgrimage (Alexander McCall Smith for HES 12/09/18)

RICS President: Time is now to future proof Scotland’s built environment (RICS 10/09/18) 

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-18273: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 17/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the (a) use and (b) value of properties renovated through the (i) Town Centre Housing Fund and (ii) Empty Homes Loan Fund; how many properties renovated through each fund (A) are and (B) are not classed as affordable, and what information it has on the subsequent rental and sales value of each property that received funding.

Question S5W-18606: Lewis Macdonald, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 05/09/2018
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it gives to local authorities regarding what constitutes affordable housing.

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-18098: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 08/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government what the vetting process is for people declaring that they are fit and proper to register as a property factor; what the minimum requirements are for an individual to pass the fit and proper test, and how many people have been unable to register as a property factor due to failing to pass the vetting process since the register came into force in each year since 2012.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (30/08/2018)

Question S5W-18094: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 08/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government whether it provides an approved contractor list for energy efficiency contractors.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (30/08/2018)

Question S5W-18096: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 08/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government how it will support owner-occupiers who are unable to obtain a loan for funding energy efficiency measures.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (30/08/2018) 

Question S5W-18090: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 08/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government how it will implement energy efficiency measures in mixed-tenure tenements for social rent and private rented sector properties if shared approval for costs by all owners is not achieved.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (30/08/2018)

Question S5W-18095: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 08/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government what quality assurance measures are in place to ensure that members of the public receive the most appropriate energy efficiency measures and that they pay the smallest possible price for the work when using public funding routes.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (30/08/2018)

Question S5W-18092: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 08/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government when it wil begin consultation on owner-occupied properties being mandated to comply with energy efficiency measures and any related financial penalties for owner-occupiers who do not comply.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (30/08/2018) 

Question S5W-18097: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 08/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government how many Property Factor Enforcements Orders have not been complied with each year under the First Tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber); how many of these have been referred to Police Scotland and/or the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, and how many of these referrals have been taken to court, broken down by the outcome.
Answered by Ash Denham (17/08/2018) 

Question S5W-18091: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 08/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering penalties for private rented sector landlords that fail to comply with energy performance certificate (EPC) regulations and, if so, whether it will provide details of these.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (30/08/2018)

Question S5W-18139: Donald Cameron, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 09/08/2018 R
To ask the Scottish Government what modelling work it has undertaken to analyse the cost of reaching an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) (a) B and (b) C rating for a domestic/residential building.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (30/08/2018)

Question S5W-18273: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 17/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the (a) use and (b) value of properties renovated through the (i) Town Centre Housing Fund and (ii) Empty Homes Loan Fund; how many properties renovated through each fund (A) are and (B) are not classed as affordable, and what information it has on the subsequent rental and sales value of each property that received funding.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (04/09/2018)

Motions

Motion S5M-13683: Gordon Lindhurst, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 30/08/2018
Celebrating the Sixth Edinburgh Traditional Building Festival 
That the Parliament congratulates the Edinburgh Traditional Building Forum on delivering the sixth Edinburgh Traditional Building Festival from 14 to 17 August 2018, which was sponsored by the Construction Industry Training Board; recognises the work done by the forum in celebrating Edinburgh’s traditional buildings; notes that the festival featured demonstrations of traditional building skills, including masonry, slate roofing, lead roofing, lime mortars, plastering and painting and decorating, as well as a series of talks and tours; further notes that the event was open to members of the public to offer advice, with the aim of highlighting the importance of the appropriate building skills in the repair and maintenance of traditional buildings; believes that practical demonstrations of traditional building skills provide a platform to promote these key skills; recognises that the festival was a collaboration between the National Federation of Roofing Contractors, Architecture and Design Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, the Built Environment Forum Scotland, the Stone Federation Great Britain, Edinburgh World Heritage Trust, the British Geological Survey, Scottish Lime Centre Trust, Heriot-Watt University and the University of Edinburgh; believes that this collaborative approach plays a vital role in widening the public’s understanding of the importance of maintaining Scotland’s traditional buildings with the right knowledge and skills; understands the particular relevance of highlighting traditional buildings and the skills needed to maintain them within the city of Edinburgh, where they play such a key role as part of Edinburgh’s UNESCO World Heritage Site status, and thanks each of the organisations for their ongoing efforts to protect and maintain Scotland’s historic built environment.

Events

For the latest information about BEFS Members’ events see our events calendar.

Conserving the Assets of Our Past – RIAS Autumn Seminar 
Date: Tuesday 2 October 2018
Venue: The Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh, 1.00pm to 5.00pm
Cost: RIAS Conservation Accredited members and members of Practice Services: £24 inc. VAT; RIAS member: £30 inc. VAT; Non-members: £42 inc. VAT.
There is still time to book your space for the RIAS Autumn Conservation seminar. Topics will include development of the HES Asset Management Plan, HES Corporate Plan consultation, inspecting tenements and church quinquennials, practical advice on survey specification for digital documentation and the restoration of the Great Pagoda at Kew Gardens.
For a programme and booking form click here. If you would like to book a place, please complete the booking form and email it to Gemma.Sinclair@rias.org.uk.

DIGIFEST
Date: 8 – 20 October 2018
Venue: The Engine Shed, Stirling, FK8 1QZ
DigiFest 2018 is an exciting new two-week festival showcasing the latest in digital innovation. Join us for over 100 workshops, talks and activities. DigiFest brings together cutting edge digital technology from across the globe. From families to professionals, there’s something for everyone. Come along to explore virtual worlds and enjoy 3D experiences. For full details please see the Engine Shed website.
Booking essential for some workshops | T: 01786 234 800 | Family friendly | Least technical.

DIGIDOC
Date: 10 – 12 October 2018
Venue: The Engine Shed, Stirling, FK8 1QZ
At our two day international conference taking part during DigiFest, speakers from Ubisoft, Atlantic Productions, Tippett Studio and many others will share the very latest innovation in digital documentation and visualisation. The conference will showcase ground-breaking work from all over the world, and for the first time ever, you can also join us for a special DigiDoc Research and Innovation Day on Wednesday 10 October. Gain an exclusive preview of the latest research that will be influencing our futures.
Booking essential | T: 01786 234 800 | Professional | Quite technical.

Destination High Street: restoring vibrancy to Scotland’s towns
Date:  Wed. 7 November, 09.30-17.30.
Venue: The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3NY
This conference, organised jointly by the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland (AHSS) and the Scottish Civic Trust (SCT) will explore the challenges faced by Scotland’s high streets and smaller town centres. Speakers will examine projects and schemes aimed at regenerating high streets and the conference will bring together experts on the subject tackling the issue from a range of perspectives. This is a rare chance to hear from people working at the cutting-edge of practice and policy.

Training

APD – Conservation Principles & Ethics
Dates: 18 September; 1 day a week for 4 weeks: 42.5 taught hours.
Venue: The Engine Shed, Stirling, FK8 1QZ.
Study the broad principles and ethics of heritage conservation, both today and over the past 300 years, to learn how best to tackle issues of building decay. This course is included as part of our Advanced Professional Diploma. Taught through lectures and field trips.
Price: £315. Booking essential | T: 01786 234 800.

CPD – Care of Metals in Traditional Buildings
Date: 28 September, 09.30am – 16.30pm.
Venue: The Engine Shed, Stirling, FK8 1QZ.
This event is designed to provide practitioners and specifiers the confidence to deal with metals on heritage sites. The focus of this course will look at ferrous and non-ferrous metals in an ancient monuments context but the technical principles are applicable to any traditional building.
Topics covered will include materials identification, condition assessment, developing a conservation and maintenance plan and executing works. The event will include both theory and practical experience.
Price: £54.00 Historic Scotland members, £54.00 Concessions, £60.00 Non-members. Booking essential | T: 01786 234 800.

Making & Using Hot Mixed Mortars
Date: 28th September.
Venue: Merryhill Training Centre, Fife KY11 3DR.
This one day workshop aims to provide an introductory guide to the preparation and use of ‘hot mixed’ lime mortars, that is, mortars prepared by slaking quicklime, sand and natural hydraulic lime binders (and possibly other additives like tallow or pozzolans) to more closely mimic the appearance and technical performance of conservation mortars and in some cases offer advantages in use and technical performance over more conventional ‘cold mortars’. More and more clients and specifiers are asking building contractors to make and use ‘hot mixed’ mortars on their repair jobs, so get ahead of the game and brush up your knowledge and skills with us.

Introduction to Indigenous Earth Building Traditions and Techniques EB1
Date: 3 – 4 October 2018
Venue: Charlestown Workshops, Fife KY11 3EN
This 2 day workshop aims to provide an introductory guide to a range of earth building techniques including materials science, conservation of earth structures and buildings and construction methods using earth based materials.

Maintaining Traditional Buildings
Date: 5 October 2018.
Venue: Charlestown Workshops, Fife KY11 3EN.
A must for anyone who owns or is responsible for a traditional building.
This course provides the perfect starting point if you are considering undertaking some simple repairs yourself or will enable you to speak your builder’s language and be confident that you are being given the correct advice. This seminar will outline the maintenance that traditional buildings require and attendees will gain an understanding of traditional building techniques and the correct materials to use when undertaking repairs. This will also be an excellent opportunity to speak to the Scottish Lime Centre Trust’s expert tutors about your project, attendees are welcome to bring along photos and mortar samples for some specific advice.

Lime Pointing
Dates: 6 October 2018 and 24 November 2018.
Venue: Merryhill Training Centre, Fife KY11 3DR.
Learn the skills to help you carry out your own mortar pointing repairs.
This popular one day workshop is aimed at those who would like to undertake repointing works as part of a renovation project or simply as general maintenance to traditional masonry structures. A practical ‘hands on’ training day, attendees will learn to undertake repointing works to with confidence. This course will give a sound understanding of traditional building technology, repair techniques and the materials to use when carrying out repointing. Attendees are encouraged to bring along images of their projects to discuss with the SLCT tutor on the day.

Webinar: HR Tips and Tricks for Success
Date & time: Wednesday 10 October 2018, 09.30 – 10.30.
Location: Webminar – remote.
As part of our Business Briefing series, learn how to do things right for your organisation, team (including volunteers) and stakeholders by taking part in this interactive HR focused webinar. In this session The HR Dept will explore ways in which you can understand the risks and pitfalls of managing people in an arts, cultural and heritage business. We will cover the full employee and volunteer lifecycle from new starts to leavers, as well as giving an overview of your legal responsibilities for HR.

Introduction to Being a Board Member
Date & time: Wednesday 10 October 2018, Registration: 10.15 | Event: 10:30 – 16:30.
Venue: A&BS, 1st Floor Rosebery House, 9 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh EH12 5EZ
This seminar is for new board members/trustees in the charitable arts & heritage sector (and those who would like a refresher) to understand your roles and responsibilities, covering:
•    Setting the scene – understanding charitable structures
•    The dividing line between your role and that of the professional staff
•    Demystifying your legal and financial responsibilities
•    Effective meetings and the role of the chair
•    The board and artistic issues
•    The difference you can make as an advocate for the organisation

Sponsorship: Developing Creative Partnerships
Date & time: Thursday 11 October 2018, Registration: 10:15 | Event: 10:30 – 16:30.
Venue: A&BS, Rosebery House, 9 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh, E12 5EZ
This ‘how-to’ guide to sponsorship will take you through the key steps to sponsorship from attracting a business to nurturing and developing long lasting cultural and business partnerships. If you have little experience or just want a refresher on this area of fundraising, then this seminar is aimed to help you on your journey to sponsorship success. Peppered with sponsorship stories gathered from Arts & Business Scotland match funding programmes. This training is a revised version of Introduction to Sponsorship.

Business Briefing: Building a Vibrant Sales & Service Culture
Date & time: Wednesday 24 October 2018, Registration: 08.45 Event: 09.00 – 10.30
Venue: A&BS, Rosebery House, 9 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh, E12 5EZ
Vibrant sales cultures do not happen by accident. They require strategic planning, and most of all proactive and skilful management. It’s all about making ‘your best your best everywhere’ and you will only achieve this through the way you manage your fundraising function. This is for you if you are a business owner, charity, social enterprise, community interest company, sales manager or fundraiser; anybody who is charged with growing their business.

Vacancies

Membership & Marketing Officer 
Stirling City Heritage Trust is a Scottish charity and company limited by guarantee funded by Historic Environment Scotland and Stirling Council. Set up in 2004, it is one of 7 City Heritage Trusts operating in Scotland. The Traditional Buildings Health Check is a unique project offering a proactive repair and maintenance service to owners of traditional properties in Stirling. This membership service is not-for-profit and is funded by Historic Environment Scotland. This is a unique opportunity to work on the first project of its kind in Scotland.
Closing Date: Monday 24th September 2018, 12 noon.

 

BACK

BEFS News

The next meeting of the Cross-Party Group on Architecture and the Built Environment will focus on young people and placemaking. We will be joined by representatives from projects that have taken place during the Scottish Government’s Year of Young People, including: The Happenstance, Scotland’s contribution to the 16th international Architecture exhibition at La Biennale di Venezia, A Town Hall for All, a project by Penicuik school pupils, Lord, part of The Art of Happenstance, and Young Landscape Architects Knowledge Exchange. Book your place here.

On 27th August 2018 David Stewart of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations organised a visit to the offices of Dunedin Canmore for members of the Scottish Parliamentary Working Group on Tenement Maintenance. This included a short tour of tenements undergoing repairs in Gorgie and Tollcross in Edinburgh and learning about the challenges housing associations face in handling maintenance in tenements where they are not the majority owner. The presentation from Stuart Pendreich of Dunedin Canmore is available here.

BEFS has responded to the Scottish Parliament’s Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee’s call for views on the content of the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill. The response calls for a commitment to work towards zero net emissions by 2050.

Planning and design specialist Barton Willmore is calling on planners and developers to help influence the Planning (Scotland) Bill by completing a survey to help formulate a “robust” industry response.

Doors Open Days, Scotland’s largest free festival that celebrates heritage and the built environment and offers free access to over a thousand venues across Scotland, kicks off in September. Find out what is going on in your area.

Scottish Archaeology Month also begins in September. Find hundreds of events taking place all over Scotland from the Shetland Islands to the Scottish Borders, including free talks, tours, exhibitions, workshops and hands-on events to help you discover some of the amazing history, heritage and archaeology on your doorstep.

Publications

CIfA Annual Review 2017/2018 (CIfA 30/08/18)

The Invisible Land: The hidden force driving the UK’s unequal economy and broken housing market (IPPR 28/08/18)

Heritage Counts – Heritage and Society 2018 (Historic England 08/18)

Current workstreams: Chief Planner letter (SG 24/08/18)

A SPICe briefing on the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill

Scottish Government News Releases

Financial support for V&A Dundee (SG 26/08/18)
An extra £361,000 is being provided to support the new V&A Dundee in its first year of operation. The Scottish Government was an early supporter of the plans for V&A Dundee as a fantastic addition to Scotland’s world-class museums and provided £38 million towards the construction of the building, which is set to open to the public on 15 September.

People’s Choice Award (PCA)
The People’s Choice Award allows anyone to vote for their favourite shortlisted Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning 2018 entry. The idea is that this Award gives everyone a chance to get involved and express their support for whatever they consider to have been a great project in 2018. You can find all the projects on the map above. You can vote for your favourite project here. The poll will be open until late September.

News Releases

Engine Shed announces festival showcasing digital innovation in the heritage sector (HES 29/08/18)
Scotland’s dedicated building conservation centre will host programme highlighting the use of ground-breaking technology to preserve and explore the past. DigiFest will also incorporate two-day international conference featuring high-profile industry experts from across the globe.

Gaelic and Scots in the Historic Environment (HES 28/08/18)
To help us launch our new Gaelic Language Plan, we commissioned poet Daibhidh Eyre to write a poem in Gaelic and Scots. In conjunction with Double Take Projections, we then created a visual spectacle by projecting the poem in Gaelic and Scots onto 8 historical sites across the length and breadth of the country.

‘A full blown crisis’: Calls to speed up introduction of rent controls as study highlights housing benefit freeze impact (CW 28/08/18)
A Tenants’ Union has called on the Scottish Government to immediately introduce a cap on rent prices, as a new study reveals that many low-income households can now not even afford the cheapest private rented housing, as the effect of the UK Government’s housing benefit freeze bites.

The Young Landscape Architects’ Knowledge Exchange (LIS 24/08/18)
On Friday the 24th of August, ECA hosted the first Young Landscape Architects’ Knowledge Exchange with support from the LIS and sponsorship from AECOM and TGP Landscape Architects. The day was spent talking prospective landscape architects through day to day life in practice, informing them about different routes into the profession and giving them a crash course on design principals and place making.

Inspiring Impact secured for next three years by Big Lottery Fund grant (Civil Society 22/08/18)
The Inspiring Impact programme, which aims to improve impact measurement in the charity sector, has awarded £600,000 through the Big Lottery Fund. The funding means that the programme, which started in 2012, has been secured until 2021. It has also been supplemented by £15,000 from City Bridge Trust.

RIAS Presidential and Council Elections (RIAS 22/08/18)
The RIAS is delighted to announce that there are two Presidential Candidates for the upcoming election.

Jeremy Wright speech to Edinburgh International Culture Summit (DCMS 22/08/18)
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Jeremy Wright welcomed ministers and cultural leaders from across the world to the Summit at the Scottish Parliament.

Nimbyism (Radio 4 16/08/18)
On Thursday 16th August Loyd Grossman, Chair of The Heritage Alliance, was on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Sweet Reason’ to discuss nimbyism (‘not in my back yard’) in relation to heritage and development. He appeared alongside Lord Adonis, former Transport Secretary, and Sarah Stein Lubrano, Head of Content at the School of Life.

Opinion & Comment

Creating cities where citizens can thrive (RICS 29/08/18)

What would cities look like if they were designed by mothers? (Christine Murray, Guardian 27/08/18)

Pens, Singe Use Plastics and Modern Construction (glm 24/08/18)

Making Public Places Better for Everyone (Lucy Richards, Studio LR for A&DS)

A Caring Place – Designing in Kindness (Zoe Ferguson, Carnegie UK for A&DS)

Have Bus Pass, Will Travel! (Scotland’s Churches Trust 21/08/18)

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-18273: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 17/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the (a) use and (b) value of properties renovated through the (i) Town Centre Housing Fund and (ii) Empty Homes Loan Fund; how many properties renovated through each fund (A) are and (B) are not classed as affordable, and what information it has on the subsequent rental and sales value of each property that received funding.

Question S5W-18275: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 17/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government how many vacant and derelict town centre buildings have been brought back into use as affordable housing through the Town Centre Housing Fund in each year, broken down by how many people each property accommodates.

Question S5W-18313: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 20/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has carried out to evaluate its campaign of awareness-raising to increase the uptake of energy efficiency measures for (a) domestic and (b) residential buildings.

Question S5W-18312: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 20/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government what modelling work it has carried out to analyse the costs of reaching energy performance certificate (EPC) (a) B and (b) C ratings for (i) domestic and (ii) residential buildings.

Question S5W-18329: Andy Wightman, Lothian, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 20/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government how many affordable homes have been built under the National Housing Trust model since May 2016.

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-17945: Oliver Mundell, Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 01/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has made of the effectiveness of Energy Performance Certificates.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (17/08/2018)

Question S5W-18054: Donald Cameron, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 08/08/2018 R
To ask the Scottish Government how many communities (a) each year and (b) in the last 12 months have (i) registered an interest in acquiring and (ii) acquired land under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, also broken down by how much funding it has made available to support these communities.
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham (28/08/2018)

Events

For the latest information about BEFS Members’ events see our events calendar.

SPAB Scotland – Historic Bar Socials (Aberdeen & Edinburgh)

Date: Thursday 6th September.
Location: The Ensign Ewart, 521-523 Lawnmarket, Edinburgh, EH1 2PE.
The Ensign Ewart sits at the heart of Edinburgh’s old town at the top of the royal mile. With a history dating back to 1680 and is named after Charles Ewart, who fought at the battle of Waterloo. The cellars of the building are dated to 1603 but the current building is said to largely resemble the form taken when its construction was completed in 1690.

Date: Thursday 20th September.
Location: The Grill, 213 Union Street, Aberdeen, AB11 6BA.
The Grill, Aberdeen is notable for it’s fine plasterwork interior, and a splendid mahogany veneer gantry behind the bar which we hope to admire. The bar occupies the ground floor of a typical granite 1830s building, and started out as a restaurant of the same name in 1870. The present bar was refurbished in 1925, and includes the unusual oxided-bronze fascia panels which are so distinctive externally.

Date: Thursday 4th October.
Venue: The Guildford Arms, 1 W Register Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2AA.
The Guildford Arms sits at the south east corner of the New Town, with ornate faience externally, the golden age of Victorian pub design is continued to the interior that has an elaborate Jacobean painted ceiling, and plasterwork of fine Victorian Rococo, the ornate bar fittings are modern reproductions and date only from 1970.

Flood Risk & The Planning System
Date: Saturday 8th September from 11am to 1400.
Venue: Perth Community Fire Station.
The Scottish Flood Forum (SFF) will be holding another networking event. Delegates from across Scotland will come together to share success, create solutions and share their experiences on flood risk and the planning system. The theme for this event is: Flood Risk & The Planning System, benefits, challenges, frustrations and opportunities for flood risk communities. Representatives from local authorities and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency will deliver talks on their roles and responsibilities concerning the planning system and flood risk communities. Planning Aid Scotland are also attending to outline how they can provide support and give an update on the new Planning (Scotland) Bill. If you are interested in taking part in this community networking event or would like more information contact: paul.laidlaw@scottishfloodforum.org.

Scottish Planning and Environmental Law Conference 2018
Date: Thursday 13th September 2018.
Venue: COSLA Conference Centre, Edinburgh
The 28th SPEL Conference takes place in Edinburgh this year and will focus broadly on two key themes – the Planning Bill and wider environmental matters. In May, the Stage 1 Report on the Planning (Scotland) Bill was released. As we anticipate what a future planning system is going to look like, planning reform is not the only driver of change. The Energy Strategy, climate change, and the 2021 Landfill ban will also impact on planning. Against this background, a number of high profile speakers will consider how change is likely to shape their various areas of expertise and its likely impact on planning in Scotland. Widely regarded as the foremost annual planning law event in Scotland, the SPEL Conference attracts key speakers and senior figures from a range of backgrounds and affords the opportunity to engage in high level discussion and debate.

Community Heritage Scotland – Going Forward in Oban
Date: Sat, September 15, 2018, 10:00 – 4:00.
Venue: The Rockfield Centre, Stevenson Street, Oban PA34 5N.
Are you involved with heritage in your community? You might be an organiser or you just might enjoy participating, but either way we would like you to join us for a discussion day talking about how communities manage their heritage, and how we should go forward with new ideas for positive change. Community Heritage Scotland is co-hosting the discussion day with CHArts, who are delivering a major networking project covering all aspects of culture in Argyll. We will also be joined by a team from University of St Andrews who are working on international community heritage, particularly in Latin America. We will be especially delighted to welcome Samuel Franco from Guatamala, who founded his own museum of Mayan music and is a specialist in intangible cultural heritage.

Changing Perspectives: Wester Hailes – Films of NewTown Utopia
Date: 18th Sept 6-8pm.
Venue: Wester Hailes Library.
Join WHALE Arts and Tower Block UK for an evening filled with film and conversation about high-rise and new town living. The evening will include screenings of documentary feature film New Town Utopia and several short films representing life in Wester Hailes, a chance to see the Tower Block UK travelling exhibition, and opportunities to discuss and share memories of living in this area.

Perth Traditional Building Skills Roadshow, King Edward Street, Perth, PH1 5UT
Dates: Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 Sept 10:00-16:00.
Location: Kind Edward Street, Perth.
Come and see traditional stone carving, slating, joinery, and painting & decorating demonstrations. Members of the Fife and Tayside Traditional Buildings Forum, apprentices, lecturers and building professionals will be on hand to answer questions and demonstrate the skills used to maintain historic buildings in Scotland.

What’s the point of Listing Buildings?
Date: Thursday 27th September 2018 | 6.30-8.30pm.
Venue: tbc
There are over 1,800 listed buildings in Glasgow. The main criteria for listing are: age and rarity; architectural or historic interest; close historical association. This is the latest in our series of quarterly debates called ‘The City Talks’. As opposed to the more traditional format of our monthly lecture series, The City Talks are two-way debates between a specially selected panel of experts and the audience. Our panel will consider whether these designations fully reflect what the city and its people value about the historic built environment. Should we be trying to save historic buildings which are unlisted and outside of conservation areas? Who might they be valuable to?

Icon Scotland Group: Plenderleith Lecture on Museum Lighting
Date: 29th November this year at 6 pm.
Venue: Discovery Point, Dundee.
Icon Scotland Group is delighted to announce that this year’s lecturer will be David Saunders. Dr Saunders was recently Keeper of Conservation, Science and Documentation at the British Museum and previously, Principle Scientist the Scientific Department of the National Gallery, London. He is presently writing a major work on Lighting in museums and galleries, which is expected to be published later this year. David Saunders will discuss how our understanding of the effects of light on collections and the lighting needs of our visitors have changed. He will explore how new approaches and developments in museum lighting affect practices and strategies for both display and conservation.

Training

A Guide to Tax for Arts & Heritage Organisations
Date & time: Wednesday 12 September 2018, Registration: 12.45 | Event: 13:00 – 16:30.
Venue: Scott-Moncrieff, 25 Bothwell Street, Glasgow, G2 6NL.
This half-day seminar is a must for all financial or budget holding staff and anyone who wants to know how tax affects (and can benefit) arts and heritage organisations with charitable status in Scotland. The tax guide provides a practical summary and guidance on how tax affects the arts and heritage organisations.  The event and guide are also a great refresher and reference for those who need reminding of basic principles and want to know how different taxes interact with each other.

Telling It Like It Is – Effective Copywriting
Date & time: Tuesday 25 September 2018, Registration: 10.15 | Event: 10:30 – 16:30
Venue: A&BS, Rosebery House, 9 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh E12 5EZ
This one-day training session is aimed at all individuals, regardless of their existing skills or experience, who need to develop a case for support for their project or cause. Offering a combination of project-based, hands-on writing exercises with tips, techniques and critical theory, the training session explores the five stages of the copywriting process in the context of putting together an effective case for support.

Icon Scotland Group: Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) – Training Course
Date: 28th September 2018.
Venue: Stirling Castle
Fee: £8 – £10
This practical one day course will take attendees through taking RTI-compatible photographs and then processing them on their own computers to create a 3D effect of the virtual surface structure. Of interest to Archaeologists, Conservators and anyone working with artefacts. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own objects to work with and the fee includes lunch, tea & coffee.  The course will be led by Marta Pilarska of Historic Environment Scotland.

BACK

BEFS News

Today is the deadline for sending us your case studies for the next Scottish Historic Environment Audit. We are looking for case studies of projects or initiatives that illustrate the breadth of activity that takes place in the heritage sector. If you would still like to submit something do let us know as soon as possible.

Supported by BEFS, Earth Building UK & Ireland are holding a one-day workshop on turf building with presentations from practitioners in Scotland, Iceland and Ireland. There will be group discussions on focused themes to inform future partnership activities. Join us for a day relevant to heritage professionals and enthusiasts engaged with vernacular culture.

The Adams Napier Partnership has been commissioned by Historic Environment Scotland (HES) to carry out research to inform a review of its guidance on the conservation of traditional and decorative plasterwork. To help inform HES’s future skills and publications strategy, an online questionnaire has been produced seeking views on traditional plasterwork in Scotland. The questionnaire is available here and should only take around 5 minutes to complete.

We are inviting expressions of interest from potential candidates for the role of BEFS Chair. Details can be found here.

A number of parliamentary questions have been lodged in the last two weeks related to the built environment, and do check out the range of fantastic events coming up this autumn, in the events section.

Consultations

Consultation on further guidance to local authorities on Part 9 – allotments
Closes 20 Aug 2018. 

Developing an Environment Strategy for Scotland
Closes 24 Aug 2018.

Open Government – Let’s Make Scotland Work for You
Opened 10 Aug 2018 and closes 31 Aug 2018. 

Local Governance Review: Democracy Matters: Your Community. Your ideas. Your Future (SG)
Opened 10 Aug 2018 and closes 31 Aug 2018.

Social housing green paper: a ‘new deal’ for social housing (MHCLG)
Opened 14 August and closes 6 November 2018.

Publications

Living Home Standard – Research (Shelter Scotland 15/08/18)

Social housing green paper: a ‘new deal’ for social housing (MHCLG 14/08/18) 

Compulsory Sales Orders – A Proposal from the Scottish Land Commission (SLC 13/08/18) 

HES publishes Planning Performance Framework Report 2017-18 (HES 06/08/18)

Monitoring the Outcomes of Planning: A Research Study (SG 03/08/18)

Customer Service and the Planning System – A Research Study (SG 07/08/18) 

Reasons for Delays with Planning Applications for Housing (SG 03/08/18) 

Making Places initiative 2018-2019: prospectus and application form (SG 03/08/18)

Heritage Lottery Fund (National Heritage Memorial Fund Lottery Distribution) annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 March 2017 (DCMS 03/08/18)

Myths and Tops Tips on Community Right to Buy briefing (Community Land Scotland)

Racial diversity in the charity sector (ACEVO and Institute of Fundraising)

From NIMBY to YIMBY: How to win votes by building more homes

Scottish Government News Releases

Edinburgh and South East City Region Deal (SG 07/08/18)
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will formally sign off the Scottish Government’s investment in the ambitious Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.

Making Places initiative 2018-2019: prospectus and application form (SG 03/08/18)
We have launched the 2018 to 2019 Making Places initiative to encourage communities to positively and actively contribute to the development of their local places. Making Places represents a broadening of the charrette mainstreaming programme to support communities at all stages of their thinking.

News Releases

New legal power proposed in Scotland to tackle blight of vacant and derelict land (SLC 16/08/18)
A new Compulsory Sales Order (CSO) power could tackle the blight of abandoned buildings and parcels of vacant and derelict land in town centres and communities across Scotland, according to a report published today by the Scottish Land Commission.

Piper’s Peace – Scottish Winners of the Gardens for Peace project (LIS 16/08/18)
The LIS is delighted to announce that Edinburgh based landscape architects Anna Rhodes (Young Planting Designer Finalist at RHS Taton 2017) and Melissa Orr (Gardens By The Bay – Singapore) have won the Gardens for Peace project as the Scottish representatives.

Community Land Week: community land ownership becoming the norm (SLC 14/08/18)
As Community groups across Scotland are opening up their doors showcasing what happens on community owned land in the first Community Land Week, Scottish Land Commissioner, Megan MacInnes looks at the importance of community land ownership and its success story in Scotland’s land reform journey to date.

The Herald Property Awards for Scotland: Shortlist revealed (Herald Scotland 13/08/18)
THE regeneration of an historic ?sheries building in Peterhead into ?ats for affordable rent, a new social housing development on the site of Edinburgh Fort and the transformation of a former garment factory in Glasgow’s Merchant City into contemporary of?ce and retail space are amongst the ?nalists shortlisted in this year’s Herald Property Awards in association with SP Energy Networks.

Diversity and business performance – is there a link? (Design Council 12/08/18)
Why Design Council commissioned the research. Diversity and inclusion underpin Design Council’s values, delivery and research. One of the ways we put this into practice is by aiming for a 50:50 gender split on Built Environment Expert panels as part of our Design Review services. In our recently-released Design Economy 2018 research we found that the design economy is 78% male, which is a higher figure than for the wider UK workforce (53% male).

RIBA Brexit Survey for non-UK Nationals (RIBA 08/08/18)
As the UK prepares to leave the European Union, we would like your help to better understand the main issues facing those from outside the UK who are working in architectural practice. Please give us five minutes of your time to complete this survey.

RTPI Research Awards 2018: shortlist for prestigious national awards announced (RTPI 07/08/18)
Research into planning for different religions, urbanisation in Rwanda and Ethiopia, and Scottish marine planning are among the projects shortlisted in this year’s RTPI Awards for Research Excellence shortlist.

Opinion & Comment

Compulsory Sale Orders – adding to the regeneration toolbox (SLC 16/08/18)

A Closer Look at Glasgow Airport (HES 14/08/18)

4 Tips for Budding World Heritage Professionals (HES 06/08/18)

Putting Towns on the Policy Map: Understanding Scottish Places (USP) and Data (Professor Leigh Sparks, Stirling Retail)

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-18054: Donald Cameron, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 08/08/2018 R
To ask the Scottish Government how many communities (a) each year and (b) in the last 12 months have (i) registered an interest in acquiring and (ii) acquired land under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, also broken down by how much funding it has made available to support these communities.

Question S5W-18098: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 08/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government what the vetting process is for people declaring that they are fit and proper to register as a property factor; what the minimum requirements are for an individual to pass the fit and proper test, and how many people have been unable to register as a property factor due to failing to pass the vetting process since the register came into force in each year since 2012.

Question S5W-18090: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 08/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government how it will implement energy efficiency measures in mixed-tenure tenements for social rent and private rented sector properties if shared approval for costs by all owners is not achieved.

Question S5W-18094: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 08/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government whether it provides an approved contractor list for energy efficiency contractors.

Question S5W-18096: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 08/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government how it will support owner-occupiers who are unable to obtain a loan for funding energy efficiency measures.

Question S5W-18095: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 08/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government what quality assurance measures are in place to ensure that members of the public receive the most appropriate energy efficiency measures and that they pay the smallest possible price for the work when using public funding routes.

Question S5W-18092: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 08/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government when it wil begin consultation on owner-occupied properties being mandated to comply with energy efficiency measures and any related financial penalties for owner-occupiers who do not comply.

Question S5W-18097: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 08/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government how many Property Factor Enforcements Orders have not been complied with each year under the First Tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber); how many of these have been referred to Police Scotland and/or the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, and how many of these referrals have been taken to court, broken down by the outcome.

Question S5W-18091: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 08/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering penalties for private rented sector landlords that fail to comply with energy performance certificate (EPC) regulations and, if so, whether it will provide details of these.

Question S5W-18139: Donald Cameron, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 09/08/2018 R
To ask the Scottish Government what modelling work it has undertaken to analyse the cost of reaching an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) (a) B and (b) C rating for a domestic/residential building.

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-17733: Monica Lennon, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 17/07/2018
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of meetings and discussions held between ministers and officials and (a) Planning Democracy and (b) Planning Aid Scotland in the last five years, and what was discussed.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (09/08/2018)

Question S5W-17791: Alexander Burnett, Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 23/07/2018 R
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-17390 by Paul Wheelhouse on 18 July 2018, what financial assessments it has made to calculate the estimate of £10 to £12 billion, and whether it will provide a breakdown of these costs by (a) (i) public expenditure and (ii) private sources and (b) expenditure on (A) domestic and (B) non-domestic buildings.
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse (10/08/2018)

Events

For the latest information about BEFS Members’ events see our events calendar.

Fife Modernist Architecture Tour
Date: Sunday, 09 September 2018, from 09:30 to 17:00.
Location: The tour will depart from Rutland Square, Edinburgh at 9.30 a.m., with a further pick-up point at Markinch Station at 10.15 a.m. Please bring a packed lunch, as shopping options might be limited. We will return to Edinburgh at around 17.00 p.m.
Minibus tour led by the architectural historians Diane Watters and Katherine Breen, both of Historic Environment Scotland. DoCoMoMo Scotland is pleased to announce our forthcoming architectural minibus tour to the Kingdom of Fife, guided by the architectural historians Diane Watters and Katherine Breen, both of Historic Environment Scotland. We will be looking at significant Modernist works, especially post-war housing, as well as some churches and public buildings. The tour includes visits to Kirkcaldy, Burntisland and Glenrothes to see buildings by the architectural firms Gillespie Kidd & Coia, Wheeler & Sproson and others.

Rhind Lectures 2018
Dates: 21-23 September.
Location: Wick.
The Society is delighted to announce that in association with Yarrows Heritage Trust the 2018 Rhind Lectures will be repeated over the weekend of 21-23 September in Wick.  The venue is the Pulteney Centre, Huddart Street, Wick, Caithness KW1 5BA.  Booking is recommended by calling the Centre on 01955 608530.  For full details please email Ian Giles, Yarrows Heritage Trust secretary iangiles01@btinternet.com

Communities for a Changing Population
Date: 27 September 2018.
Location: Glasgow.
This conference will explore how a greater focus on innovative, sustainable and community-led planning can support the development of new communities, the retrofitting of existing housing stock, changes in public policy, the creation of jobs and an evolution in our approach to placemaking. The findings of this event will coincide with Stage 2 of the Planning (Scotland) Bill, and will feed into the debate as the Bill continues through Parliament for the remainder of this year.
This is a PAS event, kindly sponsored by ng homes. To find out more and to register for this event, please visit Impact Engagement.

Booking now open for the RTPI Scotland Annual Conference
Date: 2nd October.
Venue: COSLA Conference Centre, Haymarket Yards, Edinburgh, EH12 5BH.
On 2 October RTPI Scotland will challenge our speakers and delegates to answer the question: Scotland 2050: What do we want Scotland to be and how do we make it happen? Confirmed speakers including Samer Bagaeen of 100 Resilient Cities and Prof Sarah Skerrett of the Scottish Rural College have been asked to start the ball rolling on disruptive thinking to help inform the fourth National Planning Framework.

Conserving the Assets of Our Past – RIAS Autumn Seminar 
Date: Tuesday 2 October 2018, 1.00pm to 5.00pm.
Venue: The Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh
Cost: RIAS accredited members and members of Practice Services: £24 inc. VAT. RIAS member: £30 inc. VAT. Non-members: £42 inc. VAT
The RIAS conservation autumn seminar is now open for bookings. Topics will include development of the HES Asset Management Plan, HES Corporate Plan consultation, inspecting tenements and church quinquennials, practical advice on survey specification for digital documentation and the restoration of the Great Pagoda at Kew Gardens.

DIGIDOC
Date: Wednesday, 10th (Research & Innovation Day); Thursday 11 Oct 2018 – Friday 12 Oct 2018.
Venue: The Engine Shed, Stirling.
At our two-day international conference taking part during DigiFest, speakers from Ubisoft, Atlantic Productions, Tippett Studio and many others will share the very latest innovation in digital documentation and visualisation. Showcasing ground-breaking work worldwide, networking and experiencing Scottish hospitality are as important as the fascinating talks at this event. For the first time ever, you can also join us for a special DigiDoc Research and Innovation Day on Wednesday 10 October. Gain an exclusive preview of the latest research that will be influencing our futures.

Heritage Trust Network Conference 2018
Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2018, 09:30 – Tue, 20 Nov 2018, 16:00
Venue: The Engine Shed, Forthside Way, Stirling, FK8 1QZ.
Join us in Scotland for our SKILLS-themed conference where we will address some of the many and varied skills needed to successfully run a heritage building preservation project today. On day one we focus on getting your organisation ready, project off the ground and fundraising, and on day two, we explore the skills needed to manage your project on site, how to work well with volunteers and communities, and making the most of your heritage asset after the building works are completed.

Training

Bookings are now being taken for this year’s free Scottish Licentiate Assessment of Professional Competence events.
Ready to take your career to the next level? Becoming a Chartered Town Planner (MRTPI) demonstrates to employers, clients and the wider public that you meet the highest professional and ethical standards in planning. The Licentiate Assessment of Professional Competence (L-APC) is the main route to Chartered status for those who completed a fully accredited RTPI degree in or after 2005.
Book here:

• Aberdeen – Monday 17 September
• Edinburgh – Tuesday 18 September
• Glasgow – Tuesday 18 September

Be recognised for your skills in community engagement – Training Event 
Date: Thursday 20 September 2018, 5.30-9.00pm.
Location: Glasgow.
Our community engagement skills training is for anyone who would like to enhance their skills and become recognised as a community engagement practitioner. It is a two-part process which verifies that participants are competent in using SP=EED® (our guide to effective community engagement https://pas.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/SPEED.pdf ). Part 1 is an interactive training workshop and Part 2 a written reflective-learning assessment based on a real engagement process. Previous participants have come from local authorities, planning consultancies and more. The cost of the programme is £250 per person. Please email david@pas.org.uk for more information.

Vacancies

Policy Officer
National Trust for Scotland is seeking a fulltime Policy Officer. This job exists in order to develop and communicate Trust policy in order to meet the organisational purpose. In addition, the post holder will act as an advocate for the conservation of Scottish heritage, and for access, learning and enjoyment of that heritage.
Closing date: Friday 17 August 2018. 

Office Administrator (Part-time)
Scottish Civic Trust are seeking an Office Administrator. The Office Administrator will manage the administration of the Trust, including financial control and reporting, budget management, ICT (with external support), HR and governance administration and premises management. The role is supported by the Trust’s Administration Assistant and will report to the Director.
Closing date for applications: Monday 27 August 2018.

Grants Officer
Museums Galleries Scotland is the National Development Body for the Scottish museums sector. We are looking for a passionate advocate of museums to assist our Grants Manager with supporting Scotland’s museums through the provision of grants.
Closing date: Thursday 30th August at 9.00 a.m.

Become a Trustee for The Heritage Alliance.
The Heritage Alliance is looking for three new trustees to join its Board from December 2018. In addition, the Alliance is looking for a Treasurer from December 2019. Early co-option of a new Treasurer, who is also a trustee, will allow for there to be a proper period of handover. The Alliance is keen that its board is reflective of the full range of heritage represented by its members. The Alliance is also keen on promoting the diversity more generally of its Board members. We therefore particularly welcome applicants from women, disabled people and individuals from Black and Minority ethnic communities.
We would be grateful for initial expressions of interest in this role by 7 September. 

Could you be Icon’s next CEO?
Icon is looking for a new Chief Executive Officer and if you’re someone who is fascinated by our cultural heritage and interested in its preservation then that could be you! This is a unique opportunity to help the organisation shape its future – working with its professional membership of conservators to promote the importance of conservation to a wider public, raise the profile of the organisation and its mission and help develop a sustainable financial future.
Closing date for applications: Monday 10 September 2018. 

BACK

BEFS News

BEFS is currently gathering data for the next Scottish Historic Environment Audit. As part of this we are looking for case studies of projects or initiatives that illustrate the breadth of activity that takes place in the heritage sector. Send us your case studies by Thursday 16 August 2018. More details here.

BEFS has responded to the Scottish Government consultation on energy efficient homes. Energy Efficient Scotland will require minimum energy efficiency targets to be met by all buildings in Scotland and so it is considered vital that the views of individuals and public bodies are taken into consideration and used to shape the programme.

The Scottish Government is intending to build on progress already underway in the social housing sector throughout Scotland, with three quarters of the social housing stock already meeting the energy efficiency ratings in the first EESSH milestone set for December 2020. EESSH2 proposes a longer term approach to removing poor energy efficiency as a driver for fuel poverty in social housing, and BEFS has responded to these proposals to set a challenging and aspirational target to maximise the number of social rented homes meeting an EPC band B by 2032.

BEFS invited Lucy Casot, Head of the HLF in Scotland, to present to the Historic Environment Working Group, on HLF’s research in relation to the changes being proposed. The sector-specific responses to a wide-ranging questionnaire have been summarised in the paper found here. BEFS supports many aspects of the changes but advised HLF to clearly retain their specific focus on heritage. BEFS also responded to the final official consultation from DCMS – the Heritage Lottery Fund Policy Directions consultation. There were no substantive changes recommended. BEFS is keen that HLF continue to share data to enable better understanding of projects and organisational need across the heritage sectors.

We previously circulated a survey on community heritage groups being undertaken by Ergadia Museums and Heritage and Northlight Heritage, in collaboration with the Museums Galleries and Collections Institute at the University of St Andrews. The findings of the survey have now been published and, perhaps unsurprisingly, funding and finances are the biggest challenge reported by community groups. This mirrors research we have undertaken with partners in the ecclesiastical heritage sector in recent years and the findings along with the forthcoming report arising from Resourcing Scotland’s Heritage should be of high interest to the major funding bodies and Scottish Government: empowering communities will not happen without resource.

Book now for the Edinburgh Traditional Building Festival 2018! As part of the official Edinburgh Fringe Festival, it aims to “Celebrate Edinburgh’s Traditional Buildings” and offers a series of free demonstrations and talks about traditional buildings and the skills and materials to build, and maintain, them.

Don’t forget to check out the fantastic array of events and training coming up in August and September, below, as well as the vacancies section.

Consultations

The Scottish Governance Code for The Third Sector Consultation (SCVO & Scotland’s Third Sector Governance Forum) 

Publications

Heritage Lottery Fund (National Heritage Memorial Fund Lottery Distribution) annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 March 2018 (DDCMS 01/08/18) 

Scotland’s Population – The Registrar General’s Annual Review of Demographic Trends 2017 (NRS 1/08/18) 

Revised National Planning Policy Framework (BG 24/07/18)

CIfA’s response to Revised National Planning Policy Framework (CiFA 26/07/18)

Planning Performance Statistics, 2017/18, Q4 and annual (SG 24/07/18)

Community Empowerment and Common Good Property: Guidance for Local Authorities (SG 23/07/18)

Affordable Rents compared to traditional social rents (Joseph Roundtree Foundation) 

Independent review of building regulations and fire safety: next steps (BP 18/07/18)

Scottish Government News

Record year for overseas visitors (20/07/18)
Visits and spending by overseas tourists in Scotland rose to its highest level on record in 2017. The ONS Travel Trends 2017 statistics showed the number of overseas tourists visiting Scotland rose by 16.9% to 3.2 million, while expenditure increased by 23% to £2.3 billion.

News

UK Government announces Edinburgh Fringe funding to promote new talent on global stage (DDCMS 02/08/18)
The UK Government will provide £100,000 to this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe to help it deliver a step change in how it showcases emerging artistic talent to the world, Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright announced today.

Planning Bill changes are ‘point of no return’ for Scotland’s heritage (NTS 31/07/18)
Following the submission of four new development applications at Culloden and the approval of a golf course at the Coul Links, the National Trust for Scotland has called on the Scottish Government to save Scotland’s heritage by overhauling the planning system in forthcoming legislation.

Statement from the GSA work progressing on three sides of the Mackintosh Building (GSA 31/07/18)
Work is continuing on the east, south and north sides of the Mack with work on the west end of the south façade due to begin this week.

‘From a built heritage perspective, the revised NPPF is an opportunity lost’ (IHBC 27/07/18)
With the publication of England’s revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) IHBC officers have highlighted the chances missed.

Proposal for post-Brexit environmental watchdog fundamentally flawed (RTPI 24/07/18)
The Government’s proposal for a post-Brexit environmental watchdog that only has jurisdiction for England is deeply flawed, says the RTPI. An England-only governance body will not provide the same level of environmental protection and citizen’s rights as the current protection under EU directives which cross boundaries, according to the RTPI’s response to DEFRA’s consultation.

AHF Awards Funding To Support Glasgow Communities Reclaim And Regenerate Their Heritage (AHF 19/07/18)
Three community projects in Glasgow will benefit from recent grants offered by the Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF). This funding round includes support to The ‘Pyramid at Anderston’, a new social enterprise delivering programmes from Glasgow’s iconic Pyramid Church, as well as funds to support the ongoing renewal of Govanhill Baths.

New evidence of ancient settlements spotted from Scotland’s skies (HES 13/07/18)
Crop marks showing ancient settlements and Roman fortifications, which are otherwise hidden under the plough soil, are being documented by Historic Environment Scotland.

Host an MSP in Your Town or Neighbourhood This Summer! (STP 07/18)
Scotland’s Towns Partnership and the Cross Party Group on Towns & Town Centres are encouraging MSPs to take a day during Parliamentary Recess to visit towns in their constituency or region as part of the MSP Connector Programme. We are also seeking interest from town centre managers, community groups, local business organisations and other town stakeholders to host an MSP for the day in their town.

Regulator publishes new research into factors the public associate with trustworthy charities (CC 11/07/18)
Being true to their values and the ability to demonstrate efficiency and impact join transparency among the most important ingredients of trustworthiness in charities, according to new research by the Charity Commission.

New parliamentary group set up to discuss better housing design and placemaking (Infrastructure Intelligence 03/07/18)
A new All Party Parliamentary Group has been formed with the aim of ensuring issues surrounding housing are prioritised and new ideas are formed to tackle the shortage of homes within the UK. The newly-formed APPG on Building Communities will look to progress political discussions around good design and placemaking and how they can help solve the housing crisis.

Tesco Bags of Help Funding
Need up to £4000 funding for a project that benefits the community? Tesco Bags of Help has funded over 2000 projects in Scotland – sharing over £6 million pounds between them. Bags of Help funds a huge variety of projects that bring benefits to the community and every two months in Scotland we award 225 projects a share of over half a million pounds.

Opinion & Comment

Wellbeing: Should We Really Be Using it to ‘Monetise’ Non Market Activities? (Measuring Wellbeing series 25/07/18)

How Heritage Became Sexy (and What That Means for the Future of Conservation) (Elliot Olson 24/07/18)

Can Urban Living be suitable for Older People? (Steven Tolson and Dr Margaret Brown, for A&DS)

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-17733: Monica Lennon, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 17/07/2018
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of meetings and discussions held between ministers and officials and (a) Planning Democracy and (b) Planning Aid Scotland in the last five years, and what was discussed. (SP 17/07/18)

Question S5W-17791: Alexander Burnett, Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 23/07/2018 R
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-17390 by Paul Wheelhouse on 18 July 2018, what financial assessments it has made to calculate the estimate of £10 to £12 billion, and whether it will provide a breakdown of these costs by (a) (i) public expenditure and (ii) private sources and (b) expenditure on (A) domestic and (B) non-domestic buildings. (SP 23/07/18)

Question S5W-17945: Oliver Mundell, Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 01/08/2018
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has made of the effectiveness of Energy Performance Certificates.

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-17367: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 20/06/2018
To ask the Scottish Government on what dates the Building Standards (Compliance and Enforcement) Review Panel has met; when it will next meet, and by what date it will issue its recommendations.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (13/07/2018)

Question S5W-17390: Alexander Burnett, Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 20/06/2018 R
To ask the Scottish Government what financial assessment has been made of the cost of converting all buildings in Scotland to net zero emissions by 2050 as set out in the Energy Efficient Scotland: Route Map.
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse (18/07/2018)

Events

For the latest information about BEFS Members’ events see our events calendar.

Skills Showcase Exhibition
Date: 2 July – 14 September, from 10am – 4pm.
Venue: The Engine Shed, Stirling, FK8 1QZ
In this exhibition you will discover first hand from our staff what it takes to look after the beautiful sites that HES cares for. From stonemasons to digital innovators, from collections registrars to joiners, what they all have in common is a passion and commitment to protecting Scotland’s heritage for future generations.
Drop in | Free | T: 01786 234 800 | E: technicaleducation@hes.scot

Edinburgh Traditional Building Festival 2018
Dates: 14 – 17 August 2018.
Location: Edinburgh.
The Edinburgh Traditional Building Forum is delighted to be running the seventh Edinburgh Traditional Building Festival as part of the official Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The Edinburgh Traditional Building Festival aims to “Celebrate Edinburgh’s Traditional Buildings” and offers a series of free demonstrations and talks about traditional buildings and the skills and materials to build, and maintain, them.

Guided Walk: Sports on Glasgow Green
Date: Weds 15th August 2018 | 6-8pm.
Location: Glasgow Green.
In August Glasgow will co-host the inaugural European Championships. Glasgow is no slouch when it comes to sport, and our sporting heritage runs deep. Long before there was a Hampden Park, Kelvin Hall or a Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, Glasgow Green was where the city went to play and compete. Join GCHT on a leisurely stroll around Glasgow Green’s sporting highlights, including the West Boathouse, a lost lido, and a one of the oldest outdoor gyms in the UK.

Celebrating Scotland’s Industrial Heritage
Date: 16 August, 9.30am – 4.30pm.
Venue: The Engine Shed, Stirling, FK8 1QZ
A one-day conference dedicated to celebrating Scotland’s extraordinarily rich industrial heritage.
Speakers from across the heritage sector will talk about how they became involved with industrial heritage, why it is so important to Scotland, the extent of its global reach, and why it is such a crucial part of our future.
Prices: £36 Historic Scotland Members. £40 Non-Members.
Booking essential | T: 01786 234 800 | E: technicaleducation@hes.scot

Falkland Craft Symposium 2018
Dates:  17-19 August.
Venue: Falkland Stewardship Trust, The Stables, Cupar KY15 7AF.
Following the great success of previous years, SPAB Scotland are once again supporting the Falkland Stewardship Trust in their annual celebration of traditional crafts.  Throughout the three days there will be many practical activities in progress including working with wood and stone, firing up a lime-kiln, pointing with earth and lime mortars, repairing two magnificent estate walls, and so on.

Mortars and Binders
Date: 30 August, 9.30am – 4.30pm.
Venue: The Engine Shed, Stirling, FK8 1QZ.
A one-day seminar where recent research and publications by Historic Environment Scotland on traditional mortars will be presented and discussed.
Learn about the composition, specification and application of historic mortars and binders. While focusing on hot mixed lime mortars in traditional and historic building, other binders will be introduced.
Prices: £54 Historic Scotland Members (Concessions). £60 Non-Members.
Booking essential | T: 01786 234 800 | E: technicaleducation@hes.scot

Burns Monument Tour
Date: Saturday 1st September 2018 at 10.30am.
Venue: Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, Murdoch’s Lone, Alloway, Ayr KA7 4PQ.
SPAB Scotland are pleased to be able to offer this rare chance to be up close to the wonderful stone carvings on the Burns Monument in Alloway, Ayrshire. The National Trust for Scotland are undertaking a programme of major repair work to the monument, chiefly comprising lime grouting the ashlar work from inside in order to fill many voids throughout the structure. In association with the main contractor Conservation Masonry Ltd, the event will be run by building surveyor and clerk of works to the monument project, Kinlay Laidlaw, who will give a short lecture about the building and the proposed repair works prior to leading the tour on the scaffolding.

War Memorials: Sharing Success Conference and Workshops (Scotland)
Date: Tuesday 4th September.
Venue: Engine Shed in Stirling.
War Memorials Trust and Historic Environment Scotland are hosting a free conference on war memorials on 4th September. Taking place at the Engine Shed in Stirling the day will feature presentations, Q&As and workshops as well as an opportunity to explore the conservation exhibits. It is designed to review some of the war memorial activities in Scotland through the centenary of World War I and consider the future of war memorials beyond 2018. The main conference will run from 10am to 3pm with two optional workshops running from 3.30pm – 4.45pm if attendees wish to extend their

Contemporary Approaches to Sustainability in European Cities
Date: September 20 @ 13:00 pm – 18:30 pm.
Venue: Western Park Conference Centre, 319 Perth Road, Dundee, DD2 1NN.
The Academy of Urbanism and University of Dundee are delighted to convene a special event to consider the application of contemporary strategies to make medium-sized cities more sustainable in environmental, socio-economic and cultural terms. We have invited senior speakers from leading AoU European City Finalists, including Bilbao, Copenhagen, Freiburg and Ljubljana together with additional input from Scottish and UK specialists. This event is coinciding with the opening of the new V&A Dundee, Scotland’s first design museum. Hear from four exceptional cities and be one of the first to step inside this major new attraction!

Traditional Buildings Materials and Skills – Highlands & Islands Traditional Building Forum Conference
Date: Fri 21 September 2018.
Venue: Smithton Church, 1 Murray Road, Smithton, Inverness IV2 7YU.
This conference includes presentations and exhibitors on traditional building materials including stone, mortar, timber, metals and glass and will conclude with a case study of the recently completed Inverness Town House repair project. This event is being jointly sponsored by CIOB, RIAS, RICS & CITB.

Debate: What’s the point of Listing Buildings?
Date: Thurs 27th September 2018 | 6.30-8.30pm.
Location: Glasgow (venue tbc).
There are over 1,800 listed buildings in Glasgow. Our panel will consider whether these designations fully reflect what the city and its people value about the historic built environment. Should we be trying to save historic buildings which are unlisted and outside of conservation areas? Who might they be valuable to?

Edinburgh Doors Open Day with SPAB
Date: Saturday 29th September 11am – 4pm & Sunday 30th September 11am – 4pm.
Location: Trunks Close, 55 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1SR.
SPAB Scotland will once again be hosting craft demonstrations as part of Edinburgh Doors Open Day weekend. Come and speak to us, find out about what we do for building conservation, campaigning, and events in Scotland. Our demonstration this year will focus on stone carving, and we are lucky to have two SPAB William Morris Craft Fellows, Heather Griffith and Innes Drummond on hand to guide you through the skills of a stonemason. They will be giving short demonstrations throughout the day, and will oversee a small hands-on area where you can have a go yourself.

Training

CPD: Surface appearances and deeper truths: Thermography and moisture analysis in the built environment
Date: Thursday 9th August 2018 | 12.30-1.30pm.
Venue: 54 Bell Street, Glasgow.
This seminar will discuss the use of infrared thermography and subsurface moisture analysis to understand the performance of buildings and structures.

Gardening in Scotland: Principles and Practice
Date: Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th August, 2018.
Location: The National Trust for Scotland’s Pitmedden Garden, Ellon, Aberdeenshire, AB41 7PD.
This 2-day course will combine classroom-based learning with practical “hands-on” training to provide those attending with an understanding of the skills and techniques necessary in order to establish and maintain a garden in Scotland. The subjects to be addressed range from planning and designing a garden, through to the selection of plants, soil preparation and the development of a maintenance programme, as well as the effects on our gardens and the wider landscape resulting from the, now apparent, norm of unpredictable weather. The Course will be of immense value, not only to private individuals, maintaining or creating their own gardens, but also to those professionally involved in gardening and associated landscape projects.

Architectural Traditions
Date: 27 August. 5 days over 3 weeks: 39.5 taught hours.
Venue: The Engine Shed, Stirling, FK8 1QZ.
Learn about the progression of Scottish architectural styles, building materials and construction technologies from the prehistoric period to the 20th century.
Price: £630.

Building Fabric & Function
Date: 29 August. 1 day per week over 4 weeks: 19 taught hours
Venue: The Engine Shed, Stirling, FK8 1QZ
Get an introduction to traditional Scottish building methods and materials, and learn how the elements of a building interact and function together as a whole.
Price: £315.

Use of Stone in Traditional Architecture
Date: 30 August. 15 days over 10 weeks: 55.5 taught hours.
Venue: The Engine Shed, Stirling, FK8 1QZ.
Explore how stone has been used as a vital element of Scotland’s historic built environment from prehistoric times to the present day.
Price: £1,230

CPD / Seminar: History and Conservation of Ceramic Tiles
Date: Thursday 27th September 2018 | 10.00-1.30pm.
Venue: Kelvin Hall, Glasgow.
This half day event will focus on the history and conservation of ceramic tiles with particular reference to Glasgow. The session will include a look at the history of tile design together with practical examples of tile repair methods and conservation projects.

Vacancies

Intern Project Officer
Royal Town Planning Institute are looking for a motivated person who can use evidence gathering and collaborative skills to support our ongoing work influencing the Planning Bill, and work to develop new thinking that will inform a vision for Scotland’s built and natural environment in 2050. As context to this, enthusiasm to promote to a wide audience the value of an empowered and effective planning service will be required. You will be organised, have a degree level qualification in a relevant social science subject and have strong communication skills and an understanding of the current issues facing planners and the planning system.
Closing Date: 9am on Monday 13 August 2018.

Event Manager
Chartered Institute for Archaeologists are looking to recruit an Events Manager to manage our varied programme of conferences and events. The Events Manager will be responsible for the development, organisation, and marketing of the Chartered Institute’s programme of internal and external events and will work with senior staff to develop and improve these.
Closing date for applications is 5pm on Monday 20 August. Interviews are expected to take place in the week commencing 3 September.

Langholm Alliance for Action Facilitator (part time)
SURF is seeking a part-time Facilitator to support its Alliance for Action programme site of Langholm. Langholm is the newest site in SURF’s Alliance for Action initiative. The successful applicant will be responsible for helping to build on local demand for new economic opportunities, an enhanced tourism offer, and increased collaboration between local groups and initiatives in the Dumfries and Galloway town. SURF’s 2017-18 Alliance for Action feasibility study for Langholm established broad consensus on the town’s main strengths. These included its historical significance, a strong culture of community activity, and a high quality physical and natural environment. It also highlighted significant social and economic challenges.
The closing date for applications is Monday 20 August.

Skills Training Officer
Perth & Kinross Heritage Trust is a charity established in 1988 with the aim of conserving and promoting archaeology and architectural heritage in Perth and Kinross for the benefit of residents, visitors and future generations. Our Strategic Plan 2017-22 identifies ‘supporting the sectoral skills base through delivering skills training’ as a key priority. We wish to appoint a conservation professional on a one-year fixed-term basis to help us deliver our existing skills training projects, including boat building, traditional building skills training and an archaeology field school, and to lead on the development of a project plan and funding package for a 3-year training programme to run from 2020-22.
The closing date for applications is 17:00 on Friday 31 August 2018

BACK