BEFS Bulletin – Places People and Planning

BEFS NEWS

BEFS has responded to the consultation on energy efficiency and condition in private renting housing, which proposes a gradual introduction of standards using energy performance certificates as a method for assessment. BEFS has highlighted that EPC ratings do not apply readily to traditional buildings, and notes that management practice is a key factor, along with an understanding of how traditional buildings perform. Read BEFS full response here.

The deadline to response to the Places, People and Planning – Position Statement is coming up on 11th August. Don’t miss the opportunity to have your say.

There are still a few days left to nominate individuals or groups for the Scottish Heritage Angel Awards 2017.

One day left of the early bird offer for RTPI’s annual conference, The New Agenda: Planners as Visionaries, Facilitators and Enablers, in Edinburgh in October.

BEFS recently hosted a film screening of Paul Sng’s documentary ‘Dispossession: The Great Social Housing Swindle’ followed by a Q&A with the director, in collaboration with Tower Block project at University of Edinburgh. In the first of our blogs, Kate Houghton, Planning Policy & Practice Officer RTPI Scotland, reflects on the documentary and lessons for a planner.

In our second blog this week, BEFS Chair, Graeme Purvis, tells us about the restoration of an overgrown renaissance garden in Granton as a catalyst for urban renewal.

CONSULTATIONS
Places, People and Planning – Position Statement – June 2017 
Closes 11 Aug 2017.

Climate Change Bill
The Scottish Government intends to introduce a new Climate Change Bill with even more ambitious targets. Proposals include setting targets based on actual emissions, increasing the 2050 target to 90% emissions reduction, and making provisions for a net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target to be set when a credible and costed pathway can be demonstrated.
Opened 30 Jun 2017. Closes 22 Sep 2017.

Community Empowerment and Common Good Property: Consultation on Draft Guidance
This is a consultation on guidance for local authorities on how to fulfil the requirements of Part 8 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 in relation to common good property.
Opened 30 June 2017. Closes 29 September 2017.

The Socio Economic Duty
In 2017, Scotland will become the first part of the UK to introduce the socio-economic duty. The Scottish Government wants to make sure that this duty is introduced so as to have maximum positive impacts. So it’s important to get implementation right and this consultation paper is a key way to make sure we do.
Opened 18 Jul 2017. Closes 12 Sep 2017.

CONSULTATION RESPONSES
A Consultation on Procedure of the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) Housing and Property Chamber – Analysis of responses to the public consultation

PUBLICATIONS
Annual and Quarterly Planning Performance Statistics, 2016/17 (SG 25/07/17)

Up My Street – Buildings at Risk Catalogue 2017-18
SAVE Britain’s Heritage’s latest Buildings at Risk Catalogue features over 100 decaying buildings from across the country in need of new owners or new uses.

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT NEWS RELEASES
Tenants and landlords to benefit from new regulations (SG 28/07/17)
Letting agents have six months to prepare for compliance with a new, statutory Code of Practice, set to improve standards and empower customers. Housing Minister Kevin Stewart is writing to all commercial letting agents to highlight the changes and their responsibilities, and the need to comply by January 31 2018.

£1.2m for affordable housing in Fort William (SG 26/07/17)
200 homes planned for Upper Achintore site. At least 200 new affordable homes will be built in Fort William, following the award of a £1.2 million grant from the Scottish Government to Lochaber Housing Association (LHA). The site will develop a variety of mixed tenure homes for rent and private use, on the Association’s recently acquired site at Upper Achintore.

People and Communities Fund (SG 25/017/17)
Organisations across Scotland, supporting hundreds of community led projects that put people first, are to receive £8.6m funding for the year 2017/18. The funding, announced by Housing Minister Kevin Stewart today (July 25th), will have a positive impact on thousands of lives in Scotland – with support ranging from training/upskilling, employability advice, activities for young people, peer mentoring, and healthy eating initiatives.

Planning decision times published (SG 25/07/17)
Local Development decisions were quicker in 2016/17. The average decision time for Local Developments (26,986 applications) in 2016/17 was 9.2 weeks, four days quicker than the average of 9.7 weeks in the previous year and the quickest annual figure since the start of this data collection in 2012/13. Local housing applications were decided in an average of 12.7 weeks, one week quicker than the previous year (13.7 weeks).

Socio-economic duty (SG 18/07/17)
Public sector to do more to reduce inequalities. In a UK first, public bodies in Scotland will be required to put reducing poverty and inequality at the heart of their decision making.

Cladding and school buildings (SG 14/07/17)
Scottish Government provides further update. Building standards systems and regulations for high rise domestic properties in Scotland means that the specific type of ACM, which was used on Grenfell Tower, should not be used in their cladding systems.

Increase in affordable housing (SG 07/07/17)
The Scottish Government has committed more than £1.75 billion over the next three years to enable local authorities to plan and deliver the affordable housing needed in their communities, delivering the ambitious target of at least 50,000 affordable homes by 2021.

Regenerating coastal communities (SG 06/07/17)
£4.3 million to improve access and facilities. Projects for attracting tourists, creating new jobs and boosting economic growth in coastal communities will receive £4.3 million funding.

NEWS RELEASES
Share your success with SURF (SURF 01/08/17)
SURF is currently welcoming applications to our 2017 SURF Awards for Best Practice in Community Regeneration. Each year, SURF and the Scottish Government team up to highlight, share and celebrate success and innovation in efforts to improve the physical, social and/or economic fabric of disadvantaged communities across Scotland through the prestigious SURF Awards.

RTPI Awards for Research Excellence 2017: shortlist announced (RTPI 28/07/17)
From cycling to commuting, housing to land ownership and the digital economy – this year’s RTPI Awards for Research Excellence shortlist, announced today, reflects the depth and breadth of planning research. Seventeen research projects are competing across five categories:  Planning Consultancy Award, Academic Award, Early Career Researcher Award, Student Award, and the Sir Peter Hall Award for Wider Engagement.

Heritage 2020 Action Plans published (HA 27/07/17)
The Heritage 2020 vision concentrates on five strategic areas for collaboration, each of which will be developed further by a cross-sector working group looking at new ways of working together on the priorities of each theme. All five Heritage 2020 working groups have now published action plans and these can be viewed on each group’s page alongside information on the groups’ most recent meetings.

All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Arts, Health and Wellbeing Launches Report (AHRC 21/07/17)
A new report has been launched showing that the arts have a significant and positive impact on health and wellbeing. Creative Health: The Arts for Health and Wellbeing comes as the result of an inquiry led by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing (APPGAHW). The research was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the Wellcome Trust, and Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

City Deal boost for Edinburgh and south-east Scotland (BBC News 20/07/17)
The UK and Scottish governments are each investing £300m in the project. The money will be used to support innovation, infrastructure, housing, tourism and culture including a new concert hall in St Andrew Square.

Five towns and cities shortlisted for UK City of Culture 2021 (DDCMS 14/07/17)
Coventry, Paisley, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland and Swansea have been shortlisted to host UK City of Culture 2021, Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism, John Glen announced today

Change of name for DCMS (DDCMS 03/07/17)
In a move that acknowledges the way the Department’s remit has evolved, the Prime Minister and Culture Secretary Karen Bradley have agreed a departmental name change. The Department will continue to be referred to as DCMS in all communications, but is now the department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

National Lottery gives 500 Scottish groups reason to celebrate (BLF 27/06/17)
Over £3.8 million in National Lottery funds is today (TUES 27 JUNE) being shared by almost 500 groups across Scotland. The windfall means grassroots groups delivering everything from wheelchair football to after-school holiday clubs and drama workshops to hip-hop dance sessions now get the green light to go ahead.

Energy efficient buildings: increased energy savings and better living conditions (EU 26/06/17)
The Council agreed today its position on a proposal for a revised directive on the energy performance of buildings. The aim of the proposal is to promote energy efficiency in buildings and to support cost-effective building renovation with a view to the long term goal of decarbonising the highly inefficient existing European building stock.

MEMBERS NEWS
Communities Across Scotland To Benefit From New Community Development Grant Funding (AHF 01/08/17)
This year, The Architectural Heritage fund (AHF) launched a new grant fund supported by Historic Environment Scotland (HES). Due to additional three-year funding of up to £200,000 from HES, the AHF is able to expand its grant-giving programme to include a new Scottish Community Development Grant that will help support historic building regeneration projects in communities across Scotland.

Six Stunning Sites Unearthed in Search for Scotland’s Hidden Gems (SoAoS 01/08/17)
Winners chosen by popular vote include Viking-era monuments, a “castle on the hill” and a medieval burial ground. Dig It! 2017, the year-long celebration of archaeology, has been coordinating the Scotland-wide search. Over 12,000 votes have been cast over the last two months and with the polls now closed, the winners have been revealed.

50 Favourite Scottish Doors (SCT 01/08/17)
As part of its 50th anniversary celebration the Scottish Civic Trust is inviting everyone from celebrities to members of the public to nominate their favourite Scottish door.  For fifty consecutive days this summer, we will celebrate a favourite door to a Scottish building.

Royal High School Update (AHSS 25/07/17)
Following the local elections in May, the City of Edinburgh Council have appointed a new Development Management Sub-Committee. The committee will meet on the 31st August 2017 to consider the second hotel application from Duddingston House Properties and the Urbanist Group for the former Royal High School on Regent Terrace. Anyone is welcome to attend the proceedings which will start at 10.00am in the City Chambers on the Royal Mile, Edinburgh.

Festival of Architecture 2017 (AHSS 25/07/17)
If you enjoyed the Festival of Architecture 2016, you’ll be delighted to learn that the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland are bringing the festival back for a second year!

Bold ambitions and strong community engagement – 2017 Student Award winners announced (A&DS 07/17)
A bold proposal with an ambitious idea about democracy and a detailed plan with strong community engagement scoop Scotland’s student awards. Paschalis Kyrtsopoulos, University of Strathclyde, and Naomi Rubbra, ESALA, are winners at annual A&DS and RIAS Scottish Student Awards for Architecture 2017.

IHBC makes history again: New joint conservation practice statement (IHBC 24/06/17)
The IHBC has launched our joint ‘Conservation Professional Practice Principles’ at the 2017 Day School and AGM in Manchester, which offers a new, accessible statement on practice principles for specialists working in built and historic environment conservation roles.

Edinburgh World Heritage to support restoration of historic Turkish cities near Syrian border (EWHT 20/06/17)
Edinburgh World Heritage announced today that it had been awarded funding by the British Council’s Cultural Protection Fund, in partnership with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, to support the restoration of the historic cities of Mardin and Diyarbakir in a region of Turkey that has suffered as a result of the recent escalation of violence and political uncertainty.

2017 CSGN Forum Survey Results (CSGN 06/07/17)
The 2017 CSGN Forum drew inspiration from across the globe with leading experts from Italy, Belfast and Copenhagen underlining the need for greenspace, green infrastructure and active travel routes in cities and urban environments.

Introducing HLF’s Heritage Ambassadors (HLF 06/17)
HLF has recruited a group of 16-25 year old ‘ambassadors’ to help transform the way young people experience and interact with heritage. Drawn from across the UK, the 17 new Heritage Ambassadors will help decide how money is awarded through HLF’s new £10million Kick the Dust funding programme. They will also work with HLF to find ways of increasing the number of young people visiting and getting involved with heritage.

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

A walk in the footsteps of John Hope: Hidden Stories of The Meadows
When: 12 AUGUST 2 P.M. – 4 P.M
Where: Meet at the East end of The Meadows by the entrance to the East Meadows Play Park on Melville Drive EH9 9EX.
Once the site of the Borough Loch, the Borough Muir has witnessed important events in the history of Scotland.  Guardian Historian Christopher Dingwall and Marilyn Brown, author of Scotland’s Lost Gardens, will lead a walk and describe the changes which have occurred in its layouts The Meadows over several hundred years. They will also explain its role in the social life of Edinburgh.
Tickets cost £5 and can be paid for either on line through BACS sort code 30-25-81, SGLH account 11313660, reference “Meadows”, or in cash on the day.

Falkland Craft Symposium
When: 18-20 August 2017.
Where: Falkland Centre for Stewardship, Falkland Estate.
Talks, Discussions, Workshops, Demonstrations, Networking and Site Tours. A celebration of craft skills inspired by the craft of the House of Falkland. Options to attend one, two or three days. Tickets cost from £20 per person and covers site tours, all talks, workshops and demonstrations, lunch, refreshments and even a ceilidh on Saturday night!

Contemporary Houses of Lower Deeside
When: Saturday 19th August, from 2PM – 4PM.
Where: Aberdeenshire.
Join us for a visit to cutting-edge contemporary houses in Lower Deeside, Aberdeenshire. Included will  be 64 Kirk Brae, Cults, which is designed, owned and inhabited by AHSS North East’s treasurer, Mr Charles Smith. The £12 fee will include tea.

Sustainable Building 2017: creating homes and communities for the future
When: September 6th 2017
Where: Saracen House, Glasgow
This conference will not only consider the incorporation of sustainable principles within the process of new buildings and the retrofitting of existing stock, changes in public policy, the evolution and innovation of design, the development of new materials, the creation of jobs and apprenticeships within these new communities; it will also examine the progress made towards reaching Scotland’s ambitious housing targets.

Book Conservation Skills for Paper Conservators 2-Day Workshop
When: 14th – 15th November.
Where: National Library of Scotland, 159 Causewayside, Edinburgh.
A theory and practical workshop for 10 delegates run by Icon accredited book conservator Caroline Scharfenberg. This workshop addresses the need for paper conservators to have a basic knowledge about book structures and the typical damage found in book collections. These skills will enable paper conservators to stabilise book collections and to better assess damage and the required repair. It will also allow paper conservators to better identify damaged bound material, which will have to be addressed by a professional accredited book conservator.

Save the Date! Harold Plenderleith Memorial Lecture 2017
When: 30th November 2017
Where: Edinburgh, exact venue tbc.
Icon Scotland group is delighted to announce that this year’s lecturer will be Helen Shenton, Librarian and College Archivist of Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. More details to follow.

TRAINING
Resourcing Scotland’s Heritage is delivering a series of training courses and events across Scotland.
Our training is best suited to registered charities and constituted community groups. Take a walk through our simple question and answer page to determine which course is right for you. We have two main training courses and a series of ‘In Focus’ events. If you are interested in any particular event or fundraising topic, please do get in touch – we may be able to bring an event to your area info@scotheritage.org.

Traditional Building Skills Training
Scottish Lime Centre Trust offer a wide range of vocational and professional courses combining theory and practical working sessions designed to ensure that there are courses to suit everyone.

VACANCIES
Scotland’s Garden and Landscape Heritage Contract 
Scotland’s Garden and Landscape Heritage (SGLH) is seeking applications for a contract to initiate and manage an innovative and exciting, two phase project. The purpose of the project is to develop for publication a Conservation Strategy and Conservation Guidance Notes for Landowners.  It will cover the CAVLP and Falkirk Council areas commencing October 2017.  This project represents the second stage of a pilot project (‘Glorious Gardens’) launched by SGLH in 2014.
Closing date 11/8/17.

Chartered Institute for Archaeologists – Board of Directors lay director recruitment
Do you want to help the leading professional body representing archaeologists working in the UK and overseas? Do you have the governance skills required to help to direct a small but ambitious organisation? CIfA, the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists, is looking for two directors from outside the profession. If you are interested, or know someone who might be, please see the Information for candidates and Application form.
Deadline for applications: 28 August 2017. Interviews: 20 September 2017.

Information in the Bulletin is extracted from a number of websites including the Scottish Government (SG); the Scottish Parliament (SP); Architecture and Design Scotland(A+DS); Historic Environment Scotland (HES); Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH); Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO); English Heritage (EH); Design Council (DC); Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG); Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS); Department of Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA); National Assembly for Wales (NAW); Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS); Scottish Government Building Standards  (SGBS); Europa Nostra (EN); Historic England (HE).

If you have any questions or comments on the above, or would like to submit information to be included, please get in touch with Saskia Smellie or tel: BEFS Office on 0131 220 6241.

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