
BEFS Bulletin – Scotland’s Historic Environment Audit
Get The Latest Built Environment News, Events, Vacancies, Consultations And Publications In Our News Bulletin.

BEFS News
The Scotland’s Historic Environment Audit (SHEA) 2018 is now out! Historic Environment Scotland takes a look at the trends and the latest findings from the SHEA, highlighting the top five tends in Heritage Healthcheck: Five trends of the sector.
You may note that this article refers to historic environment case studies hosted by BEFS. A wide range of organisations, communities and individuals care for the historic environment across the private, public and voluntary sector. In order to celebrate, share and learn from the rich array of successful projects and initiatives taking place across Scotland, we have collated a selection of case studies.
The Planning Bill has now completed Stage 2 – we await formal notification of when Stage 3 will commence, but this close to Christmas we appreciate that no movement is likely before 2019. Throughout the Bill process BEFS compiled a document of all the amendments as they were submitted. We have also created a summary of our briefings provided to the Local Government and Communities Committee. Both documents can be found here.
Over the last year, the issue of tenement repair and maintenance has been rising up the Scottish parliamentary agenda, and seen the establishment of the cross party Working Group on Tenement Maintenance, of which BEFS and RICS are the secretariat. The working group will be publishing an interim report at RICS Tenement Maintenance Parliamentary Reception sponsored by shadow Minister for Housing and Communities, Graham Simpson MSP in January 2019.
Scotland’s Archaeology Strategy has launched ‘Celebrating Archaeology in Scotland 2018’, The new magazine celebrates the best of Scotland’s Archaeology and shows how Scotland’s Archaeology Strategy is being delivered. If you would like your project to feature in future publications, you can fill out a case study form as well as provide feedback on the magazine here.
Linda Fabiani MSP, invites you to attend the AGM for the Cross Party Group on Architecture and the Built Environment. The meeting will include a debate and discussion asking, ‘How can the CPG become an agent of change?’
Congratulations to the winners of the Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning. The Judges have recognised Glasgow City Council with an Overall Award for its Glasgow Canal Regeneration Partnership project.
Consultations
Draft Action Plan on Open Government – we want to hear your views
Shortage occupation list 2018: call for evidence
Consultation Responses
Heat and energy efficiency strategies: second consultation analysis (SG 22/11/18)
Publications
Soft Power Superpowers – Global trends in cultural engagement and influence (British Council 11/18)
Principles of Selection for Listed Buildings (DCMS 11/18)
Brexit Update (SPICe 27/11/18)
The Zubairi Report: the lived experience of loneliness and social isolation in Scotland
Ending Homelessness Together: High Level Action Plan (SG 21/11/18)
Social Housing in Scotland (UK Centre for Housing Evidence 20/11/18)
Transient Visitor Taxes in Scotland: Supporting a National Discussion (SG)
Small Landholdings Landownership & Registration Research Summary (SG)
Private sector rent statistics: 2010 – 2018 (SG)
Scottish Government News Releases
Average two bedroom private rents up by 1.5% (SG 27/11/18)
From 2017 to 2018, all areas of Scotland, with the exception of Aberdeen and Shire, Greater Glasgow and Renfrewshire/Inverclyde, have seen increases in average rents for 2 bedroom properties.
Ending homelessness (SG 27/11/18)
A shift towards rapid rehousing will see homeless people housed in long-term and settled accommodation solutions that meets their needs as quickly as possible. This is one of the key aims in the Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan. The plan sets out measures for national and local government and the third sector who provide frontline services.
Scottish Crown Estate (SG 21/11/18)
Local authorities and communities will have a stronger voice in the management of Scottish Crown Estate assets.
News Releases
Regeneration Plan for Nairn Wins National ‘Future Town’ Design Competition (STP 29/11/18)
A plan to revitalise the Highland town of Nairn has been voted by the public as winner of the national ‘FutureTown’ Design Competition.
RIBA House of the Year (RIBA 28/11/18)
Lochside House by HaysomWardMiller Architects has won RIBA House of the Year 2018. Lochside House is a modest, sustainable home which sits in a magical location on the edge of a Scottish lake in the West Highlands.
European Architectural History Network Conference 2020 – Call for Session and Roundtable Proposals
The European Architectural History Network is delighted to announce its next biannual meeting at the University of Edinburgh, UK, 10th -13th June 2020. Anyone wishing to chair a Session or a Roundtable debate at EAHN2020 are invited to submit proposals by 31st December, 2018.
Not So Pretty Vacant. Taskforce starts task of reducing vacant and derelict land (SLC 26/11/18)
The Vacant and Derelict Land Taskforce will start the process of finding 100 sites with the best potential for development at its meeting today (Monday November 26).
Orkney islanders given £260,000 for estate purchase (BBC 26/11/18)
An island community has been awarded £260,000 to purchase more than 1,700 acres of peatland and pasture.
Community ownership should become routine option for communities across Scotland, says new report (SLC 23/11/18)
Community ownership should become a normal and realistic option for communities to acquire land and assets, according to recommendations on community ownership published today Friday 23 November, 2018.
Tay Cities Deal signed (Tay Citites 23/11/18)
Partners in the £700 million Tay Cities Region Deal have gathered in Perth to sign up to deliver the Heads of Terms for the agreement.
PAS & Article 12 – Success at the Planning Awards (PAS 22/11/18)
PAS and Article 12 were awarded in the Partnership category for the engagement of young Gypsy/Travellers with planning and placemaking through our Heritage Lottery funded project “In the Footsteps of Geddes”.
Heritage Impact Fund – new partnership fund to be launched in early 2019 (AHF 19/11/18)
As part of our ongoing work to increase the levels of social investment supporting the heritage sector, the AHF is delighted to announce a new partnership fund: The Heritage Impact Fund (HIF).
Public Votes Turriff as ‘Scotland’s Most Beautiful High Street’ (STP 11/18)
Aberdeenshire town Turriff has been voted by the public as Scotland’s Most Beautiful High Street, recognising the heritage, beauty and unique experience the town centre offers.
Unlocking hidden history with Scotland’s Urban Past (HES 21/11/18)
Over the past four years Scotland’s Urban Past (SUP) has worked with community groups to bring the history around them to life and show how the urban environment has evolved. Find out about just three of the unique methods adopted by SUP.
Upgrade to Scottish Town Data Tool USP Unveiled (STP 19/11/18)
A fresh upgrade to an innovative website providing in-depth information on Scotland’s towns has been unveiled. From greenspace to migration, new indicators in the open-access tool provide additional support to all those who work for positive change in Scotland’s towns.
UK Withdrawal from UNESCO – World Heritage UK Press Statement (UKWH 13/11/18)
Following newspaper reports concerning the UK’s continued membership of UNESCO, World Heritage UK are pleased to note the following reported clarification statement from the Department for International Development.
Reduce VAT to 5% on repairs and approved alterations to listed buildings – Government response (UKP 08/11/18)
We recognise the valuable contribution to UK Heritage made by owners of listed buildings. We continue to promote our country’s heritage and we will ensure that everyone can enjoy and benefit from it.
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”.
Andy Wightman S5W-20182
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on extending the Housing Voluntary Grant Scheme beyond a one-year cycle to assist voluntary organisations in better planning and preparing the delivery of long-term housing-related projects and services.
Rachael Hamilton S5W-20186
To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) purpose and (b) remit is of its Short Term Lets Delivery Group; which groups are represented on it; on what dates it has met; what future meetings are planned; which stakeholders it has engaged with, and by what date it will present its findings.
Graham Simpson S5W-20200
To ask the Scottish Government what the mandatory minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) level is for new home completions.
Parliamentary Questions & Answers
Questions marked with a triangle (?) are initiated by the Government in order to facilitate the provision of information to the Parliament.
Portfolio Questions – Culture, Tourism & External Affairs – Wednesday 28 November
Johann Lamont – Glasgow School of Art update; Brian Whittle – industrial heritage sites; Alison Harris – major tourist attractions promotion; Gail Ross – support to archaeological projects.
Question S5O-02615: David Stewart, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 21/11/2018
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the North Coast 500 on tourism and infrastructure, and how best the route can be used to develop these.
Answered by Ben Macpherson (28/11/2018)
Events
For the latest information about BEFS Members’ events see our events calendar.
Conservation Ethics and Approaches
Date: Wednesday 12 December 2018.
Venue: Engine Shed.
This one-day seminar will explore recent thinking around approaches to managing the loss and decay of heritage assets. The heritage sector today faces a number of significant and diverse challenges including the effects of reduced budgets and the increasing impact of climate change.
Edinburgh World Heritage’s ‘Christmas at the Tron’
Date: Thursday 13 December.
Venue: The Tron Kirk, 122 High Street, Edinburgh.
Join us this December for a fundraising Christmas party for the Tron Kirk in the centre of Edinburgh’s World Heritage site. The Tron has always held a special place in the hearts of Edinburgh residents as a meeting point where crowds would gather to ring in the New Year. However, this iconic Category A listed building features on the ‘at risk’ register and we need your help to secure its long-term future. We at Edinburgh World Heritage aim to restore the building and transform it into a permanent exhibition, retail, and community space where visitors and local residents can learn more about our city’s rich heritage.
Vacancies
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 a director from outside the profession