BEFS Bulletin – Climate, Tourism and Place

BEFS News

BEFS are proud to be supporting Members of the Climate Heritage Network, and wish to draw attention to the launch of a new Action Plan 2022-2024. We too believe that: Heritage has the power to help people imagine and realise low carbon, just, climate resilient futures.

Looking to the future, now is the time to give your views on HES’ new Responsible Tourism Framework, where the focus is on how Scotland’s tourism sector has a key role to play in tackling the climate crisis and achieving net-zero while contributing significantly to the Scottish economy.

And if you’re thinking of travelling – Europa Nostra 2022 European Heritage Awards winners have just been announced: read all about the fantastic projects here. We’d also draw attention to the Prague Manifesto – “For a Value-based and Culture-driven Europe”.

A little closer to home, BEFS were delighted to be at the Engine Shed in Stirling to work with AHSS and HES to host the Conservation Areas Seminar. This sold-out event enabled practitioners and professionals across the sector to hear more about policy development, good practice, and the challenges of working in and managing conservation areas. Thank you to all who made it possible! For those within a Local/Planning Authority with responsibility for conservation areas – and not already connected – you can become part of the Conservation Officers Group (COG).

In other policy news, Robbie Calvert RTPI Policy, Practice and Research Officer gave Evidence on the Levelling Up Bill for Scotland to the Net Zero Committee. You can read their written response here.

Considering the state of the sector – the latest UK Heritage Pulse Survey has been published. This iteration was designed in response to what the heritage sector told NLHF was most important; it focused on organisational resilience, recruitment and staffing, and environmental sustainability. We recommend that organisations (particularly within Scotland) who want to be part of future surveys sign-up to be part of the process, helping to inform future strategy and policy for the sector.

And, when examining those very topics: MGS with BEFS and greenspace scotland are holding focus group sessions to assist the co-design of the Business Support Programme (NLHF funded) 2023 extension. Book here to be part of the focus groups.

Congratulations are due across the sector:
Jackie Bird has become the new NTS president, after being endorsed at the charity’s AGM. Her nomination information can be found here.

Well done to HTN for a successful bid to NLHF for the start of their Essential Networks project. We look forward to seeing the project develop.

We appreciate all the work, and volunteering across the sector that produces the Festival of Traditional Buildings, and were delighted to see this work, and the importance of the topic, highlighted in a parliamentary motion to celebrate and support the Festival’s 10^th Year.

And finally, whilst we bring the news that The Egyptian Halls working group, led by the Scottish Civic Trust, has secured funding from Glasgow City Heritage Trust and the Architectural Heritage Fund to develop a business plan for the restoration of this site. We also congratulate Susan O’Connor, current Director of the SCT who is moving to take on a role integral to sector sustainability, Head of Grants at HES. If you want to continue her great work with SCT, and The Egyptian Halls (as well as many other projects), please see details of the role available here.

BEFS does not have a Communications Manager in post at this time. BEFS will continue to get readers all the information that matters, particularly ensuring parliamentary activity is covered. And we’ll endeavour to include Events, Training and related Vacancies. These will be presented in the Bulletin as links (we will not be updating the website Events diary or Vacancy pages) until the team is back at full complement. Next Bulletin dates are: 20^th of October and 3^rd November – BEFS Members should submit information for inclusion by the Monday prior to publication.

Consultations

New Build Heat Standard: consultation – part two
Scottish Government
Closes 20 October 2022

Land Reform in a Net Zero Nation
Scottish Government
Closes 30 October 2022 

Battlefields: Planning Best Practice 
Historic Environment Scotland
Closes 3 November 2022

Delivering our Vision for Scottish Agriculture. Proposals for a new Agriculture Bill
Scottish Government
Closes 21 November 2022

HES Responsible Tourism Framework
Historic Environment Scotland
** NEW Closes 30 November 2022**

Developing a Scottish Tax to replace the UK Aggregates Levy
Scottish Government
** NEW Closes 4 December 2022**

Consultation Responses

None at this time.

Publications

Is heating homes with hydrogen all but a pipe dream? (Jan Rosenow Sept. 2022)
A significant evidence review of papers relating to hydrogen heating for domestic homes.

SAIR 100: The excavation of a prehistoric settlement at Lower Slackbuie, Inverness (SoAoS 26/09/2022)

Climate Heritage Network Action Plan 2022-2024 (CHN 28/09/2022)

Interim Strategic Plan (Environmental Standards Scotland Sept. 2022)

Prague Manifesto “For a Value-based and Culture-driven Europe” (Europa Nostra Sept. 2022)

RICS Sustainability Report 2022 (RICS Sept. 2022)
Based on the sentiment of 4000 real estate and construction professionals from across over 30 countries.

Construction Innovation Hub – Value Toolkit Resource Library (Oct. 2022)

BE~ST Annual Impact Report 2021-22 (BE~ST 03/10/2022)

Addressing overheating risk in existing UK homes (Arup CCC 4/10/2022)
The Climate Change Committee (CCC) commissioned Arup to appraise the current and future risks posed by summertime overheating to the UK housing stock at scale.

Scottish & UK Government Publications

Fiscal Statement (UK Govt 23/09/2022) Note some polices may have changed since time of publication.

Community Ownership in Scotland 2021 – Annual publication showing the extent of community ownership in Scotland. (SG 27/09/2022)

National Partnership for Culture recommendations: Scottish Government response (SG 27/09/2022)

Environmental impact of mini-budget and Retained EU Law Bill: letter to UK Government (SG 29/09/2022)

Report on the National Performance Framework: Ambitions into Action (ScotParl 03/10/2022)

Emergency Protections for tenants (SG 03/10/2022)

News Releases

Europa Nostra 2022 European Heritage Awards winners announced (26/09/2022)

Edinburgh Council agrees powers to regulate short-term lets. (BBC 29/09/2022)
and Scottish Housing News (30/09/2022)

Funding Secured to help save Glasgow’s at-risk Egyptian Halls (26/09/2022)
The Egyptian Halls working group, led by the Scottish Civic Trust, has secured funding from Glasgow City Heritage Trust and the Architectural Heritage Fund to develop a business plan for the restoration of Glasgow’s A-listed Egyptian Halls. 

Fife pupils get a taste of traditional construction skills (Project Scotland 30/09/2022)

And finally …not just any old iron (Scottish Construction Now 30/09/2022)
The underwater discovery of a distinctive wrought iron anchor found by ScottishPower Renewables at the bottom of the southern North Sea has been hailed as an “incredibly rare” find.

UK Heritage Pulse Survey Second Wave results (NLHF 05/10/2022)

Opinion & Comment

Older buildings could have vital role to play in meeting net zero targets (Project Scot 13/09/2022)

Emergency budget: what it means for arts and culture sector (Arts Professional 23/09/2022)

Scottish and UK ministers hold ‘constructive’ discussions on investment zones (Herald 04/10/2022)

Investment zones could be allowed in England’s national parks (Guardian 03/10/2022)

 

Parliamentary Questions and Answers

Questions marked with a triangle (?) are initiated by the Scottish Government to facilitate the provision of information to the Parliament. Questions in which a member has indicated a declarable interest are marked with an “R”.

S6W-10632 Liam Kerr, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: 26/08/2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10006 by Michael Matheson on 23 August 2022, in light of it stating that it has not yet assessed the cost of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 and not providing a suggestion of a figure, whether it has at least assessed the cost of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 within an approximate range or figure, or whether it has no estimate of the cost of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.
Current status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 September 2022

S6W-10745 Stephen Kerr, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: 01/09/2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many times ministers have called in planning applications from planning committees in each of the last 10 years.
Current status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 27 September 2022

S6W-11154 Sarah Boyack, Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date Lodged: 27/09/2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it will publish its refreshed Culture Strategy Action Plan.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 25/10/2022

S6W-11264 Emma Roddick, Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party,
Date Lodged: 30/09/2022
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to fulfil its commitments to protect nature in Scotland and maintain or exceed EU environmental standards, in light of the reported plans by the UK Government to dismantle laws protecting nature.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 28/10/2022

S6W-11289 Sharon Dowey, South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date Lodged: 04/10/2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-07194 by Neil Gray on 16 March 2022, whether it will provide an update on the progress of protecting the properties in the care of Historic Environment Scotland that are reportedly being left to “gracefully die”.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 01/11/2022

 

Parliamentary Motions

10th Festival of Traditional Buildings

Submitted by: Gordon MacDonald, Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party.
Date lodged: Tuesday, October 4, 2022

Supported by: Jeremy Balfour, Colin Beattie, Miles Briggs, Stephanie Callaghan, Foysol Choudhury, Bob Doris, Jackie Dunbar, Annabelle Ewing, Christine Grahame, Bill Kidd, Monica Lennon, Fulton MacGregor, Paul McLennan, Stuart McMillan, Audrey Nicoll, Alex Rowley, Collette Stevenson, Kaukab Stewart, Paul Sweeney, David Torrance, Elena Whitham

That the Parliament congratulates the Edinburgh Traditional Building Forum on delivering the 10th Festival of Traditional Buildings in August 2022 and the welcomed return to it being delivered in person; notes that the event focussed on sustainability of traditional buildings; recognises the efforts of the forum to celebrate Edinburgh’s traditional buildings, bringing together experts with the wider public, in order to demonstrate knowledge and skills across a whole spectrum of traditional construction skills; understands that the festival was a collaboration between the National Federation of Roofing Contractors, Historic Environment Scotland, the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, the Built Environment Forum Scotland, the Stone Federation Great Britain, the British Geological Survey, GLM Chartered Surveyors, Bannockburn House, Scottish Lime Centre Trust, David Fisher & Sons Plastering, Nevin Decorators, Developing the Young Workforce, and City of Edinburgh Council; 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, and thanks each of the organisations for their ongoing efforts to protect and maintain Scotland’s historic built environment.

Events

AHSS Dr Alistair Fair – Building a Modern Scotland: The New Towns, 1947–76
Date & Time: Monday 10 October 2022, 6.30pm
Location: Augustine United Church, 41 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EL (wheelchair accessible) Note: Lectures will also be streamed online via Zoom
Between the late 1940s and the early 1970s, six new towns were begun across Scotland, inspired by the ideals of the earlier Garden City Movement. For policymakers, they reflected an ambition to build a new Scotland; for architects and designers, they were an opportunity to create new kinds of urban environments. In this talk, Dr Alistair Fair surveys what was planned, some of the key buildings, and what happened subsequently.

SoAoS October Lecture – Mary of Guelders and the Architecture of Queenship in Fifteenth Century Scotland
Date & Time: Thursday 20 October, 6pm
Location: Hybrid (in-person at Augustine United Church, 41 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1EL) and live streamed online via Zoom
During her widowhood, Mary of Guelders, Queen of Scots, pursued an energetic programme of architectural patronage, including renovations to Falkland Palace in Fife, and the commissioning of Ravenscraig Castle (Fife) and Trinity Collegiate Kirk and hospital outside Edinburgh. Recent dendrochronology at St Giles’ Kirk in Edinburgh also suggests that her patronage was more extensive than previously thought. In this lecture, Dr Rachel Delman will explore how Mary’s building projects articulated messages regarding her gender, piety, power, and status during her son’s minority.

AHSS Dr Diane Watters – Scotland’s Post-War New Towns: Plan, Lives and Legacy
Date & Time: Thursday 20 October 2022, 7.30pm
Location: Renfield Centre, 260 Bath Street, Glasgow  Note: Lectures also be streamed online via Zoom
Dr Diane Watters, architectural historian, will provide a brief introduction to the inter-disciplinary Leverhulme-funded research project on New Towns led by the universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow. In the face of ongoing condemnations, such as the ‘Plook on a plinth’ award, the project aims to uncover the original vision, plans, reception, and their legacy. She will focus on Cumbernauld (the speaker’s hometown) and Livingston.

ICON ECRN: Building a salvage network for Scotland
Date & Time: Thursday 27 October, 9.30am – 4pm
Location: The Engine Shed, Stirling
Edinburgh Collections Response Network is hosting a day of knowledge and skills sharing open to anyone involved in disaster recovery work from the GLAM sector in Scotland. ECRN is a voluntary group of conservators, curators, archivists and others based in and around Edinburgh who form a disaster recovery coalition that spans many organisations from national to local. The group is keen to foster closer connections with the wider Scottish heritage sector, and share the knowledge and lessons they have learned from collaborating. Event run in partnership with Icon Scotland, SCA and HES.

RTPI Scotland – The Point by Dandara site visit
Date & Time: Thursday 3 November 2022, 5.30pm
Location: The Point, Aberdeen
The Point by Dandara development has developed a vacant derelict brownfield site in Aberdeen and brought housing back into the city centre. In addition to this, its development has also enabled refurbishment of the Category C listed Spire that sits in the heart of the site. Join RTPI Scotland for a tour of the development lead by Dandara’s Austin McGuire.

AHSS & SGLH Judy Riley – Ornaments and Obelisks: Changes at Tyninghame in the Early 19th Century
Date & Time: Monday 14 November 2022, 6.30pm
Location: Augustine United Church, 41 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EL (wheelchair accessible)
Note: Lectures will also be streamed online via Zoom
With the help of previously unpublished archival material, Judy Riley explores the development of Tyninghame House and gardens, in East Lothian, around the first half of the nineteenth century, including William Burn’s work for the 9th Earl of Haddington. 

Scotland’s Towns Conference
Date & Time: Wednesday 16 November 2022
Location: Kilmarnock
Scotland’s Towns Conference is our annual, flagship gathering of stakeholders from across sectors involved in supporting Scotland’s towns and improvement districts. 
Links here for Member and Non-Member Booking

AHSS Geoff Bailey – The Architecture of  Matthew Steele
Date & Time:Thursday 17 November 2022, 7.30pm
Location: Renfield Centre, 260 Bath Street, Glasgow (barring any new Covid 19 restrictions) 
Note: Lectures will also be streamed online via Zoom
Geoff Bailey of the Falkirk Local History Society [Heritage Engagement Officer Falkirk Community Trust] will talk about the unique style of the provincial architect Matthew Steele who gave the town of Bo’ness near Falkirk much of its present character.  Working in the period 1910-1940 he adopted and adapted the latest designs and materials adding a Nordic twist to provide his own flavour.  

Training 

PAS SP=EED Community Engagement Skills training 
Date & Time: Thursday 13 October, 10am – 3pm
Location: Online – Zoom
Looking to sharpen your community engagement skills? Join our next live ‘SP=EED’ training, Thursday 13 October 2022. SP=EED is a unique development programme designed to develop your skills and confidence in designing, delivering and evaluating effective community engagement

SPAB – Repair of Old Buildings Course
Date & Time: 17 to 21 October 2022
Location: Online
The Repair of Old Buildings course delivers an extensive programme of lectures and recorded site visits demonstrating building repair projects, accompanied by a series of live online Q&A sessions with speakers and site hosts. Presented by leading building conservation professionals, the Repair Course considers British and international approaches to the conservation of old buildings.  The SPAB philosophy of repair and maintenance – established by William Morris in 1877 – underpins the course programme of case studies, presentations and site visits.
The SPAB has a small fund to allow it to award bursaries to individuals who might not otherwise be able to afford a place on the Repair Course.

RICS Explore the potential impact of Commercial Real Estate within the UK Government’s Levelling-up agenda
Date & Time: Tuesday 18 October, 4pm
Location: Online
Hear first-hand, the opportunities and challenges for Commercial Real Estate in driving and enabling levelling-up across the United Kingdom.
In this webinar session we will explore the latest prospects and headwinds, as well as what actions can be undertaken to drive Commercial Real Estate forward.

Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust – Architectural Conservation CPD 2022 Programme
Date & Time: Saturday 26 October & Wednesday 30 November 2022
Location: Online
The Perth and Kinross annual series of Architectural Conservation CPDs is underway. The programme continues with sessions on conservation techniques for historical sculptures and retrofit of traditional buildings.

RIAS Conservation Committee: Helping you care for buildings – Conservation CPD
Date & Time: Thursday 27 October, 1pm onwards
Location: Online
The topics will be of interest to all who are interested in saving and re-using historic buildings, including those considering conservation accreditation, architects, planners, and people working in the heritage sector. The price of this CPD is £80 (+ VAT).

CIfA – Practising ethical competence in archaeology
Date & Time: Wednesday 16 November, 2-5pm
Location: Online
This CPD workshop is for accredited professionals and those that need to demonstrate ethical abilities as part of their application for accreditation.

Vacancies

The Auchindrain Trust Conservation and Maintenance Supervisor/ Urras Achadh an Droighinn
Salary: £27,300
Status: Full time, permanent
Location: Auchindrain Historic Township, Argyll
As a result of the retirement of a long-serving member of staff, the Trust are seeking to recruit a suitably-skilled and experienced person as Conservation & Maintenance Supervisor for the museum at Auchindrain Historic Township in Argyll. The post represents a rare opportunity for someone who would like to develop a career in the care, conservation and management of Scotland’s historic environment, with a strong emphasis on the use of traditional building skills in the modern world. 
Closing date: 12 noon, Friday 7 October 2022 

Director of the Scottish Civic Trust
Salary: £45-50k
Status: 35h per week
Location: Glasgow office and home working combined
Scottish Civic Trust are currently recruiting for a talented and dynamic individual to become their new Director, their most senior position. You will be responsible for enhancing the charity’s reputation and influence, acting as an advocate for the heritage sector, developing effective partnerships, inspiring greater support including generating income, developing thematic work, running the business and reporting to and working closely with Trustees. 
Closing date: Wednesday 19 October 2022

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