BEFS Bulletin – Funding News & Looking to the Future for Towns and Cities
Get The Latest Built Environment News, Policy Developments, Publications, Consultations And More.
BEFS News
BEFS Director was delighted to attend a recent celebration to mark the conclusion of the National Lottery Heritage Fund Business Support Programme, ‘Surviving to Thriving’, with Business Support Programme participants and partners. The programme was jointly developed by Museum Galleries Scotland, Greenspace Scotland and BEFS. Following the success of the 2021-22 programme, it has been announced that additional funding has been awarded to support the heritage sector in Scotland through a one-year programme extension during 2023. Watch this space for more details!
In other funding news, Round 3 of Steps to Sustainability, again a National Lottery Heritage Fund programme, recently opened. Delivered by the Social Enterprise Academy, heritage organisations across the UK are encouraged to apply for funding, which will provide a pathway of support and help organisations to be ambitious, forward-thinking and deliver exciting new projects. Sign up for the information session on 6th September to find out more.
BEFS Members, Scotland’s Towns Partnership, have reflected on their recent event in Inverness, highlighting the success of local initiatives including the Castlehill project. This event formed part of an ongoing series looking at how to secure a strong future for Highland town centres.
And again looking to the future, BEFS Members, Glasgow City Heritage Trust ask, “What Next for Glasgow’s City Centre?” It will be an in-person event on 28th September and looks to be a lively and illuminating discussion.
And finally:
Last call (almost!) for The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s second UK Heritage Pulse survey. Sharing your views will help to support and inform policy, recovery and reinvention post-Covid for the heritage sector, and ensure vital coverage for Scotland. The survey questions have been designed in response to what the sector says is currently most important: organisational resilience, environmental sustainability, recruitment and staffing. Do take the chance to complete it before it closes on 9th September.
Consultations
Dialogue Challenge: Energy and Just Transition Plan
Scottish Government
*new* Closes 5 September 2022
Heritage Fund Strategy Refresh
National Lottery Heritage Fund
Closes 5 September 2022
Land Reform in a Net Zero Nation
Scottish Government
Closes 25 September 2022
New Build Heat Standard: consultation – part two
Scottish Government
Closes 20 October 2022
Battlefields: Planning Best Practice
Historic Environment Scotland
Closes 3 November 2022
Consultation Responses
BEFS response to the review of permitted development rights phase 2
BEFS
BEFS response to the Circular Economy Route Map & Delivering Scotland’s Circular Economy
BEFS
RTPI Scotland’s response to Delivering Scotland’s Circular Economy
RTPI Scotland
Heat in Buildings Strategy: Domestic EPC Reform Consultation: Analysis Summary Report
Scottish Government
Publications
Infrastructure Investment Plan for Scotland (Scottish Futures Trust August 2022)
Guidance to support the Scottish Government’s Infrastructure Investment Plan to ensure public sector organisations are familiar with this new common framework and how they might approach its application when undertaking strategic planning of their property assets.
What is a 20 minute neighbourhood? (Architecture Design Scotland August 2022)
Blog exploring what a 20 minute neighbourhood means, highlighting its importance, and sharing examples of this concept through ongoing projects.
Survey of Community Councils Report (Planning Democracy August 2022)
Report of survey, based on responses from 175 community council areas, analysing community councillors’ experiences and knowledge of the planning system in Scotland.
Scottish Government Publications
Heat in Buildings Delivery Report: 2019-2020 (August 2022)
Seventh annual summary report of the HIBs (formerly HEEPS) programme which includes the outcomes achieved from the 2019-2020 programme and an overview of cumulative progress since 2013.
Government Expenditure & Revenue Scotland (GERS) 2021-22 (August 2022)
Report estimating the revenue raised in Scotland and the cost of public services provided for Scotland.
Planning performance statistics 2021-2022: annual (August 2022)
Statistics on planning application decision-making timescales for 2021-2022.
Planning enforcement notice appeals: form and guidance (August 2022)
Appeal form and guidance notes for a planning enforcement notice appeal.
News Releases
New strategic plan for Holyrood Park (17/08/22)
HES news highlighting that a long-term Plan for Edinburgh’s Holyrood Park will be ready for consultation towards the end of 2022.
AJ architecture awards shortlist revealed for housing, heritage, refurb and projects under £500k (18/08/22)
The AJ reveal the AJ Architecture Awards 2022 shortlists in the Housing, Heritage and Project under £500,000 categories. The Heritage category includes Glasgow’s Burrell Collection by John McAslan + Partners.
Medieval heart of Scottish Highland town could lose conservation status (19/08/22)
The medieval quarter of Thurso could lose its conservation area status.
Public appointments: Members appointed to the board of National Museums Scotland (19/08/22)
Scottish Government announcement on the appointment of Professor Monojit Chatterji, Stephen Dando, Dr Bridget McConnell and Beth McKillop as Members of the Board of National Museums Scotland.
Cost of living causing consumers to think again about retrofitting report finds (22/08/22)
New research from RICS and YouGov has revealed that consumers are now concerned about paying for the cost of living above upgrading their homes.
Federation of Master Builders backs national retrofit plan for homes (23/08/22)
The Federation of Master Builders is calling on UK politicians to introduce long-term plans to improve the energy efficiency of homes.
Calls to improve protections of Aberdeenshire’s historic battlefields as north-east residents asked to weigh in (25/08/22)
Links to HES’ report and current consultation on Battlefield Planning Best Practice.
Glasgow City Council The Place Fund 2022/23 Call For Applications (26/08/22)
SURF news item highlighting that The Place Fund (TPF) is now open for applications for capital projects.
Opinion & Comment
Should tourism be taxed? (14/08/22)
‘Demolition is an act of violence’: the architects reworking buildings instead of tearing them down (16/08/22)
Skills development will be key to improving the energy efficiency of our homes (19/08/22)
Doors open day 2022 – top venues to visit across Scotland (19/08/22)
Decarbonising the nation’s housing – the role of lenders (22/08/22)
Glasgow is turning into London – just look and you’ll see (27/08/22)
Parliamentary Questions
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-10408: Jackie Baillie, Dumbarton, Scottish Labour Date Lodged: 18 August 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for a Home Energy Scotland Loan were (a) accepted and (b) rejected in (i) 2020-21 and (ii) 2021-22.
Answer expected 15 September 2022
S6W-10516: Oliver Mundell, Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Date Lodged: 24 August 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what support is in place to cover any financial costs and loss of earnings of community representatives who take part in planning enquiries.
Answer expected 22 September 2022
S6W-10630: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date Lodged: 26 August 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to improve the energy efficiency of (a) business buildings, (b) local authority buildings (excluding housing), (c) social housing and (d) domestic housing in each year from 2020 to 2022.
Answer expected 26 September 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-10119: Liam Kerr, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Date Lodged: 1 August 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many homes have benefitted from the Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund as of 30 July 2022, and what the average cost per property is. Answered on 25 August 2022
S6W-10165: Mark Griffin, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour Date Lodged: 3 August 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, whether it will prepare a medium-rise inventory, in light of the Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022, which ban combustible cladding on buildings with any storey at a height of more than 11 metres above the ground.
Answered on 19 August 2022
S6W-10798: Bob Doris, Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish National Party Date Lodged: 3 August 2022 (?)
To ask the Scottish Government what actions it will take to ensure that the skills delivery landscape is set up to deliver the ambitions for skills in Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation.
Answered on 31 August 2022
S6W-10199: Mark Griffin, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour Date Lodged: 5 August 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-09252 by Shona Robison on 21 July 2022, whether these sums of money are included in the Single Building Assessment programme: spending information, which was released on 12 May 2022, and how much has been spent on contractors (a) prior to July 2021 and (b) in July and August 2022. Answered on 19 August 2022
Events
For the full list of BEFS Members’ upcoming events see our events calendar.
Scottish Archaeology Month 2022
Date & Time: September to early October 2022
Location: Various across Scotland
Heritage-themed events are being held all across Scotland, as part of the annual celebration of the nation’s past coordinated by Archaeology Scotland.
Doors Open Days 2022
Date & Time: Weekends in September 2022
Location: Various across Scotland
The 2022 Doors Open Days programme is now live!
Building Limes Forum – Annual Conference and Gathering
Date & Time: 2-4 September 2022
Location: Queen’s University, Belfast
This event will include the presentation of papers on the use of building limes by a variety of speakers including practitioners, specifiers, academics and historians. Site visits and tours will also be organised. On Friday evening the Great Hall designed by Charles Lanyon will be the location of the Baker Memorial Lecture by Dawson Stelfox MBE, Conservation Architect.
Heritage Trust Network – Growing Your Community; Carluke High Mill
Date & Time: Tuesday 6 September 2022 9.30am-2.30pm
Location: Carluke High Mill, Carluke
Hear from a fantastic team who have made huge progress in connecting with their community, whilst progressing towards a major heritage regeneration project. There will also be plenty of time to get to know other attendees, hear from projects across the country and chat with funders.
Scotland’s Towns Partnership – TCAP2 Roadshows
Date & Time: 7 & 14 September 2022
Location: Various across Scotland
The TCAP2 Roadshow Series continues, illustrating how a place-based holistic approach can help revitalise towns across Scotland. Ambition, collaboration and leadership are key to aligning and delivering on TCAP2. The series aims to encourage stakeholders to embrace and commit to the place agenda and to understand their roles in the approach to regenerating places. The events share policy context and exemplars based around TCAP2 themes, including planning, town centre first principle, town centre living, digital, enterprising communities and vibrant local economies and climate action.
GCHT – Architecture and Health in Historic Buildings
Date & Time: Thursday 8 September 2022 12.30-1.30pm
Location: Online
Dr Richard Hobday will discuss what historic buildings can teach us about managing airborne infections through a mix of passive ventilation, material characteristics, and quality of internal space. He will also look at how retaining these characteristics is key when refurbishing historic buildings, and demonstrate how past approaches to combatting infection in buildings remain relevant for creating healthy internal environments.
AHSS – Miller, Marbles and MacRae: Walking Tour of Craigentinny and Restalrig
Date & Time: Thursday 8 September 2022 6pm
Location: Craigentinny and Restalrig
On this walk, Steven Robb, Deputy Head of Historic Buildings at Historic Environment Scotland, explores the early history of two of Edinburgh’s north-eastern suburbs, represented by Restalrig Parish Church, Craigentinny House and the Miller family. Along the way he looks at the considerable interventions made by the City Council in the area in the 1930s, including schools, the Craigentinny housing estate, and the use of Craigentinny House as, arguably, Scotland’s first community centre.
Nesta – Future gazing: homes in 2050
Date & Time: Thursday 8 September 2022 12-1pm
Location: Online
Dr Rosenow will share his expert insights on how we can decarbonise homes, drawing from extensive experience in the energy sector, his research at the Environmental Change Institute and his role advising the House of Commons. He’ll be discussing the flexibility of our energy systems and alternative methods for better heating homes; from heat pumps, to retrofitting and hydrogen.
A&BS – The power of creative partnerships in Edinburgh and the Lothians: sharing and networking event
Date & Time: 15 September 2022 6.30-8pm
Location: Edinburgh, Princes Exchange
Arts & Business Scotland are hosting a reception for business/public sector professionals in Edinburgh and the Lothians to share some exciting news, as we present a new service we’re developing: the Culture & Business Marketplace. The Marketplace is the result of research, looking at the changing needs of the business and public sectors. It will be a unique online platform, providing creative solutions to challenges.
RTPI Scotland – Sir Patrick Geddes Commemorative Lecture
Date & Time: Tuesday 20 September 2022 12:30-1:30pm
Location: Online
RTPI Scotland holds an annual lecture to advance Geddesian thinking. This year’s lecture is by Susan Murray, Director of the David Hume Institute who uses her position to discuss how Geddes’ ideas fit current placemaking and planning in Scotland.
As Director of the David Hume Institute, Susan leads on a growth in focus on people and the economy at the Edinburgh based think tank, which specialises in delivering research and thought-provoking events. Recent work includes ‘A Scotland of Better Places’ and ‘Understanding Scotland, an analysis of perceptions of Scotland’s economy’.
RTPI Scotland – Tour of Cowden Japanese Garden
Date & Time: Thursday 22 September 2022 5-7pm
Location: Cowden Japanese Garden, Dollar
A guided tour of the restored Japanese Garden by Sara Stewart, Chairwoman of The Japanese Garden at Cowden & Grant Baxter, Principal Placemaking Officer, Clackmannanshire Council. The tour will cover the origins of the garden and the people who created it, and the project to restore it so far and open it to the public as a visitor attraction. The garden is subject of a bid for City Region Deal Funding for the next stages of development. The tour will also cover some of the planning, heritage and environmental issues around the restoration and creation of a tourist attraction in rural Clackmannanshire.
GCHT – What Next for Glasgow’s City Centre?
Date & Time: Wednesday 28 September 2022 7pm
Location: The Merchants House, Glasgow
Join GCHT for an in-person panel discussion that asks the question, “What Next for Glasgow’s City Centre?”
Panelists will look at the challenges currently affecting the city centre such as the legacy of the Covid 19 pandemic, the high number of vacant buildings and the decline in shopfront retail, as well as how solutions to these challenges can help tackle the climate crisis. It will also open it up for questions and discussion about how to shape a city centre that maintains its historic character and is accessible, safe and functional for Glasgow’s people and visitors.
The event will be chaired by Bailie Christy Mearns, Depute Lord Provost of Glasgow.
RTPI Scotland – Annual Conference 2022: Target Net Zero – Planning our Renewables, Buildings and Places
Date & Time: Thursday 6 October 2022 10am-6pm
Location: Park Inn by Radisson, Aberdeen
It is a pivotal time for planning in Scotland. We await the publication of the 4th National Planning Framework which undoubtedly will have a key ambition to tackle climate change and deliver net zero. But how exactly can planners, planning and the planning system help to achieve these aspirations? This ‘must attend’ conference will explore this through assessing the opportunities, challenges and needs of planning for renewable energy, of how we build our homes and buildings and how we design our places. It will be done through a mix of presentations, interactive debate and examination of good practice examples on the ground.
RTPI Scotland – The Point by Dandara site visit
Date & Time: Thursday 3 November 2022 5.30-6.30pm
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.
Training
A&B Scotland – Introduction to Fundraising
Date & Time: Monday 5 & Monday 12 September 2022 10am-1pm
Location: Online
Are you new to fundraising or need a refresher? This course is designed to kickstart your fundraising knowledge & skills whether you are a volunteer, staff or Board Member. The course will consist of case studies, presentations and discussions to cover all aspects of fundraising – from understanding the Scottish Funding Landscape post-covid and what your organisation needs to have in place to three fundraising models, different sources of fundraising and how to develop relationships with your funders and supporters.
RTPI – CPD: Heritage and Conservation
Date & Time: Wednesday 7 September & Thursday 6 October 2022
Location: Online
This Masterclass will be delivered over an eight-week period, with two interactive webinars. Learning objectives include:
- Learn how to apply the central elements of UK legislation and policy governing the historic planned environment
- Gain insight into what designated and undesignated heritage assets are and how they are assessed
- Understand analysis and reporting tools including Heritage Statements and Heritage Impact Assessments
Heritage Trust Network- Dealing with Rising Energy Costs
Date & Time: Wednesday 14 September 2022 10.30-11.30am
Location: Online
Is your historic building or site being affected by rising energy costs? Are you worried about the predicted rises in Winter? Join Paul Clark from Heritage Trust Network partner member Citrus Energy for insight and advice on this worrying topic.
Heritage Trust Network – Saving buildings, while saving the climate
Date & Time: Wednesday 14 September 2022 2-3.30pm
Location: Online
Hear from speakers on how to environmentally manage old and listed buildings and learn how to make them more self-sustainable and eco. Also, you will hear new facts and figures on why reusing buildings are more environmentally and sustainability friendly.
PAS – SP=EED Community Engagement Skills training
Date & Time: Thursday 15 September 2022 10am-3pm
Location: Online
Want to brush up on your community engagement skills? Join PAS next live ‘SP=EED’ training. SP=EED is a unique development programme designed to develop your skills and confidence in designing, delivering and evaluating effective community engagement.
HES/AHSS/BEFS – Conservation Areas Seminar
Date & Time: Thursday 29 September 2022 10am-4:30pm
Location: Engine Shed, Stirling
Historic Environment Scotland (HES), the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland (AHSS) and BEFS will host a day of discussions focussing on Conservation Areas, their management, designation, and exploring their role in creating good places. This event is aimed at anyone with a role in decision making within a Conservation Area, Local Authority officers and policy makers.
STBA and SPAB – Annual Conference – Sustaining Buildings 2022
Date & Time: 12 October 2022 9.30am-5pm
Location: Dovecot Studios, Edinburgh
The popular STBA / SPAB annual conference returns in-person this autumn for a full day of presentations and Q&A sessions by UK experts in the field. With retrofit and the green agenda firmly in the eye of the public, SPAB Scotland and STBA bring you a selection of speakers who will dive deeper into these topics and provide expert analysis of WUFI, embodied carbon analysis, training opportunities, and much more.
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.
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.
CIfA – Practising ethical competence in archaeology
Date & Time: Wednesday 16 November 2022 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
NTS Project Director: Hill House Conservation Project
Salary: £43,050-£47,667
Status: Full time, permanent
Location: Flexible within South & West Region
The National Trust for Scotland is now seeking an exceptional individual to lead the Hill House Conservation Project on behalf of the Trust. The Hill House Conservation Project will embrace all heritage assets contained by the Hill House site in Helensburgh. You will have a relevant degree and experience of managing similar multi-heritage projects at large scale. You will be a confident leader with the highest of standards. A collaborator and a consummate communicator able to take on a wide-ranging challenge and deliver excellence.
The Conservation of the fabric of the House is at the heart of the Project but restoring the garden, conserving the collection and interiors, interpretation, research and providing the best visitor experience are all key to success. Fundraising will be required and outreach and engagement will be vital pillars of the Project, as will engaging with the many and varied stakeholder groups will be essential to success.
Closing date: Wednesday 7 September 2022
NTS Conservation Maintenance Surveyor
Salary: £36,523-£40,238
Status: Full time, permanent
Location: North East Scotland
The National Trust for Scotland is looking for strong team players who are committed to conserving and sharing Scotland’s heritage. Join the NTS Building Surveying Team and you will work with Scotland’s largest and most diverse portfolio of historic buildings and structures. This is a new role and you will be instrumental in shaping the way the Trust manages the conservation maintenance of its buildings, helping to build maintenance plans for each building and dealing with backlog maintenance projects.
Closing date: 10am, Friday 9 September 2022
SPAB Head of Operations
Salary: £45,000-50,000
Status: Full time, permanent
Location: SPAB HQ, London, E1, with scope for flexible working
The Head of Operations will bring senior-level support for financial management and operational resilience, so as to enable the SPAB to fulfil its charitable purpose effectively. While the role will incorporate oversight of existing financial and related operational work, it is a newly created post and will take on business oversight of new income-generating ventures resulting from recent significant bequests to the charity. The post holder will be a key member of the Society’s leadership team and will manage a small team of staff. One of the principal duties will be to review and expand performance targets within the charity – both as business KPIs and for staff and teams – and to establish with the Director and Trustees new processes for monitoring, reporting on and improving outcomes.
Closing date: Sunday 11 September 2022
Arts & Business Scotland Chair
Salary: Non-remunerated
A&B Scotland are seeking a dynamic business leader to be their new Chair to build on legacy, drive forward strategy and lead on strengthening visibility and impact within the business community. ?This is an exciting opportunity for an exceptional individual who has previous experience as a Trustee or Board member and a passion for the culture sector.
Closing date: Wednesday 14 September 2022
CABN – Catalyst for Sustainability & Catalyst for Engagement
Salary: £26,400 (£33,000 at 0.8FTE pro rata)
Status: 12 months contract, freelance
Location: Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders Place Partnership are seeking to recruit two exceptional individuals to act as Catalysts and guide the transition of CABN (Creative Arts Business Network) from its current position in Live Borders to a sustainable, independent sector led model over the course of a 12 month period. The two Catalysts will work collaboratively, with the Catalyst for Sustainability focused on the development of the new model, and the Catalyst for Engagement focused on network engagement and communications. Both will be a point of contact and will provide support and advice for creative individuals and organisations in the Scottish Borders.
CABN are looking for two people with experience and knowledge of working in the creative sector, who may have their own creative business or practice and who understand the dynamics, challenges and opportunities of working in a rural context. Ideally they will be based in the Scottish Borders or with experience of living and working in the region.
Closing date: 9am, Monday 19 September 2022
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. Over time, the post-holder could expect to develop into being one of the quite small group of specialists and experts who give a lead to the traditional building skills sector in Scotland.
Closing date: 12 noon, Friday 7 October 2022