C O N T E X T 1 2 2 : N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 1 27 Conference report: North West Branch Day Conference Historic buildings, local action This year’s IHBC NorthWest Branch Day Conference explored how local initiatives might unlock the potential for the historic environment to play a greater role in shaping the future of places. Held at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester in September, it was chaired by IHBC policy secretary Mike Brown. A full conference report and the speakers’ PowerPoint presentations can be found on the IHBC NorthWest web page. Chris Smith of English Heritage discussed ‘Empowering Local Communities’. Although ‘local’ was supposed to be new, he said, the support from local people had always been vital, as conservation was not just about buildings. The main problem Smith identified with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was that in the presumption in favour of sustainable development, social and environmental elements were considered but were overshadowed by the economic dimensions. The future held so many unknowns, not least in the regulatory responsibilities that the secretary of state would be granted. Another unknown was the definition that would be used for an asset of community value. It was perhaps best to see these unknowns as opportunities. English Heritage had had to acknowledge that good neighbourhood plans might deliver great historic environment management, but English Heritage would have to work out how it could respond to individual communities. As a result of the Comprehensive Spending Review, English Heritage would lose £51 million (33 per cent) from its budget by the fourth year. More than 200 jobs would be lost across English Heritage. New targets for the National Collections Group (NCG) would mean ‘leaner structures’. The NCG’s responsibilities included English Heritage’s 420 sites and monuments with their collections and archives, and the National Monuments Record. English Heritage’s grant budget would be much reduced, although currently it was still £1 million. For now the local (regional) offices would remain. All of this would have a radical impact on English Heritage, Smith said. There would obviously be an impact on the heritage sector, but English Heritage would fight hard to continue providing the support for local services, liaising with local authorities and supporting community groups. Smith ended by asking: what is localism? It meant giving communities more responsibility, and the Big Society was about encouraging communities to take that responsibility. Dave Chetwyn of DJC1 Planning spoke on ‘What is Localism andWhat Does it Mean for Heritage?’ Localism, he said, stemmed from a (government) perception of planning in the recession, in which planners were seen as ‘enemies of enterprise’. Given the NPPF presumption in favour of sustainable development, did the government know that social, environmental and economic aspects were linked rather than polarised? Under neighbourhood planning, policy would be evidence-based. Evidence would be used to identify key issues, which would inform clear aims. Those aims would lead to policy. The success of localism would depend on local support, skills and capacity. Local plans also raised questions of compliance with European directives and legislation, and with national legislation.With an expected low electoral turnout in neighbourhood referendums, there was potential for a ‘democratic deficit’, disempowering the majority. Given the NPPF’s presumption in favour of sustainable development, did the government know that social, environmental and economic aspects were linked, rather than polarised, Chetwyn asked? He gave a flavour of neighbourhood planning and the work of neighbourhood forums. A neighbourhood forum would need a minimum of 21 people (following amendments to the Localism Bill) and have a five-year life. The membership would need to reflect the inclusivity, diversity and character of the area or community. Policy would be evidence-based. The evidence base would be economic, social/community, infrastructure and environmental issues. New and existing evidence would be used to identify issues. This would inform the formulation of clear aims, which would lead to policy and proposals. The success of localism would depend on support, skills and capacity: to facilitate community and stakeholder engagement, and to inform research and analysis. This sort of work would not be the domain of amateurs, although it might perhaps be within the remit of some fairly switched-on civic societies. Chetwyn raised a question with respect to the future availability of essential skills that were currently associated with town planning and place-making practitioners. If these were not available in the public sector, would community groups be prepared Tour guides Ian Christie and Carole Middleton of Castlefield Forum (with clipboards) explain Manchester’s potential.
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