CONTEXT The Association of Conservation Officers No 36 December 1992 What future for Conservation Areas? Developments on Ecclesiastical Exemption The Minto House debacle
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CONTEXT No36 December 1992 ISSN: 0958-2746 Editor Published for the Association Bob Kindred (Ipswich Borough Council, Tel: 0473 262934, Fax: 0473 262974) of Conservation Officers by Hall-McCartney Ltd, PO Box 21, Unit 7, Campus 5, The Business Park, Letchworth 4 All Saints Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP! 4DG, Tel: 0473 259441 SG6 2JF, Tel: 0462 675848, Fax: 0462 679356 Assistant Editor Gus Astley (Bath City Council Tel: 0225461111 ext 2549, Fax: 0225 448536) Annual Subscription (inclusive of post & packing-UK only): £30.00 Single Copy: £10.00 Manor House, Wells Road, Hallatrow Brisrol BS18 5EJ, Tel: 0761 453047 The views expressed in Context are not necessarily those held by the ACO or the publishers. Neither the publishers nor the ACO shall be under any liabilty whatsoever in respect of contributed articles. Context is published quarterly and is distributed to all members of the Association of Conservation Officers. © Association of Conservation Officers 1992 The products and servicesadvertised in this publication are not necessarily endorsed by the Association. THE ASSOCIATION OF CONSERVATION OFFICERS Officers Chairman: Chris Smith (Stroud Valleys Project Officer, I 0A John Street, Stroud, Glos GL5 1DZ, Tel: 0453 753358) 24 Middle Street, Stroud, Glos GL5 2HA, Tel: 0453 753949 Vice Chairman: Mary King (Liverpool City Council, Tel: 051-225 5678) 24 Beech Road, Aughton, Ormskirk, Lanes L39 6SJ, Tel: 0695 424297 Secretary: Graham Steaggles (East Hampshire District Council, Tel: 0730 266551, Fax: 0730 267366) 54 Pulens Lane, Sheet, Petersfield, Hampshire GU31 4DD, Tel: 0730 266653 Treasurer: Peter Richards (EssexCounty Council, Tel: 0245 492211 ext 5151 I) 139 Lifstan Way, Thorpe Bay, Essex SSl 2XG, Tel: 0702 468252 Membership Secretary: James Ross (EssexCounty Council, Tel: 0245 492211 ext 51672) Three Bears, Laindon Common Road, Little Burstead, Essex CM!2 9TL Education Officer: Mike King (TACP Design, CONTEXT 36 Tel: 051-708 7014) 24 Beech Road, Aughton, Ormskirk, Lancs.L39 6SJ, Tel: 0695 424297 Projects Officer: Dr Richard Morrice (English Heritage, Tel: 071-973 3132) IA Bloomsbury Place, Kemp Town, Brighton, Sussex BN2 lDA, Tel: 0273 623260 Publicity Officer: Alan Taylor (Staffordshire County Council, Tel: 0785 277282) 15 Village Gardens, Walton on the Hill, Stafford S.Tl7 0LL Tel: 0785 664473 Council Minutes Secretary: Andrew Cooke (Enfield LBC, Tel: 081-967 9595) Branch Officers North: Keith Murray, Durham County Council, Tel: 091-383 3237 ext 2237 North West: Rob Burns, Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council, Tel: 051-691 8197 Yorkshire: Bob Scriven, 2 Lambert Avenue, Roundhay, Leeds LS8 INH, Tel: 0532 668782 or Jane Jackson, City of York Tel: 0904 613161 West Midlands: Colin Richards, South Shropshire District Council, Tel: 0584 874941 or Dave Baxter, Hereford City Coucil, Tel: 04322681 121 East Midlands: Graham Beaumont, Nottinghamshire County Council, Tel: 0602 243060 South West: to be announced. South: Julia Smith, Buckinghamshire County Council, Tel: 0296 382823 East Anglia: John Preston, 90 Histon Road, Cambridge CB4 3JP. Tel: 0223 313486 (Cambridge City Council, Tel: 0223 358977 ext 2630) South East: John Davey, Guildford Borough Council, Tel: 0483 444660 London: Rosemarie MacQueen, City of Westminster, Tel: 071-7982519 Scotland: Debbie Robertson, Edinburgh District Council, Tel: 031-225 2424 ext 6562 Wales: to be announced. Northern Ireland: to be announced. CONTENTS Editorial News Conference report Association for Preservation 5 5 Technology, USA. Sarah Woodcock 7 Digging in. Pam Moore 8 WHAT FUTURE FOR CONSERVATION AREAS? 'A radical new beginning'. Lord Montagu of Beaulieu 9 Let's hear it for the Conservation Area. Mary King 10 No stone unturned. Staffordshire's innovative use of the legislation. Alan Taylor 11 Ensuring quality. New building in Conservation Areas. Andrew Millar 12 Differing perspectives. Assessing d,e impact of new buildings John Preston 13 Brigg not so fair. Rob Lawton 15 Preserving and enhancing.Dennis Rodwell 16 The Ecclesiastical Exemption.David Andrew 17 Measure for measure.Peter Richards 18 Sir Titus. Re--thatching. David Morton 21 'Supporting columns'. Engineering for conservation. Brian Morton 22 Law & Practice Novel justice? Unauthorised works to curtilage buildings.John Preston Heavy fine for unauthorised window replacement. Martin Andrew A little list. A cautionary tale about local lists. John Biggs M'learned Friend. (I) Demolition revisited. Charles Mynors The Royal Commission replies.John Bold (2) Listed building re-use. Charles Mynors The Minto House debacle.Dennis Rodwell 24 25 26 27 27 28 29 Street-wise. Cast iron scansaruote.Graham Tite 33 Case study: Palace restored. Hampton Court Palace fire damage restoration Derwentcote Furnace restored ACO Business News ACO Branch News Books ILLUSTRATIONS IN THIS ISSUE 34 35 36 37 43 Front cover: Minto House. Photo: Dennis Rodwell. p5: Chris Smith. Photo: Keith Murray. p6: Leadwork. Photo: Linford-Bridgeman. pl4 top: Downing College, Cambridge. Photo: John Preston. p14 centre left: Model of Downing College library. Photo City of Cambridge Department of Planning, photographic section. pl4 centre right: Montage prepared by John Preston. pl4 bottom: Ballenberg Open Air Museum, Photo: John Preston. pi 5: I9 and 20 Wrawby Street, Brigg, before and after heavy restoration. Photos: Rob Lawton. p24:Anstey Hall Farm. Photos: top City of Cambridge Department of Planning, photographic section; bottom John Preston. p25: Farmhouse, High Wycombe. Photo: Wycombe District Council. Inset: from the Bucks Free Press. p29:Minto House. Photo Thomas Clapperton, Selkirk. p30,31: Minto House. Photos: Dennis Rodwell. p32:Cast iron scansaruote. Photos: Domenico Neri. p34:Hampton Court Palace repairs. Photos: James Longley. p35: Derwentcote Furnace. Photos: before Ian Ayres, after Mike Laws, City of Sunderland. p36:Satellite dish. Manufacturer's photo. p39:ACO members and friend. Photo: John Davey. p46.·Repairs at Hampton Court Palace. Photo: James Longley. 3
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EDITORIAL TWO POINTS PLEASE, MR BROOK It is to be hoped that Mr Peter Brook remains Minister of Fun longer than his predecessor. He is acknowledged to be a man with a 'safe pair of hands' and a person with a refreshingly open mind. Despite a wide ministerial brief, it is to be hoped he will ponder on two particular points in the coming months. The new Planning Policy Guidance Note to replace Circular 8/87 has been promised but postponed on several occasions over the last two years. A confidential draft is ·believed to be with English Heritage for comment, but it is rumoured that, by the time the draft is available for public consultation, its contents will be fixed and that further changes will be fought in Marsham Street "word by word and' line by line". For ACO members at the cutting edge of conservation, such an approach, if true, would be quite unacceptable, reflecting a lack of open-mindedness in his Ministry which Mr Brook should stamp on forthwith. The apparent blunting of the National Audit Office's own criticisms of SUCCESSFUL RURAL CONVERSIONS A recently published report A Review of Redundant Building Grant Schemes describing work undertaken by Sheffield Polytechnic shows that grants of up to 25% from the Rural Development Commission to convert redundant buildings in the English countryside into work premises are proving very effective, but awareness of the scheme needs to be improved. The scheme has been running since 1982 with more than 3,000 successful conversions. The report made a number of recommendations and as a result the RDC has raised the maximum grant limit to £62,000 (more in exceptional cases), added serviced tourist accommodation and retail activiry to the eligible uses and widened the number of geographical areas where grants apply. Details of the Redundant Buildings Grant are available from offices of the Rural Development Commission. Their numbers are listed in localtelephonedirectories. CONTEXT 36 the Government's current approach* gives little ground' for optimism. We hope we will be proved wrong. The second item on Mr Brook's immediate agenda should be the status of Conservation Areas. The 25th anniversary of the Act which established the concept has been more of a wake than a celebration. Opinions on their status are polarising with the recent Historic Towns Forum report Townscape in Trouble emphasising the inadequacy of the protection they are supposed to enjoy, while a vociferous minority in the development industry would deregulate or dispense with the "much loved and cherished local scene" altogether. While sound justification for designation should continue to reside with the local authorities, the Government should be much less equivocal about its support for Conservation Areas and their proper protection, and Mr Brook should take a lead. * See Alan Taylor's ACO Council Notes Your Chairman enters the Stroud Valleys Lovely Legs Competition. Is this a wind-up? To find out, read his current views on A CO matters on page 36 COVER STORY Demolition of the courtyard wall and central core of the Grade A listed, Minto House, Roxburghshire, being carried out on 1 September. The tragic, recent destruction of one of the nation's great houses is chronicled in this issue. FORTHCOMING ISSUES What lessons that can be learned from the experience of those who have made the transition from local authority conservation to other related organisations such as trusts and quangos. Just what is the view from the other side of the fence? COPY DEADLINE 15 JANUARY 1993 for posting on 5 March. The Summer 1993 issue will examine the aftermath of fire damage, vandalism and theft. Good and bad experiences and case studies would be appreciated. COPY DEADLINE 14 APRIL 1993 for posting on 4 June. The Autumn issue will look at Green Issues and Conservation and the Winter issue Historic Paints and Decorative Finishes. IMPORTANT NOTE TO CONTRIBUTORS COPY DEADLINE DATES ARE FINAL! Plan ahead. Do not FAX copy at the last minute, unless agreed in advance with the Editor. Check spelling and syntax. Articles under 1,800 words are much more likely to be printed than longer items, as are pieces submitted well before the deadline. CONTEXT READERSHIP QUESTIONNAIRE We always strive to improve Context and would like your views on how it might be improved. Please respond promptly by completing the loose-leaf questionnaire accompanying this issue to Dr Richard Morrice. HELP US TO HELP YOU. CONTEXT- BACK ISSUES Are you missing a recent back issue of Context (i.e. No. 24 or after)? A limited number can still be obtained from The Editor at £4.00 each inc. p&p, but check availability by telephone before ordering. MARGINALIA My thanks to John Gerrard, Technical Director of The Scottish Civic Trust, for spotting among recently advertised Listed Building Applications received by Banff and Buchan District Council: "Knockiemill Farm House, Knockiemill Farm, Deveronside, Turri.If LB920046Installation of Widows in Attic". 5
6 Conserving Windows and Doors English Heritage and the Building Research Establishment are jointly sponsoring a Framing Opinions Seminar in York on 10 March 1993 at Sc. Williams College, a Grade I listed building originally built as accommodation for chantry priests at York Minster. The theme is cost-effective conservation of windows and doors. The day is aimed at Conservation Officers and other professionals dealing with the repair of historic buildings. English Heritage believes that historic windows and doors can have their lives extended in a benign and cost-effective manner, and have their performance uprated without detriment ro their special architectural interest. The full programme of speakers includes Dr Ivan Hall on the historical development of English windows; Roger Berry and Dr Roy Miller of the BRE on problems of decay, and the importance of maintenance and good painting practice; Michael Coupe, Head of Planning at English Heritage, on planning and rhe erosion of character; and 'Mr Framing Opinions', John Fidler, introducing the event and talking on the repair and upgrading of traditional windows. The fee is £45 plus VAT, to include THE CONSERVATION PORTFOLIO In the December 1992 edition of the Portfolio are: KeymerN ew Terracotta range Midland Lead Manufacturers - Cast Lead Sheeting and Flashing Pilkington Glass Ltd - Decorative and Antique Glass Manufacturers Oriel, acid etched decorative glassed Warwick, newly launched antique glass Daniel Platt Ltd - Triton Natural Clay Roofs Sugg Lighting Ltd - Lanterns, Lamp Posts and Column Mountings NEWS COMING EVENTS papers, morning coffee and afternoon tea and a buffet lunch. There will also be a trade exhibition of firms/products relevant to the seminar. York is easily accessible by rail and road; car users will be encouraged to use the City's Park and Ride scheme at Askham Bar! A full programme with booking form is available directfrom ERE. Contact Mrs. P. Rowley, Conferenceand Seminar Manager, Building Research Establishment, Carston, Watford WD2 7JR, tel: (0923) 664848 or 664765. Raising the Roof A small group of ACO Southern Branch members is working hard to organise the next Branch conference to be held at Winchester Guildhall on Saturday 27 March. Following on from the successful 1992 event on the repair of traditional windows, this conference is again of a practical nature and examines the problems and solutions of repairing historic roof covenngs. The lectures will examine, for example, lead, thatch, rainwater disposal systems, common detailing problems, architectural salvage and theft, roof insulation and ventilation. There will also be a trade show which will give some of the suppliers of the more unusual roofing materials such as T.pren joints, roof vents, cast iron rainwater goods (not too unusual surely--Ed)., shingles etc the opportunity to display their goods and services. A conference leaflet and booking form are enclosedwith this copy of Context. Further information from Marion Brinton (0962 846833) or Zoe Croad(071-973 3776). The number of delegatesis limited. Book early to avoid disappointment! Conservation in the Commonwealth, 12 May 1993 Taking place at the Commonwealth Institute, one of only two 1960s buildings to receive a Grade II* listing, the conference will bring together expertise from the Commonwealth including Britain. Practitioners from Nigeria, Kenya, Jamaica, India and Canada will be presenting significant case studies. The day has the support of the Heritage Ministry, English Heritage and the Commonwealth Association of Architects. The conference is suitable for Conservation Officers, planners and architects. For further details and information contact Fenella White, Head of Education & Resources, Commonwealth Institute, Kensington High Street, London W8 6NQ, tel: 071-603 4535. HOPPERHEAD CRAFTSMANSHIP During the recent stripping and recovering of the 200 square metre Library roof of St Pauls Cathedral, an additional hopperhead and outlet was required to supplement the one existing one and to conform with Lead Sheer Association guidelines. To ensure an exact match, a mould was taken from the original and the new hopperhead was formed by traditional methods using sand cast lead by specialist lead-worker Gilbert Cooper at Linford-Bridgeman's workshops in Lichfield. CONTEXT 36
CONFERENCE REPORT LETTERFROMAMERICAII The Association for Preservation Technology (APT) holds a conference every year in either America or Canada. The format includes a two-day training course in specific techniques, followed by a day of registration and three days of lectures, discussions and tours. This is punctuated with a series of social events culminating in the President's Ball on the final night. Philadelphia, the venue of the last conference, provided a range of sites and buildings to see, and a forum which over 400 attended representing many disciplines and nationalities, to discuss their work and exchange ideas. The training courses lo~ked at the repair of ornamental plasterwork and stained glass conservation and the talks in the second half divided broadly into: building types; preservation in practice; philosophy and professionals in practice. The break down of sessions in the second half of the conference into concurrent talks worked surprisingly well, enabling people to form smaller groups for discussion and allowing movement from session to session to find the most useful debate. The lectures/talks concentrated, with more than an ample number of case studies, on the following areas: sacred sites and domed structures, Historic Structure Reports (HSRs-an American phenomenon SHORT COURSES Planning for Archaeologists: 25 February 1993; venue: Link Suite, University of East Anglia. Speakers actively working at either national or local level will explain the strengths and weaknesses of the planning powers and procedures under recent legislation and PPG 16 as well as practical matters of enforcement and planning agreements. A variety of case studies will also be presented for discussion. Presenting the Past-with the help of farm survey & presentation grants: 17 March 1993; venue: Park Farm, Snettisham, Norfolk. Explains who gives what grants to either present or survey a historic site, including the 'Historic Landscape' category under the Countryside Commission Stewardship scheme, ADAS and the RDC. Will include tour of the Park Farm CONTEXT 36 Sarah Woodcock which I would like to explain further as it seems like a very sensible one), computer applications, education and preservation craftsmi:n training. HSRs are detailed surveys carried out on individual historic buildings prior to reuselfurbishmen t; they are not (yet) a statutory requirement but they are strongly recommended by Conservation Officers as a way of fully understanding the building, its history, fabric and often its needs, prior to carrying out work. An HSR can include full measured drawings and structural analysis, archival research and materials analysis. They also usually include recommendations for its repair. They are then presented in a format which is accessible to everyone involved in the care of the buildings. One drawback is the initial cost of such a report, but often clients are persuaded that it will minimise further cost when work proceeds as it reduces the chance of unwanted surpnses. As well as giving a sense of the American preservation scene, the conference also introduced me to the Smeaton Project which is currently being co-ordinated by English Heritage and ICCROM co research, quantify and publicise the results from tests on mortar mixes and how they perform. Jeanne Marie Teuconico presented some surprising developments, and I look forward Archaeology Trail financed mainly by English Heritage. Both coursesorganisedby the Centre of East Anglian Studies cost £45 inclusive of lunch and refreshments. Acceptable for RICS and RTPI CPD. Further details from the Short Course Development Officer, The Registry, University of East Anglia, Freepost, Norwich NR4 7BR. Tel: (0603) 593016 ILLEGAL REMOVAL OF FIXTURES Coming Unstuck: The Removal of Fixtures from Listed Buildings is the title of the Victorian Society's response to a worrying number of recent cases involving the illegal removal of fixtures from important buildings of all periods. It seeks to set out the problem, explain how the legislation works and indicate certain areas of the law co the results which will be published in the spring of 1993. In addition to the formal discussions, the conference organised tours including Park Service buildings and The Eastern State Penitentiary which is currently being reviewed for re-use. The University of Pennsylvania also runs a graduate programme in Historic Preservation. We were able ro visit the labs and see the research in progress. In total the conference offered more than enough information to absorb; the best approach seems to be co pick those aspects most personally relevant. Moreover it provided ample opportunity to meet others in the field - in fact this seemed co be one of its main purposes. Next year's APT conference will be the 25th in the series and will be held in Ottawa, Ontario, in late September. An ACO/APT dialogue would be a good way to communicate preservation ideas internationally within the profession. For information on the next conference write to PO Box 2001, Station D, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada KIP 5W3. See you there! Sarah Woodcock is with Essex County Council and was one of this year's ICOMOS interns (Context 35 p.29). which need to be tightened up. The underlying message of the report is that the loss of fixtures from historic buildings could be reduced if those involved were better informed. All too often, owners who remove fixtures from listed buildings are not aware they are breaking the law. Many people still believe that only the exteriors of Grade II buildings are protected. Antique dealers who sell fixtures from listed buildings often claim not to know their provenance. Auctioneers may disclaim responsibility for the removal of such items on the grounds that they are merely acting as agents for the owners. All these matters are addressed in the Society's report, and recommendations are made as to how the problem may be contained. Copies of Coming Unstuck can be ordered from The Victorian Society, 1 Priory Gardens, London W4 I TT, for £3.50 (inc. p&p). 7
Pam Moore reports on the first two years of the CBA South Eastern Region Industrial Archaeology Panel DIGGING IN The past few years have brought major changes co industrial archaeology, and co perceptions of its place in che archaeological world. Increasingly, IA is being accepted as covering the period from the onset of industrialisation co che more recent past. The Association for Industrial Archaeology recencly published an important policy document Industrial Archaeology - Working for the Future* which provided a statement of the scope of the discipline, together wich recommendations for priorities for action. Another major initiative has been che establishment, by che CBA of six Industrial Archaeology Panels for England (IAPs already existed in Scocland and Wales). The background co the formation of these Panels was ouclined in Context 29 pp 39-40. The South Eastern Region Industrial Archaeology Panel (SERIAP) held ics inaugural meeting on 7 June 1990, at The Cascle, Winchester, with representatives from English Heritage, RCHM(E), che AIA, the IFA, and the lnscicucion of Civil Engineers Panel for HistoJical Engineering Pam Moore is Convener of SERIAP. * Copies available from Dr Marilyn Palmer, Department of History, The University, LeicesterLEJ 7RH - pleasesendA4 SAE POTMOLEN PAINT, 27 Woodcock Industrial Estate, WARMINSTER, Wiltshire BA 12 9DX, England. 8 Telephone: Warminster (0985) 213960 Telefax:0985 213931 Works, as well as several County Planning Departments and industrial archaeology societies. One of che most important functions of che Panels has been co facilitate liaison between those involved professionally and those in a voluntary capacity. The membership of che SERIAP has grown steadily and now includes representation from archival and museum bodies, specialist groups (such as che Newcomen Society) the Victorian Society; SPAB; RTPI; National Trust and the ACO (John Davey is your representative). A welcome recent development has been the nomination by Wessex Archaeology of a representative, the first on the SERIAP from an archaeological unit. The Panel's terms of reference were drawn up soon after its establishment. As well as confirming structure and administration, it defined the body's role, function and priorities for action. In the two years since, progress has been made in a number of areas. Liaison between local industrial archaeology groups and SMR officers has increased, with efforts being made in several counties to enhance the SMR with additional sites of the industrial period. A 'contact list' for the SE Region is being prepared, as is a bibliography for the area of IA-related publications. Other copies which have been discussed by the Panel include che COSQUEC initiative; legislation relating co the establishment of registers of contaminated land; and the threat posed co some sices of industrial archaeological significance by the privatisation of public utilities. One of the benefits of the improved communications facilitated by the formation of the panels, has been the provision of a forum where specific concerns can be raised. Through che auspices of che SERIAP, a record has been made of the Snowdown Colliery site in Kent, and a new home was found, in Hampshire, for machinery from Woodnesborough Water Pumping Station in Kent. Although SERIAP has made a good beginning, and is now in a period of consolidation, its first two years have not been without their problems. The area covered by che Panel-Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Greater London, Hampshire, Herefordshire, the Isle of Wight, Kent, Surrey and Sussex-is a very large one, with a diversity of character in terms of industrial archaeology. le had been hoped, originally, co hold meetings in each county by rotation; this did not prove possible and the panel now meets twice a year in Central London. le has also been necessary co emphasise the role of the panel as a forum co facilitate closer co-operation, rather than as a 'pressure group'. The intention is chat the panel should feed into the policy-making process, rather than itself being a policy-making body. Comment from ACO members about the CBA panels would be welcomed. If you would like co suggest subjects which you feel should be addressed, or ways in which liaison might be improved still further, please contact (for the South-Eastern Region), either myself (20, Stourvale Gardens, Chandlers Ford, Hanes SO5 3NE), or your representative, John Davey (Department of Technical Services, Guildford Borough Council, Millmead House, Millmead, Guildford GU2 5BB). For other areas of Britain, contact can be made through your ACO representative, the appropriate panel convener, or c/o the Secretary of the panels' parent body, che CBA IA Committee (Mr M Sissons, 1 Far Coton, Markee Bosworth, Nuneaton CV 13 OPJ). John Davey writes: Ac the meeting of the South East Region Industrial Archaeology Panel, held at Fortress House i'n October, concern was expressed that with che privatisation of the public utilities there is a growing threat to a whole secror of industrial archaeology. Many pumping stations, power stations, gas works and so on, are being sold off by the privatised industries, and generally they have no statutory protection. Where a district has a Conservation Officer there is less concern as che spot listing process is likely to be taken advantage of. However, in the 'gap' areas there is more opportunity for these buildings co go unnoticed, and che panel has asked that all ACO members maintain a vigilant role in both their own and adjoining areas. CONTEXT 36
WHAT FUTURE FOR CONSERVATIONAREAS? 'A RADICAL NEW BEGINNING' The Association is delighted that Lord Montagu, who so ably guided English Heritage through its formative years, has agreedto review hisperiod as Chairman. In many ways the creation of English Heritage in 1984 was a radical new beginning and a great deal was expected of it. We were given several distinct tasks, which previously either hac! n9t been done very well by government or had not been done at all. The one which tended to capture the headlines, of course, was the urgent need to offer the public a better visitor experience at the 400 monuments in the car'e of the nation. Under the old Department of the Environment, this had a very low prioriry - perhaps not entirely surprising when ministers were struggling with local government finances, rate-capping, abolition of the GLC and many other far more pressing issues, and when marketing and promotional activities were so bureaucratically centralised. Understandably, satisfying the visitors was not an objective. Great castles and abbeys which stirred the imagination cried out for interpretation and friendly visitor facilities. Instead, all too often there were old Ministry of Works notices, 'Keep off the Grass' signs, a custodian in a prison-warderlike uniform, and often the more interesting parts of the building were closed to the public because the maintenance staff were storing their wheelbarrows there. If this sounds like a caricature you only have to cast your mind back or ask anyone who visited these historic sites then. It is no wonder that in those early days many of us at English Heritage had something of an inferiority complex towards the private owner or National Trust, whose houses were so much better presented, so much more welcoming and attractive. We have travelled far since then, and I am very proud that our visitor numbers have .r'isen by nearly 30% since we began in 1984 and that we have nearly 300,000 members. Nobody now believes that we went in for vulgar 'pop' heritage. On the contrary, English Heritage is actually setting the standards of accurate historical CONTEXT 36 representation. We have shown decisively chat interest and enjoyment can be combined with education and scholarship. At our properties we offer visitors their history at several levels. Some families may come to watch an historical re-enactment but they will then stay to look at the actual castle - something they might not otherwise have done. We produce attractive illustrated guidebooks, but if people want to pursue their interest further, then we offer chem membership, academic publications and a chance to go on guided tours with expert historians and archaeologists. School parties are allowed free admission and many of the properties have separate education rooms for just this purpose. The second reason for setting up English Heritage, equally important, was to provide an independent public body as a guardian or spokesman of the built heritage. Our critics -and they were not lacking - expressed the fear that we would popularise the nation's monuments in a crude 'theme park' fashion; that our much vaunted 'independence' from central government was illusory, and that we would actually be nothing more than a tame lapdog to ministers, taking the heat off them but causing them little real trouble and making little real impact on conservation. But it is in the area of conservation that we have taken on some of the greatest challenges and naturally encoyntered some of the greatest misunderstandings. We have finite powers and finite resources but over the past eight years I believe we have deployed these as skilfully and effectively as anyone could have done, not least in putting pressure and offering help for every local authority to have a Conservation Officer. The critics who carped on about English Heritage not being truly 'independent' were missing the point. We are not a pressure group, like SAVE Britain's Heritage. Such bodies have an essential role to play and we co-operate closely with them, even when they criticise us. Bur our role is different. As the statutory adviser to government and the, major provider of repair grants, we cannot conduct our advice and negotiations in the glare of publicity. As a body ultimately responsible to Parliament and as a manager of taxpayers' money, we cannot step completely outside our defined powers, nor can we put huge sums of money into every deserving case. Unfortunately, we often have to say 'no' and consequently cake the criticism from this or that interest group. My good friends in the Historic Houses Association have said some hard' words about us. But the fact is chat compared with the 1950s the repair of great historic houses has had to compete for funds with many other conservation causes - townscapes, archaeology, industrial monuments - which were not even considered then. Within these powers and resources, we have achieved a very great deal and we have done it because, being separate from government, we could more easily initiate improvements than simply respond to events or sit uneasily in the balance of a thousand other political considerations. It was under English Heritage that the great Listing Resurvey was completed, some 30 years ahead of the original schedule, resulting in half a million protected buildings. We started the Monument Protection Programme, which will increase the number of scheduled monuments by five times. It was we who initiated the Register of Buildings at Risk, to spur local authorities into coping with the great problem of dereliction - the vandalism of neglect. It was we who took the initiative over that cherished item of street furniture, the Jubilee telephone kiosk, which was on the point of vanishing completely. The powers given us we have used to the full, in prosecutions and emergency repairs actions, and there will be plenry more of those in the future. It was we too, with a little help, from our parliamentary friends, who persuaded Parliament to strike out the notorious Clause 19 from the Kings' Cross Railway Bill, which would have suspended all the normal conservation controls and driven a coach and horses through the whole framework of legislative safeguards chat Parliament had built up over so many decades. None of these actions could have been done from inside government. Conservation itself, paradoxically, is an ever-changing philosophy. Thirty years ago, 9
10 very few people would have thought we would be listing Victorian gasometers or public houses or engine-sheds. Being part of history, we are continually adjusting our own perception of the past. Very rapidly, people have come to cherish the vernacular: the little classical cornice or gable, the hitching post, Victorian alleyway or shop sign, the fine individual pointing on a Georgian window-head. In the future our focus will adjust in other ways. Perhaps we shall cherish the supermarket checkout, just as we are now enchanted by the vintage car or the 1920s typewriter. At all events, English Heritage has broadened out in many of these directions since 1984. Some trends we have anticipated, others we have been persuaded of. We produced the first Register of Historic Gardens as a vital planning tool. We shall shortly be doing something very similar for battlefields and historic countrysides. Several times we have made strong recommendations to the government over listing post-war buildings. In this respect and others, I believe we are ahead of government thinking - which after all is our job. We have some opponents, certainly, but many more friends and allies. Our mission in life, the reason we were created, was explicitly not to please everyone but to fight the corner for conservation. I have had many years in the heritage business but I freely confess that when I first became Chairman of English Heritage I had little idea just how complex, qow many-sided and how expert a task it does. It took time to appreciate the scholarship and dedication of so many committed people working to preserve the things they value. I have grown with the organisation. It has certainly become a major force to be reckoned with, yet one of the things I have realised increasingly is that it does not function like a self-contained force. At best it is the leader of a very broad alliance of conservation interest and it depends on them to do its job, every bit as much as it depends on government funding. We cannot do without each other - a theme I made clear at a conference of Conservation Officers early on in my term of office. There are few things more satisfying than presiding over an organisation which is doing a vitally necessary task, doing it well and gaining acknowledgement and respect for that, even from its opponents. Whatever our setbacks, I have no hesitation in saying that these last eight years have been the most important and rewarding in my public life. Lord Montagu of Beaulieu was chairman of English Heritage from itsformation in 1984 to 1992. Editor's note: This article was written prior to the recent announcement of the proposals to restructure Properties in Care etc. Mary King leaps to the defence of the Conservation Area ideal. LETSHEARIT FOR THE CONSERVATION AREA No one can ever leave a good thing alone. They have to tinker with it. Think of Coca Cola and Mars bars (who needs a bigger Mars bar, I ask you?). You know the way it goes: questionnaires, consultations, committees. You start with a perfectly good horse and end up with a camel. Conservation Area legislation was one of those rare miraculous things: the simple answer that actually answered the complex question. After 25 years, the designation of 7,000 Conservation Areas (and there is not an authoriry without one) suggests it must be answering a need, but it isn't without its critics. Some want to curtail the powers to designate Conservation Areas (in particular wresting control over designation from local authorities), while others wish to strengthen the controls within the designated areas and the local authorities' powers within them. Already I can see the camel emerging from the verbiage. The compromise which seems to be emerging is to have fewer Conservation Areas, more tightly drawn and much more difficult to designate, but with stringent controls when y;ou do get them and all with a neat plan for enhancement. Sounds fine? Sounds disastrous! The whole point of the original Conservation Area concept was not to throttle areas, but encourage everyone, even the highway engineer, to recognise their quality as living, evolving places, and target positive effort and resources of all kinds into them. They were not and are not 'no go' areas. Special: yes; worth preserving or enhancing: yes; but not ro be nailed to the floor. I see no good reason why designation of Conservation Areas should be taken from local authorities. There is no evidence that they have generally used the powers irresponsibly and, while it may not be a requirement of the legislation, I know of no authority which allows designation without a Council committee approval (although I will no doubt now be told of some). Most local authorities already link designation to the local plan process and the current position on 'plan led' planning has adequate checks if any are needed. There are already powers to challenge authorities but as far as I know a designation has only been challenged once suggesting there isn't a serious problem. It is, of course, being suggested that local authorities are designating too many areas and that, far from designations falling off, they are increasing, the implication being that this must be stopped or we will reach saturation point. Actually, the recent increase in designations is mostly due to the surge in plan-making currently underway, and will subside as plans become approved. Obviously the designation of too many areas would devalue them, but local authorities are well aware of this, and even more aware of the limited resources they can make available for conservation work. Conservation Areas are not being designated 'willy nilly' as some critics would have you believe. Examples of' rogue' designations are rare and tend not to be contagious! It is not just the number of areas that critics would like to see reduced of course, but their size. But it was part of the original concept of Conservation Areas that the spaces between and around the buildings contributed to the character of the area. I would agree that there could arguably be a distinction between open spaces which provide a setting for buildings within an area, and are thus a part of the character of that area, and open spaces which form a setting for the Conservation Area as a whole and perhaps should not be included in it - but each case would have to be considered on its merits. Overall, I don't recognise any need for a radical overhaul of the system for designation: it seems a good workable ., CONTEXT 36 t I
system with sufficient checks and balances within it, particularly under the new planled regime. conservation programme needs staff to operate it and some budget, however small, for the enhancement programmes we all want to do (no, I don't mean all that jazzy paving!). process. The Joe authority can an should be able to, but 1 powerless without resources. This is what we have to fight for in the 1990s. We shouldn't waste effort tinkering with the legislation when there So what about the other side of the coin, tightening controls? Well, yes, I would like them simplified and basic anomalies between legislation ironed out. An end to permitted development in Conservation Areas sounds sensible too, but not without the resources to operate the system, carry out the publicity necessary to get the public on our side and to be able to offer carrots as well as sticks, because in the end, resources are the key. A good, consistent, positive Enhancement in the sort of areas I deal within Liverpool is not just about new paving and pretty street signs. It can come through attracting new development and uses, relocating unsuitable ones, traffic calming, repairing derelict buildings, and a whole host of other measures aimed at the economic regeneration of the area. The ultimate aim is to encourage private investmeqt, -but someone has to start and more important bacdes to fight. ,J Alan Taylor discusses Conservation Areas Mary King i, Head of Conservation at Liverpool City Council, and is ViceChair of the Associationof ConservationOfficers. Theseare herpersonal views and do not necessarilyreflectthose of either Liverpool City or the ACO. in Staffordshire and innovative use of the legislation to protect historic parks and gardens. NO STONE UNTURNED Like many other authorities, Staffordshire County Council was quick off the mark in designating Conservation Areas after approval of the Civic Amenities Act in 1967. Stone, a small market and coaching town, much increased in importance as headquarters of the Trent and Mersey Canal Company in the lacer 1760s, was the first candidate, formally designat~d in 1969, followed by 81 others to date. The majoriry of designations adopted by the County Council have followed the orthodox interpretation of the legislation - "an area of architectural or historic interest" - and incorporated historic town and village centres. The first stimulus towards a freer interpretation came in 1970 when the Department of Transport proposed to route the M54 motorway from Wolverhampton to Telford through one corner of Chillingron Park, just behind a Soane influenced temple and a stone's throw from Capability Brown's lake. Delegates to the 1992 ACO Annual School at Keele heard at first hand of the complex legal and procedural battles Peter Giffard, the owner, waged with the Department, and of how the principle of routing motorways through historic parks became a national cause celebre. What the case did illustrate, of course, was the total lack of protection or even formal recognition at that time for the importance of historic parks and gardens. The County Council, strongly opposed to the threatened desecration of this major historic landscape, weighed into the battle by designating Chillington irs first historic parkland Conservation Area in 1971. Clearly, at that date, as remarked above, designation conferred no additional planning powers. The principle of control over demolition was not introduced until 1972 nor over the felling or lopping of trees until 1974. The designation sought to highlight its importance to the setting to the Grade I listed hall and the many listed parkland buildings and structures, and intrinsically as the work of the foremost 18th century landscape designer, rather than additional controls. Administratively it implied chat the public authorities should have due regard to their responsibiliry under section 277(1) of the 1971 Act (now S72(1) of the 1990 Act) to pay special attention to the desirability of conserving or enhancing the character or appearance of the area when dealing with any planning proposals either within or adjacent to ir. This philosophy of drawing attention to the importance of an historic designed landscape as a means of encouraging its protection has remained central to the Counry Council's subsequent designation of a further eight parkland conservation areas. In some instances, as at Biddulph Grange, the boundaries have been drawn exclusively around the park itself; at Enville and Weston they have included the estate village (Weston was a joint designation with Shropshire inro which the parkland extends). Alton Towers includes two adjacent villages whose topography is inseparable from that of the park. Innovative use of the legislation has not always found favour. In 1978, after the designation of Biddulph Grange, the DoE commented that it was inappropriate to interpret an area of architectural or historic interest as meaning other than the setting of historic buildings in a town or village centre. We were careful to emphasise that all our designations surrounded listed buildings and in our view quite clearly satisfied the provisions of the law. It is interesting to note, 14 years on, chat designation of historic landscape Conservation Areas is now being promoted in many quarters to compensate for the lack of controls in the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens. It is difficult to be categoric about the effectiveness of Staffordshire's policy. The M54 now runs through Chillington, albeit in a cutting, so our first essay was not wholly successful. The majority of estates have not, fortunately, been subject to any development pressures over the last 20 years and their owners have not, for the most part, promoted management change. For this reason ir has never been necessary to consider extending the powers of control, for example by Article 4 Directions. At Alcon Towers, however, Conservation Area status was ineffectual in withstanding overco mm e rc ial isa tio n of parts of the park throughout the last decade, but a change in ownership and management regime have brought dramatic and welcome improvements in less than two years. While full credit for these changes must be given to the new owners and their architect, the legal cacher of designation has undoubtedly helped create a background against which these could cake place. There is little doubt that designating Biddulph Grange a Conservation Area helped raise its profile during the years 0-f uncertainty until acquired by the National Trust. Times change, and we have so far used I J
12 our designations statically as a means of identification and recognition. More park.lands remain to be designated but our main thrust today is to encourage owners to come forward with long-term conservation and management plans. The new challenge is to see what financial resources Conservation Area starus might attract. CANAL CONSERVATION AREAS Staffordshire was the hub of James Brindley's concept of the Grand Cross - a network of canals linking the country's four great rivers: Trent, Mersey, Thames and Severn. In the event, although the connections were made, that with the Thames was not quite as envisaged by Brindley, but the first two trunk canals, the Trent and Mersey, and the Staffordshire and Worcestershire, were built and run the greater part of their respective lengths in the county. As pioneers in the transport revolution of the late 18th century, these two canal routes were recognised as of major industrial archaeological significance by the County Council not withstanding the intrinsic interest of surviving individual buildings, locks, or other artefacts. The demise of the waterways as commercial undertakings and their subsequent redesgnation as Cruising Waterways, posed in their separate ways, potential threats to the survival of their historic interest. In 1978 the County Council determined to designate a linear Conservation Area, 48 miles in total, along the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal from Great Haywood junction with the Trent and Mersey to Whittington on the Worcestershire border. Wyre Forest District Council subsequently agreed to include the eight miles from the county boundary to Stourport to create a Conservation Area 56 miles long. This has been followed by the designation of the Stourbridge Arm (1984); Shropshire Union (1984); and Trent and Mersey (1989) Canal Conservation Areas (the latter a joint exercise by six District Councils and the Counry Council). The boundaries have generally been drawn narrowly to include only land in British Waterways Board ownership, broadening out to take in a privately owned wharf, cottage, or copse when it was particularly significant to the history or setting of the canal. The guiding principle throughout has been, as wirh historic parkland, to highlight the historical significance and to influence change and development rather than extend the mechanisms of control. This is largely dictated by circumstance. First, it would be impracticable to include all the land which forms part of the setting which in open country might extend for great distances on either side, and anticipates development control in the viciniry of the canal safeguarding the setting of the Conservation Area. Secondly, BWB is a statutory undertaker enjoying extensive permitted development rights under the General Development Order including the power to fell trees and demolish unlisted structures for operational reasons. Fortunately the Waterways managers operating in the county are sympathetic to the historic environment. It would be very easy for the wide powers to be used prejudicially bur a working arrangement was reached with BWB in Andrew Millar explores the priorities when considering new build in Conservation Areas. 1978 (and modified since) defining works for which consent is required; planned maintenance works including siring of dredging tips on which the local authoriry will be consulted whether permitted development or otherwise, and day-to-day works (including emergencies) for which no prior notification need be given. The latter is the Achilles heel of the arrangement for although such matters as mortar mixes and brick types for these routine jobs may be agreed with the local engineer, the lengthsman doing the work all too often varies the specification of his own accord. In all other respects the agreement has generally worked well. Although BWB developed a number of partnerships with local authorities to undertake towparh improvements and other enhancement works, the Conservation Area status of the canals in Staffordshire enabled the authorities to target sires of greater conservation significance, sometimes in conjunction with enhancement of visitor amenities. Alas, the withdrawal of most forms of Employment Training has put an end to such co-operative projects. Regrettably these were where the responsibiliry to enhance enjoined in S72(1) was being most actively pursued. I hope that such co-operative ventures might be resumed at some future date; in the meantime it is likely that the remaining branches of the canal network in Staffordshire - the Caldon and the Coventry - will be brought under Conservation Area protection. Alan Taylor is Conservation Officer with Staffordshire County Council. ENSURING QUALITY It is a general objective to get rid of derelict, underutilised brownfield sites and it is of even greater importance when they lie at the heart of an outstanding ConservationArea. Equally, how do we ensure environmental quality and good design in new building as opposed to mediocrity or pastiche? This short article aims to show how one small planning department (eight professional staff) is meeting these objectives on a particular site. A number of mechanisms were utilised, namely site assembly, a developer/design competition and the useof a builder-licencescheme. The location of the site is almost immaterial to this article bur for the record it lies in Dollar, on the edge of rhe Ochil Hills within Clackmannan District. Dollar has a population of 2,500 and has a significant core of Georgian and Victorian buildings including Playfair's Academy. The site includes the old Burgh Yard, handed over at re-organisation, but was subsequently expanded by sire assembly to include the former gasworks and a petrol filling station bought on the open marker for £60,000. The site, which now extends to 0.71 acres, is very awkwardly shaped with lots of external walling and has significant problems of contamination. A number of small businesses also had their leases terminated. The reason for rhe sire assembly (which took four years) is rhar ir represents the last opportuniry for a significant redevelopment scheme within the Conservation Area. The site, by virtue of its location, conservation profile and marker value, is rhe ideal opportunity for the Department explicicly to 'jack up' rhe role of design and layout in the evaluation process. Ct>NTEXT 36
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