EDITORIAL The Invisible Conservation Officer As I sat down to type a report on the foundation of the British Historic Buildings Irust, I turned on the radio and heard an enthusiastic voice announcing " ... and to tell us about the new British Historic Buildings Trust, we have in the studio Alan Bemrose ... " A fortunate coincidence, because the programme was one intended for those contemplating moving or buying a house (called 1Your Move or Min~), and I heard about the whole business of taking on older buildings from the point of view of Joe Public. The programme did a good job in explaining how Trusts, such as the Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust, took on and restored houses for sale; and there was an estate agent saying firmly that properly restored period features in a house pushed the value up, which warmed my heart considerably. Alan Bemrose stressed the advisory role of the new Trust; it will, apparently, be happy-to advise people on the right way to restore their houses. Grants were inevitably a major discussion point. The possibilities of English Heritage as a source were mentioned, both through Town Schemes and Section 10 grants. The impression appeared to be given that any building in a Conservation Area would automatically get a grant under Section 10. It was sad to find, however, that the role of the planning department; and, in particular, of the Conservation Officer, was barely mentioned in relation either to advice or grant information, although the Housing Improvement Officer featured strongly. The local authority architects department was mentioned as a source of Page 3 advice; the existence of 1962 Act grant was not mentioned at all to my knowledge. Surely, in a programme of this sort, our function as potential dispensers of advice and help should have been much more evident. This is only one of a number of instances. Numerous magazine and newspaper articles deal with house repair, conversion, and restoration for the amateur; they are notable mainly for their sketchiness when it comes to planning legislation and the part the local authority can play. Too often, its role is seen as purely restrictive, and "the planners" are a hazard to be negotiated rather than a source of help. Misleading information is common, even in national newspapers whose writers should know better. The commonest misconception is that if you live in a Conservation Area you can't do anything without consent. The fact that most permitted development rights are not affected by Conservation Area designation would surprise most property correspondents. I am sure I am not the only Conservation Officer who tries to give the impression, when talking to local societies and groups, that planners are not necessarily faceless bureaucrats whose only pleasure in life is achieving a refusal of consent by a committee. Now, isn't it time we started promoting ourselves nationally? It is generous of the new British Trust to want to offer advice and, of course, they have highly specialised knowledge; but shouldn't everyone be aware that their local Conservation Officer is nearer, has more local knowledge, may hav·e power to give a grant, can influence a planning decision, and has already been paid for out of the rates! We need a publicity sheet for ourselves and our job, to be sent to every national and local newspaper, magazine, and radio station. In areas where there is no specialised conservation staff ... well, perhaps the local authority will be embarrassed into thinking again about that if enoughpeople ring up and ask for the non-existent Conservation Officer.
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