Context 163 - March 2020

C O N T E X T 1 6 3 : M A R C H 2 0 2 0 59 New member profile Lucy Haile My career in conservation began in the planning enforcement team at the London Borough of Harrow in 2005. I investigated and resolved planning enforcement cases, and was given a particular focus on the borough’s heritage assets in view of my interest in historic buildings. I worked as an assistant conservation officer for the borough from 2006 to 2009 as part of a team of three officers. Here I worked principally on writing and consulting on reports to cabinet to adopt conservation area appraisals and management strategies. In 2009 I gained an MSc (distinction) in historic conservation from Oxford Brookes University, sponsored by Harrow Council. Since 2009 I have been the borough’s principal conservation officer, leading on all heritage matters.This includes policy work such as writing, consulting on and adopting design guidance, and helping the policy team write and adopt new local heritage policy. I also carry out proactive project work. This includes researching, assessing, consulting on and adopting new conservation areas and extensions to conservation areas, locally listed parks and gardens, and Article 4 directions. I put forward proposals to Historic England for new listed building designations and liaise with them in the management of local heritage at risk. For work related to development management I am the case officer for all of the borough’s listed building consent applications and pre-application proposals, and provide assessments to planning officers concerning all planning applications and enforcement cases affecting any heritage asset.This all involves carrying out the site visits, assessing proposals against national and local statute, policy and guidance, negotiating with applicants, writing up delegated/ committee reports and attending committee meetings where required to present proposals to cabinet. From 2009 to 2011 I managed an assistant conservation officer. I have also taken on and trained five volunteer assistant conservation officers for some weeks or months each, who have gone on to other successful conservation officer or heritage-led architect roles. In 2017 and 2018 I was on the project board for a joint Historic England andTwentieth Century Society project concerning 20th-century conservation area designation and management. This resulted in recommendation for two conservation area designations nationally, at Plymouth and Eaglestone. I gained full membership in the IHBC to progress in my career and as I feel it adds weight to my input in heritage matters for the local authority. I have been an affiliate member of the IHBC for many years, and enjoy Context and training sessions. It would be useful if the IHBC provided a training session to cover safety on site for heritage professionals, including matters such as asbestos. Research or input into the question of local authority resources for heritage matters would also be useful. Lucy Haile is a new associate member of the IHBC. The Old Schools, Harrow School (Photo: Bernard Burns, Wikimedia)