CONTEXT The Association of Conservation Officers No 23 September 1989 Planners urged to support conservation "Poultry" decision criticised Solicitor guilty of removing. listed fixtures
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CONTEXT No23 September 1989 Editor Jenny Pearce (London Borough of Richmond-on-Thames, telephone 01-891 7313) 10 King Edward's Grove, Teddington, MiddxTW119LU, telephone0l-9770913 Assistant Editor Bob Kindred (Ipswich Borough Council, telephone 0473 262934, facsimile 0473 230851) 4 All Saints Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IPl 4DG © Association of Conservation Officers 1989 [\ -8 ~ ~ ~ THE ASSOCIATION OF CONSERVATION OFFICERS Officers Chairman: Chris Smith (Stroud Valleys Project Officer, The Shambles, High Street, Stroud, Glos GL51AP, telephone 04536 753358) Sb Wallbridge, Stroud, Glos GL5 3JA Secretary: Liz Marten (North Herts District Council, telephone 0462 686500 ext 2411, facsimile 0462 480043) 25 Willington Road, Cop le, Bedford, telephone 02303 616 I Treasurer: Peter Richards (Essex County Council, telephone 0245 352232 ext 289) 139 Lifstan Way, Thorpe Bay, Essex SSl 2XG Members hip Secretary: James Ross (Essex County Council, telephone 0245 352232 ext 293) Three Bears, Laindon Common Road, Little Bumstead, Essex CMl 9TL Projects Officer: John Fidler (HBMC, 01734 6010) 27A Barns bury Street, Islington, London Nl lPW Publicity Officer: Mary King( Preston Borough Council, telephone 0772 266808) 24 Beech Road, Aughton, Ormskirk, Lanes L39 6SJ, telephone 0695 424297 CONTEXT23 Published for the Association of Conservation Officers by HallMcCartney Ltd, PO Box 21, Spirella House, Bridge Road, Letchworth, Herts SG6 4ET, telephone 0462 675848, facsimile 0462 670346 Context is published quarterly and is distributed to all members of the Association of Conservation Officers. Annual Subscription (inclusive of post & packing-UK only): £12.00 Single Copy: £ 4.00 The views expressed in Context are not necessarily those held by ACO or the publishers. The publishers shall not be under any liability whatsoever in respect of contributed articles. ' I i ~ ~ I== § I ~ ..... ~ - ' - ' '""HI m Regional Officers North: Keith Murray, Durham County Council, telephone 091-386 6111 ext 2237 North West: Mike King, Liverpool City Council, telephone 051-225 5635 Yorkshire: Robert Scriven, Wakefield Metropolitan District Council, telephone 0924 370211 ext 568 or 417, facsimile 0924 367292 W Midlands: Brian Moore, Dudley Borough Council, telephone 0384 456000 ext 4188 E Midlands: Graham Beaumont, Nottinghamshire County Council, telephone 0602 824277 South West: Robert Ladd, Mendip District Council, telephone 0749 3399 ext 320 South: no contact at present East Anglia: John Preston, Cambridge City Council, telephone 0223 358977 South East: John Davey, Guildford Borough Council, telephone 0483 505050 ext3633 London: Rosemary McQueen, City of Westminster, telephone 01-798 2519 Scotland: no contact at present Wales: John James, Clwyd County Council, telephone 0352 2121 Northern Ireland: Colin Hatrick, DoE Northern Ireland, telephone 0232653251 I ..... tr:: ~ CONTENTS Editorial 4 From the Chair. Chris Smith 5 The loneliness of the long-distance conservationist. Martin Bradshaw 6 The work of the the Theatres Trust. Bob Kindred 9 Education into the 1990s.john Fidler 11 Poultry: the end of a future for the past? Mary King 13 Law and practice Removal of listed fixtures 15 Autonomy of Charitable Trusts. Bob Kindred 16 Planning control over advertisements. Liz Marten 16 Communicating conservation. John Preston looks back at the Durham conference 17 ACO Business News ACO Regional News Letters Book reviews FRONT COVER 19 21 22 23 Sundial at Orchardleigh House, Somerset. The prosecution by Mendip District Council of a solicitor who instructed Christies to remove internal fixtures for auction is discussed on page i 5. Prompt action by Mendip's Conservation Officer, Robert Ladd, prevented the removal of the sundial. PHOTOGRAPHS IN THIS ISSUE Front cover: Orchardleigh House, copyright Royal Commission on Historic Monuments. Page 7: Ripon, copyright English Heritage; Stratford-on-Avon, copyright Jenny Pearce. Page 10: Hackney Empire Theatre; Normansfield Hospital Amusement Hall, all copyright English Heritage, London Division. Page 15:0rchardleigh House, copyright Royal Commission on Historic Monuments. 3
4 EDITORIAL This issue is the first to be published from the offices of Hall-MacCartney. When the new system has settled down, there should be benefits for all concerned; the Editor(s) having no need for squalid dealings with the printing trade, the Business Manager no longer having to hawk ACO round potential advertisers. In simple terms, the publisher provides ACO with approximately 20 editorial pages, in return for which it receives the advertising revenue, which enables its team to design, print and distribute a magazine of approximately 24 pages every quarter. Initially there will be no major change in the image, mast-head or format of Context; and in any case tight editorial control will be maintained over both articles and advertising. Because the management of the publishing process will now take place outside ACO, it will be necessary to adhere strictly to advance deadlines for copy, and a schedule appears at the end of this Editorial. The newsletter (or "journal" as we should now perhaps call it) has undergone radical change in the six years it has acted as the voice of the Association. From a photocopied set of A4 sheets it advanced, through proper printing, to the glory in the last issue of a full-colour cover. Its content advanced similarly from a collection of short news items to consideration of wider issues, case studies, and "opinion" pieces, while the initiative of regional groups in producing Context themselves added new liveliness and variety and publicised regional issues - as well as providing an opportunity for delegation to an extent I never thought possible! The problem with a quarterly journal is that it is too infrequent to contain real news, yet too frequent and costly to produce to provide the weight and detail of an annual report. The ideal may be to have both, as do ASCHB and VAG: a regular news-sheet at minimum expense and annual Transactions with formidable research and production to match. Another problem: if the publication is financed mainly by advertising rather than by subscription income, there will always be a temptation to spread the net of membership and/or circulation as wide as possible and broaden the appeal in order to attract more advertising revenue. I think it would be fair to say that the publisher has indicated a desire to do this - it is not running a charity - but such issues must depend upon the outcome of the current debate about categories of membership, which is related to the issues hotly debated at the AGM. Clearly a "group of friends", as some still see the ACO, cannot also be the generator of a glossy and commercially viable publication without some loss of the original informal atmosphere. If we want to be listened to in the wider world we need a highly professional journal to represent us. We have come to the stage where we can no longer afford, from subscription income, wholly to subsidise a quarterly Context to the present standard without greatly increasing the advertising. There is therefore some element of choice involved; I believe most members want a well-produced journal for its public relations value, and for its reflection of the professional standing of the members. Contributions to Context: a new system I want Context to remain representative of as wide a range of members' interests as possible, and to cover as wide a range of conservation practice as possible. I am therefore instituting a more disciplined method of collecting material, which will include: (a) A regular dispatch from regional officers: Because of the number of "regional specials" in the last two years, regions have in some cases abandoned regular lines of communication direct to Context, and a more defined system is needed. A reminder will be sent two weeks in advance of each quarter's copy date. (b) Themed issues and an annual plan: There must be a lot of potential material locked up in member's files and in-trays - what is lacking is the spur to write it up and send it in. The announcement of specific themes for individual issues may be one way of making this happen. I have therefore set out at the end of this Editorial the proposed themes and I would very much welcome offers of articles to be attached to each. If you volunteer, please send a brief synopsis and indicate the suggested length and likely illustrative material. Themes will be announced a long way in advance, giving you plenty of time to collect material. This should avoid the necessity for peremptory phone messages on your desk demanding 5000 words by Monday or else! There will of course be plenty of scope for articles on topics other than the main theme in each issue. (c) More outside contributors. So far, most outside contributors have been volunteers. I should like to solicit more material from non-members with an original or controversial view of conservation practice. If, therefore, you come across any such likely person - for instance local councillors, architects, journalists, building owners - please ask them (nicely) to get in touch with me. (d) More case studies: This, I think, is something from which we would all benefit, and has been one of the most interesting aspects of the regional issues. I am, therefore, requesting each region to nominate one person to write up a case study for Context once a year. This can illustrate any of a wide variety of problems and solutions - legal, historical (ie archaeological detective work), constructional or political. Before and after photos are required and advance planning is there~ fore essential- as is notification to me of what the study will be. This longer-term planning should result in a wider range of subjects and more depth. Please, do comment on these suggestions - nothing is as yet set in concrete and further themes would be welcomed. Themed issues of Context: suggested topics 1 ARCHITECTURAL SALVAGE The architectural salvage business began in a small way in the 1970s, often sponsored by local authorities. It is now big business as developers, agents and demolition contractors have become aware of the value of architectural "spare parts" and the demand for them. What are the ethics of this? Should conservation officers encourage re-use which, although it has gone on for centuries, can be archaeologically confusing, inappropriate, and of course damaging to the building from which the parts are removed. Context will survey the current practitioners, examine their sources of supply, and find comparative examples where the salvage business has beneficial and detrimental effects on historic buildings. CONTEXT23
EDITORIAL 2 CONSERVATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY How can information technology help in the practice of maintaining and improving records of history and condition of buildings, and making them more accessible? Ideas and descriptions of innovative uses of computer systems by conservation staff are needed, and the systems in use by English Heritage and the RCHM will be explained. 3 CHANGES OF USE: AN UPDATE The Montague Report stressed the importance of the right use for the building as key to effective building conservation. More than a decade later, how successful have changes of use been for problem buildings? Have "imaginative" new uses produced unsuspected problems with the building's fabric or use? What are the problem buildings now? 4 USING THE LEGISLATION Sections 115 and 101 of the Town & Country Planning Acts give local authorities extensive powers to compel repair and protection. How are these being used? How many CPOs are pursued to their conclusion? This is an opportunity for detailed case histories of successful (or unsuccessful) forays against recalcitrant owners to be aired, and English Heritage's Buildings at Risk initiatives will be assessed. We will also review all current "guides" to the legislation and the work of ACO's Law & Practice Working Party. Please consider what you could contribute to any of these issues, and send me a brief synopsis. These are the issues and their copy dates: Architectural salvage Publication date: 27th November 1989 Copy date: 23rd October 1989 Conservation and IT Publication date: 5th March 1990 Copy date: 29thJanuary 1990 Changes of use: an update Publication date: 4th] une 1990 Copy date: 26th April 1990 Using the legislation Publication date: 3rd September 1990 Copy date: 20th July 1990 PLEASE CONTINUE TO SEND COPY TO ME AT THE USUAL ADDRESS. jenny Pearce NOTES FROM THE CHAIR Many members of this Association had the pleasure of meeting and taking part in a stimulating conference in Durham this April. That the event took place at all was due to the efforts of the local ACO group --:-to whom many thanks. There is in this a clear and accurate model of how the ACO has functioned so far and how it will continue to work in the future. We are an association of friends who provide self-help by the best co-operative methods available to us. No other system makes any sense for only 500 volunteers spread around the whole country. The AGM of the Association also took place at Durham this year and all who attended will have allowed themselves a wry grin at the reference above to the "group of friends". For the first time the annual general meeting was the occasion for heated debate. What generated the heat was an unholy alliance. First, the subject was entirely procedural and there were two fiercely held views about the procedure in question - the need for an amended constitution. Second, some present were appalled that the time had come when the group of friends was behaving like the silliest, standing-order-prone parks subcommittee - and they said so. CONTEXT23 By the end of the meeting there was a large majority in favour of the proposition which was merely that, at AGM 1989, the Constitution should be made capable of being legally amended. A whole year - at least - was then to be used in deliberation and due notice before, probably, AGM 1990 would be able to consider a revised constitution. We need to be clear what this is all about. The Durham conference and its predecessors, the regular production of Context, the consultations with central government and the variety of local ACO events depend entirely on local voluntary enthusiasm. Such amendments as are already under discussion are wholly aimed at supporting and enabling local membership to grow. There is no ruling group intent on imposition of any sort. Rather, there is an obvious desire to ensure that potential members are encouraged to join, that local groups are enabled to develop in their own way and that, as individuals and local group members, everyone feels able to participate in and affect the functioning of the ACO. Local group representatives make up the majority of the Committee of the ACO. So it should be and will remain. Please make sure that you know how the ACO is developing and that your view is known. And please note that while we know that the 1990 conference will be in Scotland and 1991 on the South Coast we have no volunteers thereafter; nor do we know who could keep Context up to standard if Jenny Pearce and Bob Kindred were to have to stop; nor do we know who will be able to stand being secretary when Liz Marten no longer can! The future is yours. ADVERTISEMENT The Conservation Portfolio in the September 1989issue of the Portfolio are:- The Cast Iron Company - cast iron street furniture & cast iron structures Robert Snell & Company - Building refurbishment Leadwork craftsmen for roofs & gutters, ornamental leadwork Tudor Roof Tile Co LtdTraditional Hand Made Clay Tiles 5
6 Martin Bradshaw encourages conservation officers to take heart from the public concern over change in the built environment and look on planners as potential allies. THE LONELINESS OF THE LONG-DISTANCE CONSERVATIONIST Ruskin once observed that "there is nothing a man cannot make a little worse or sell a little cheaper". Whatever the galvanising effects of that gloomy but observably accurate comment were on his contemporaries, it is certainly the case that a good deal of worsening and cheapening has been avoided by the efforts of the conservation movement over the last 30 years. Yet the position of many conservation officers (who interestingly are still, largely, a public sector phenomenon) has become one of increasing isolation, not just within their own local authority but within the planning profession at large. The very need to establish a protective and comforting "Association of Conservation Officers" might even be seen by some as a manifestation of anxiety and of concern at being marginalised. It is a trend which is both worrying and unfortunate, and prompted my own comment (within a statement of RTPI Council candidature) on the need to make "Conservation Officers feel less isolated ... ". It would be comforting but illusory if we could retreat behind bland explanations for this state of affairs based on the general decline of "planning", or lack of resources, and on the sheer magnitude and pace of development change. It is, of course, true that the economic imperatives of our times have led to a reduced degree of control and regulation and that the extent of planning involvement in matters of design and aesthetics is now disturbingly low (and even that seems too much for the Secretary of State). It is also inarguable that the scale of development pressure is probably at its greatest since the 19th century, although it is now combined with a belated market recognition that a good environment is a good investment. We have also had to face the fairly predictable anti-conservation backlash, derived from accusations of obsession with the past, a cultural stultification, and a failure to see that the economic and social needs of a community imply forward looking change. The arguments are thin, although the backlash is real enough. In fact, public concern for, and involvement in, our day-to-day environment has probably never been greater, and conservation of that environment, at building, village and town level is now a process that is well accepted, even entrenched to the point where Martin Pawley could refer not long ago to the "occult power of conservation". And the real answer to arguments that we are conserving too many areas, or listing too many buildings, is simply that, far from this representing any innate preoccupation with the past, it results from what Tony Fyson called the "great mistrust of the new in the built environment, born of bitter experience of modern development". Less than a person Yet, rightly or wrongly, and despite increased public awareness, the feelings of separation persist. They are not explained only by economics. Although it is a matter of concern that sens1t1ve development decisions are often taken by local authorities with only a token contribution from the "less than one person engaged in full time conservation work" (as the RTPI, rather caustically puts it), this is a symptom rather than a cause. That is evident if one remembers that all local authorities operate within the same corpus of law. Yet some authorities carry out sustained conservation programmes over a period of years whilst others do very little; some exercise their 1962 powers to make grants even though most do not use their powers at all; and a few place their conservation officers in the forefront of the decision-making process even though many do not. So what we have is an institutional failing to recognise the process of conserving as a natural part of the planning process. Action is as a result opportunist and dependent on the quality and influence of an enlightened officer and/or elected member. The paradox is that most planning officers - and not a few members - would, if asked, accept that conservation is essentially a part of the wider planning process and that it cannot be practised successfully in isolation from the structure and local plan-making framework, nor without regard to the development control functions of a local planning authority. They would agree that the need for conservation is a matter which has to be integrated with what we simultaneously perceive to be desirable economic and social change, and with architectual innovation. CONTEXT23
It does not seem to happen like that too often. Where there actually is a conservation officer, he or she is left to get on with it, when it is manifestly a team business involving developer, other departments, members, central government, statutory agencies, civic societies, local trusts and the public generally. justifying conservation But, and it needs to be said, conservation officers are not themselves blameless. They perceive a need to be almost naturally defensive because far too much of what we value has already been lost - a reasonable position, but not one that is always endearing to the leader of the council. They find it difficult to acknowledge a point of view that conservation can be taken too far or that it represents a retreat from the challenge of the late 20th century, or perhaps a convenient way of avoiding some difficult design deciCONTEXT23 sions. Conservation can and sometimes does become, as Peter Rumble (former Chief Executive of English Heritage) once put it, "a conventional wisdom so unarguable that its virtue is simply not questioned". What, in fact, needs to be remembered in all this is that conservation is not a self-evident good. It requires justification, although that is surely not difficult to do, because it stems from the respect for the past that is an inseparable part of any environment, from recognition that an attractive built environment is an economic asset, and from the sheer pleasure which people evidently get from historic towns and areas of varied en v1ronmen t. So a conservation officer should be at once a specialist and a strategist, able to weigh up the balance of issues affecting a decision, and not always placing the specialist point of view at the top of the list. That may seem unfair to those at the battlefront, Two views of Ripon, where conservation will be central to the Civic Trust's new regeneration initiative and conservation staff are liaising with the Civic Trust. fighting the philistines and the demons of mediocre development. It is not meant to be so. They are people for whom I have the utmost admiration, but whose lot would be happier if they remembered that their general judgement is as important as their specialism, and that conservation is not only about saving and protecting but about adaptation, flexibility and contextualism. It is in short about fitting in the new with the old, as much as about the old itself. Strengthening the framework None of this alters the fact that the institutional framework needs strengthening, at both national and local level, and this is where the role of the Royal Town Planning Institute as well as English Heritage becomes critical. Government itself expects local authorities to offer financial support for necessary works to most listed buildings, but at the same time has reduced 7
8 their ability to do so by its action in respect of their overall responsibilities. That is wrong, but is not going to change so long as the solution is a system of grants. What the ACO should do is to press Government for a much wider range of tax concessions, such as those in the USA which make the placing of a building "on the register" a bonus not a millstone. This would, for example, make the notion of consent to alter and not just to demolish in conservation areas a financially and therefore politically supportable proposition. English Heritage itself continues to do remarkably well at getting a quart out of every pint pot, particularly with its new initiative earlier this year, which adapts and extends its scheme to cover listed buildings at risk run by Historic Areas Division. There is still an over-optimistic reliance on matching local authority funds, and nonoutstanding buildings outside conservation areas (the ones you and I might own) are, for the time being, excluded. Nevertheless, it at least gives some encouragement to local authorities to 'What the A CO should do is to press the Government for a much wider range of tax concessions, such as those in the USA' extend their working partnership with English Heritage, to better protect their buildings at risk and to provide some incentive for repair. The other important initiative is, of course, the approach made to all local authorities by the RTPI earlier this "The scale of development pressure at its greatest since the 19th century": we are used to keeping the 'token' listed building, but it is unusual to see the 1970spastiche disappear as well, In these photos, Stratford-on-Avon prepares for yet another shopping mall. year with the backing of the ACO and English Heritage, pressing them to extend their conservation capability by providing at least one conservation officer. In its press release at that time, the Institute referred to planning's "twin responsibilities" as being to design the future environment and to conserve the best of the past. One only has to compare the resources devoted to these apparently equally important objectives to understand how overdue such an initiative is. Sadly, the RTPI itself does not yet have even a conservation panel within its structure, much less a main committee; but that at least is something that can and is being put right. So there are signs of change in institutional attitudes that might help to reinforce the community's own demonstrated concern. Conservation officers should take heart from the public's anxiety and anger not just over what has been lost but over what is still threatened. It would of course have been some comfort if the standard of redevelopment had been high. Paradoxically, the fact that it has been mediocre has been a powerful factor in strengthening the heritage lobby, and if local authorities can now be persuaded to strengthen their conservation effort, the quality of the built environment, new and old, will be the better for it. Martin Bradshaw is Director of the Civic Trust. CONTEXT23
CONTEXT23 Bob Kindred looks at the work of the Theatres Trust and the role it plays in finding new lives for theatres. PROTECTING THEATRES Evidence from the RCHM and the statutory amenity societies indicates that many local planning authorities are failing in their duty to forward statutory consultations. If this is the case, how many of the same authorities are not fulfilling their duty to consult the Theatres Trust? Indeed how many development control officers have even heard of the Trust whose objective is "to promote the better protection of theatres on behalf of the nation"? The Trust was established under the Theatres Trust Act 1976. Section 5 defines a theatre as "any building or part of a building constructed wholly or mainly for the public performance of plays". It is a statutory consultee in the GDO 1988 for England and Wales (but not for Scotland). The formal reference of planning applications under the GDO requires planning authorities to consult the Trust on all applications affecting theatre buildings, (listed or un-listed and whatever their present use) - a more demanding requirement than the notification of specific types of application to the statutory amenity societies. The Trust takes the view that, at least in the more important cases, there will be a twoway trade of views, and that the An awakened 'sleeping beauty': one of Frank Matcham 'sfinest surviving variety theatres, the Hackney Empire, after long years as a bingo house has been returned to the life it was designed for. The terracotta domes shown here were removed by the previous owners but have now been replace at their expense. 9
10 Trust's advice will be taken as such and not simply noted as a representation. It does not campaign in hopeless cases, or seek to defend buildings which are clearly incapable of fulfilling any modern need; however, as the only effective advocate against the forces of destruction, ic does not easily write off theatres which are for che Normansfield Hospital, Teddington, Middlesex: the Amusement Hall, an extremely rare and unaltered survival of the 1870s. The whole of the original decoration to the proscenium has survived intact. The architect's drawing, left, confirms that virtually no alteration has occurred since construction. There may be a casefor the removal of the interior to another site if a suitable building and use can befound. time being disused, neglected or forgotten. The Trust can point to a revival of interest in live entertainment at the Hackney Empire and Wakefield Opera House, which only a short time ago would have seemed absurdly optimistic. Some excellent theatres survive as bingo halls, and in these cases the Trust aims to do no more than defend those attributes which are essential to a working theatre so that the facilities are kept intact until needed again. Margate Theatre Royal was defended by the Trust in this way for 10 years, before moves were made to return it to theatrical use. It also seems as a general rule, that old theatres are unusually vulnerable in Wales, although why this should be is not entirely clear! The number of theatres under consideration doubled in 1985 and trebled in the two years up to the end of 1987. In 1987 the Trust looked at over 100 theatres in England, Wales and Scotland, examining 43 applications in detail; carried out 40 theatre inspections and negotiated with managements, architects, developers and local authorities to ensure that the interests of theatres were thoroughly safeguarded. All this was done with a tiny staff and without any support from public funds, until July 1989 when the Office of Arts & Libraries offered a grant of £15,000. The Trust does make grants for the purchase and restoration of theatres. On its limited budget it also maintains an archive of field information, cuttings and drawings, which is expanding significantly. Conservation officers are asked to donate duplicate or unwanted photographic records, especially but not exclusively of theatre interiors, to assist the Trust's work. If the available legislation is used with skill and determination, it can be extremely effective in preventing undesirable alteration to theatres; but they have their limits. Fortunately added protection to working theatres has been given by the Use Classes Order. This requires planning permission to be obtained for any change of use, but does not extend to those buildings where a non-theatrical use is established. It therefore becomes essential that conservation officers take whatever steps they can to prevent unnecessary damage to the internal fabric through the operation of listed building consent on internal alterations. It is particularly important that acceptable "occasional" non-theatre uses do not become dominant, and that unauthorised uses do not become established, if the future of historic theatres is to be safeguarded. The Theatres Trust can be contacted at 10 St Martin's Court, St Martins Lane, London WC2N 4AJ (01-836 8591 ). John Earl, the Director, is an ACO member. Bob Kindred is Conservation Officer with Ipswich Borough Council. CONTEXT23
John Fidler surveys the training scene and sees major changes underway for building professionals which offer new opportunities for ACO and its members. TRAINING FOR CONSERVATION: WATCH THIS SPACE Vocational trammg, its funding and management are in a national state of flux, and academics, industry training boards, professional institutions and funding agencies are mixing it with the employers and, more particularly, with the government. How does the ACO fit into this melee and what will be the consequences for young architects, surveyors and planners who wish to make conservation their career? Let me try to explain ... I will start from general matters and work to the particular. Here you need to know two basic points: (a) that government funding for higher education is being rationalised; and (b) that Et!ropean Economic Community directives on vocational training may have a significant impact on the education of architects and of 1rchitect-planners. At their most basic, the present government's policies focus on market forces with the absolute minimum of centralist intervention. So, through its higher education funding agencies and a new quango called the National Council for Vocational Qualifications (NCVQ), the government is driving forward a programme: (a) to make vocational training more relevant to industry; and (b) to make industry responsible in some part for the costs of vocational training. Now the first part relates to the government's current policies on the national curriculum in secondary education. Here, the objective is to achieve common standards throughout the country in basic education. But at further and higher education levels, there is also a need to make academic work more relevant and usable to and by industry. By such means, it is argued, the country can develop more quickly without industry wasting productive time retraining students before they become effective. The NCVQ has therefore started to encourage indusCONTEXT23 tries to come together to form "lead industry bodies" to focus on qualifications and training and to come to a consensus on the rationalising and restructuring of academic awards. For the construction industry things are shaping up as follows. LEAD INDUSTRY BODIES&THENCVQ The National Council on Vocational Qualifications is exciting pan-industry interest in the development of a lead industry body to undertake its work with the support of the Training Commission (formerly the Manpower Services Commission). In the construction world this is a tough nut to crack because there are so many joint bodies all jealously fighting their patch to be in control. First of all, there is the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) which has a remit over blue collar training but there is also the professional sector which has been the subject of two separate initiatives, each claiming to be the most representative. One body is called the Centre for Educational Resources for the Construction Industry (CERCI) and the other is a new body calling itself the Building Industry Council (BIC). These groups have at last seen fit to come together to form some sort of joint council to represent the industry proper. Naturally, conservation will fall under its remit in all its forms from planning and architecture to craft skills. However, there is another lead industry body being formed outside the construction industry proper called COSQUEC (the Council for Occupational Standards and Qualifications in Environmental Conservation) which impinges on our affairs. It seems to have moved further on because it is representing dispersed groups that have never before seen themselves as being part of the same industry. Consequently, there are no axes to grind and no rivals in competition. COSQUEC claims to represent landscape, wildlife and habitat management; pollution and waste recycling; recreation and amenity development; field archaeology and building conservation. Its job, like that as seen by the CITB/CERCI/BIC consortia, 1s to represent employers, professional bodies and trade unions and to produce agreed standards of competence and relevant training as endorsed by the NCVQ. These groups will provide an information service for employers, examining and validating boards and for training establishments. They will articulate employment opportunities, define occupations and test the suitability and availability of existing qualifications for those working in the field. Naturally, educational establishments will want them to react to the findings of these bodies to produce relevant training. COTAC As can be seen from the above, there is a long way to go before these lead industry bodies get round to building conservation and planning as they affect you and me. There is, however, a pan-industry group that already exists to represent these issues and training, and it is called COTAC: the Conference on Training m Architectural Conservation. Although this group started life as the Conference on Training Architects in Conservation, it eventually changed its title to become more representative of the professional institutions, interested employers and specialist amenity bodies and academic institutions. The plan is to include the craft industry so that COTAC stands waiting outside the squabbling and infighting between the lead industry bodies and their competing representative groups. This should put COT AC in an influential position 11
12 to demand priority when the umbrella groups get their acts together and it also provides an opportunity for the Association of Conservation Officers to make an early input into these strategic training affairs. PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTIONS As part of the exercise to interest the professional institution in standards of training and in the relevance of qualifications, English Heritage is holding a series of meetings with their senior staff and elected officers to sensitise the RIBA, RICS, RTPI and ISE to conservation concerns. Three years ago we met with the Chartered Surveyors and, indirectly, the result has been the formation of a Surveyors in Conservation Group and the development of a conservation course at the College of Estate Management at Reading University. Last year, English Heritage and the ACO Chairman, Chris Smith, met Francis Tibbalds and his Director of Education during his presidency of the RTPI and a further set of discussions is due to take place this autumn. As part of this initiative, Roger France of Oxford Polytechnic hosted a day-long workshop for lecturers and heads of planning schools to investigate the level of conservation input into undergraduate and postgraduate planning training with a view to establishing recommendations on appropriate levels. Meanwhile at the RIBA, the outgoing and incoming Presidents have met the English Heritage Commissioners. At the May RIBA Council meeting, a motion raised by me and supported by Russ Craig of Hertfordshire CC set in motion a national review of how best conservation and the Institute can be aligned. Next on the target list is the Institution of Structural Engineers. COLLEGE TRAINING At the start of this article I referred to the effects that government policy will have on the scope and quality of vocational training in colleges. On funding, the argument goes like this: if you decide to train as an architect, the government, through local authority education grant subsidies, picks up the bill for six years of education whereas an equally talented graduate who signs up for ICI as a 6th former is sponsored throughout his or her training by the private sector. Given a basic right to undergraduate education, the government is now beginning to query why student architects and planners should not be subsidised by public and privatepractices if they go on to postgraduate and vocational professional status. Furthermore, it suggests that there may be scope for more in-service training in order to keep academic costs down. What ever next? Then there's the EEC. As most readers will know, there are already agreements in place for freedom of labour movement throughout the Economic Community by 1992. Discussions are now well advanced on the issue of standardising European vocational qualifications for architects but there are stumbling blocks. For example, by British standards architects in southern and eastern Europe, are really architect/engineers. Town and country planners by our standards do not generally exist and this role in local authorities is taken on by "urbanises" and architects. So there is pressure on our government to align itself in some way _with the generality of European trammg. Academic establishments are in a state of shock. First of all polytechnics are untied from local authority spending and have to become business enterprises and then universities begin to receive grant aid on the basis of performance. In reality this means that each school of planning, architecture and surveying will have to compete with all the others on price and on the quality of training and research. Cynically, the more attractive the course, the more students attend, the more staff carry out research, the more successful the establishment and the more rewards are reaped. There is thus an opportunity to suggest from the "industry" side that conservation could be taught as a major selling point of the curriculum. Some bodies are pushing for the German four year training programme for architects to be adopted here, but the RIBA, ARCUK and the academic establishment seem to be resisting successfully this proposal to shorten courses by two years. However, there is a sniff of compromise in the wind with the odd theoretical paper floating about suggesting that architectural training could be thinned out or spread in two directions: first of all into the secondary curriculum at sixth form level, as environmental studies as a form of pre-diploma course, and secondly, by in-service training. The latter would mean students completing a three year undergraduate course and then joining a practice on a fulltime basis. The practice would then undertake to send the student to college for perhaps one third of his work time annually and to pay the fees and expenses for this operation. Full qualification as an architect would then take place over a longer gestation period than at present. For planners, the same principles apply. There is too much already to "stuff" into the core curriculum, and so there will be moves to spread the training loads more evenly across the early years of any career, provided that there is support from the employers. TRAINING AND ACO I hope you will be able to see from my lengthy description of educational affairs that there are several important opportunities for the Association of Conservation Officers to become involved in vocational training. There are direct ways to put conservation training needs on the map through the sensitivity of professional institutions, through lead industry bodies and through COTAC. Also, as higher education changes shape there will be further opportunities to contribute to curriculum and syllabus development: in the secondary curriculum in schools, in specialist units at undergraduate level, in option programmes at postgraduate level and through continuing professional development initiatives and open learning throughou_t careers. This opportunity needs to be grasped and I commend this challenge for your consideration. ORGANISATIONS AND ADDRESSES National Council for Vocational Qualifications (NCVQ) 222 Euston Road, London NWl 2BZ, 01-387 9898. Centre for Educational Resources for the Construction Industry (CERCI) The Building Centre, 26 Store Street, London WClE 7BT, 01-636 1802. Council for Occupational Standards and Qualifications in Environmental Conservation (COSQUEC) c/o ECOTEC Research and Consulting Ltd, 28-34 Albert Street, Birmingham B4 7UD, 021-616 1010. Conference on Training in Architectural Conservation (COT AC) c/o The Directing Architect, English Heritage, 25 Savile Row, London WlX 2BT, 01-734 6010. John Fidler DipArch MAArch MA conservation. AADiplconservation Rf BA FRSA is a Superintending Architect with English Heritage. CONTEXT23
The granting of planning permission for James Stirling's design for No 1 Poultry has grave implications for conservation says Mary King. POULTRY THE END OF A FUTURE FOR THE PAST? For A CO members the Poultry decision comes like a slap in the face. In spite of overwhelming evidence in the inspector's report in favour of retaining the existing buildings, he finds zn favour of the appellant. How could he come to his extraordinary conclusion? In "Poultry" we have a decision which seems to break all the rules. Considermg the proposals m the light of Circular 8/87, the Inspector finds that he "concurs" with the judgement that the group of buildings under consideration is: One of the best, if not the best, groups of surviving Victorian commercial buildings in the City. He notes that the buildings have not been offered for sale on the open market and that These usual preconditions for the granting of consent for the demolition of listed buildings have not been met in this instance. He states that it was agreed by the appellants that A scheme of reconstruction along the lines put forward by English Heritage would be structurally and economically feasible, that its office and retail accommodation would be let and that it would have substantial capital value. He notes that efficient, modern office buildings could be accommodated CONTEXT23 elsewhere in the core of the City and that The proposed uses of the appeal site are not related to any public purpose. He further states that There is no evidence to suggest that other listed buildings in the area are not economically viable. The only obviously run down part of the area seems to be the appeal site itself, the present condition of which must result to a large extent from the lengthy period over which redevelopment has been contemplated by the appellants. Any conservation officer who had assembled a case like this would consider the facts unanswerable. The buildings have demonstrable ment, they have not been offered for sale on the open market, they could be economically repaired and re-used, and the proposed use of the site would not be of greater benefit to the public. But the Inspector chose to disregard all this in favour of considering the merits of the proposed building, in spite of the possibility that it might not be a material factor at all. He states that Whether or not there is a sufficiently strong case for granting consent, notwithstanding the presumption in favour of preservation, is in my opinion dependent mainly on the view which might be taken of the comparative contribution to the architectural heritage of the existing buildings on the one hand and of the proposed buildings on the other, and of the comparative possibilities of enhancing the environment. However, if these matters are held not to be material to the consideration of the proposals to demolish the listed buildings, there can to my mind be no question but that consent ought not to be granted and that both the appeals being inter dependent, should fail. On the way to reaching his decision he conveniently re-interprets conservation area and listed building law to suit himself. He dismisses the question of the listed buildings by saying that None are (sic) graded higher than II on the statutory lists. It follows to my mind that their relative importance is judged to be less than that of several grade I buildings and Grade A churches that surround them in the neighbourhood . . .. There 1s clearly no shortage of buildings of quality in the area. and as for their interiors notes that The timber and glass interior fittings of the Green Man Public House do not seem to be of particular importance, but doubtless they could be recovered for re-use in the proposed public house on this site, or elsewhere, if they are considered to be of value. 13
14 A view curiously at odds with that of anyone with any genuine understanding of the importance of retaining the integrity of historic buildings. As for unlisted buildings in conservation areas, his view is that The designation of conservation areas is not in my opinion intended as a means to secure the preservation of buildings that are not judged worthy of the protection of statutory listing. A sweeping statement that fails to explain why, in that case, consent should be required for the demolition of these unlisted buildings at all! He is, however, generous in his assessment of the value of the buildings as an architectural group and considers it Perhaps remarkable that three such disparate elements of townscape are combined with such evident skill within such a comparatively small area. and is equally generous in his assessment of what could be achieved by the refurbishment and reconstruction of the existing buildings, which he says would achieve the preservation of the rich variety of their facades and of the undoubted contribution that they make to the present character of the area. Shopping and public house uses would continue much as at present and the English Heritage scheme shows how, with some structural ingenuity, additional lower floor shopping and a link to Bank Station could be provided. The mediaeval line of Bucklersbury could be retained, possibly with environmental improvement such as in Bow Lane, additional pedestrian links between Poultry and Queen Victoria Street could be provided and given the will, the former churchyard of St Benet Sherehog could be laid out as a garden. Office use could not readily achieve the flexibility for new technology, given the many variations in floor level and floor to ceiling heights. Nevertheless it could serve a useful and apparently much needed purpose in meeting the requirements of small office users. The case for the defence? No: he can afford to be generous. He is not going to take any account of it, but simply sweep aside the value and potential of the existing area in favour of the new, saying that given the clearance of the whole of the appeal site . . . it would be an SAVE NEEDS YOUR HELP TO FIGHT THE POULTRY DECISION Support "SA VE" in its fight to overturn the decision reached on "Poultry" - it is vital that it is not allowed to stand. In Poultry we have a site which contains buildings of demonstrable merit which have never been offered for sale on the open market and which the appellants agree could be economically repaired and re-used, yet a proposed redevelopment has been approved on the basis that the replacement scheme "might just be a masterpiece". SAVE is fighting the decision in the courts and has been advised that it has a case in law. The hearing is likely to be this autumn. But legal battles cost money! Your help is needed and all contributions are welcome; cheques should be made out to "SAVE" and sent to it at 68 Battersea High Street, London SWll 3HX. ACO CONTRIBUTION TO SAVE'S CAMPAIGN Because of the importance of this case, the ACO Committee has voted to contribute £200 from ACO funds to SAVE to help it in its fight. The widest possible consultation was undertaken in the time available and support from those asked was unanimously in favour of making a donation. This is the first time the ACO has done this and it is regarded very acceptable approach to model a design for their replacement more with an eye to the remaining surrounding buildings than to what previously existed on the site. Never mind that demoliton is contrary to the guidance given in Circular 8/87 or established in earlier appeals. Never mind that it is contrary to Local Plan Policies. Never mind any of the normal considerations. The Inspector thinks the proposals might just be a masterpiece. refers to the possibility that the proposed replacement building might be of outstanding quality. the possibility that the proposal might actually enhance the environment. thinks that If the drum and symmetry are accepted the other parts of the design fall into place. and that If the drum were to prove anything like the successful public attraction of the drum at the Neue Staatsgalerie in Stuttgart it would serve its purpose well. much as a special case. If you have any views as to how the ACO committee should approach such issues in the future, it is important that you make them known to your Regional Rep. before the next committee meeting on 3rd October 1989, so that they can be taken in to account. and in spite of the 'mights' and 'ifs' finally concludes that The new building would to my mind be of substantial importance for the present age. following this statement with perhaps the most breathtaking comment in the whole breathtaking report when he states that the most that I believe can be said of even the best of the existing buildings is that they are undoubtedly of special architectural and historic interest, but in the final analysis only of relative importance. He concludes that the proposed scheme deserves to be built and the Secretary of State has agreed with his recommendation that the appeals should be allowed. This decision must be fought. It matters to everyone who cares what their town centre looks like or has ever been pleased to find their favourite building listed. If this decision is allowed to stand no listed building will ever be safe again. The decision introduces a completely new way of looking at the redevelopment of sites occupied by listed buildings. No longer is the most important criterion the value of the buildings themselves. Now we must CONTEXT23
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