C O N T E X T 9 7 : N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 6 conservator at theYork Glaziers’ Trust two years ago, works on the stained glass of York Minster as well as outside projects. She believes the skills she gains on the course will be of value in future projects planned by the Dean and Chapter, particularly conservation of the Great East Window, for which funding is currently being raised. QEST, the charitable arm of the Royal Warrant Holders Association, has made cash awards to 160 craftsmen and women since 1991. The closing date for spring 2007 scholarships is 19 January 2007. Application forms can be downloaded from www.qest.org.uk. up in 1999 by Unilever to be responsible for the conservation of the village. Turbulent times As conservationists worry about the visual impact of the predicted rash of wind turbines on the UK’s domestic rooftops, environmental campaigner George Monbiot comments (Building Design, 13 October 2006): ‘The figures I’ve seen suggest that in most urban settings [installing a mini wind turbine] is a complete waste of time and money, and has been wildly over hyped.’ Planning delivery grant An extract from the IHBC’s response to the Department of Communities and Local Government’s consultation document on Planning Delivery Grant 2007/08: proposed allocations criteria. See www.ihbc.org.uk for the full text. The IHBC is concerned that the planning delivery grant (PDG) allocation still does not recognise the importance of the efforts being made by many local planning authorities and their conservation staff to meet the requirements of Best Value Performance Indicator (BVPI 219) (Conservation Areas). Aside from their intrinsic value to the delivery of the requirements of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, the documents that are the focus of the BVPI have a key role to play in the local development framework (LDF) process. The character appraisals demanded by 219 part b will form key supporting evidence for LDF core strategy policies on historic areas. Similarly, the conservation area management proposals required under part c of the BVPI will inform and underpin many regeneration projects up and down the country and, of particular importance here, LDF development plan document area action plans. They will also form the cornerstone of many heritage and design supplementary planning documents. Without these key supporting conservation documents, many LDF policies and documents are likely to be found ‘unsound’ at examination, causing considerable delay in the implementation of the LDF system. Much evidence has already been placed before the government that demonstrates the chronic underresourcing of conservation work and staffing levels within local planning authorities. The IHBC believes it is vital at this key stage of the LDF process that the government gives proper support to the delivery of this BVPI. The planning development grant system can and should be used to incentivise enhanced performance in this area. While the institute recognises that it is perhaps not appropriate to include supplementary planning guidance (SPGs) in the assessment of performance, statements of community involvement (SCIs) should be included and planning development grant awarded for meeting milestones in their preparation. SCIs have been key documents on which local authorities have focused resources and sought to deliver against LDF milestones. Consideration should therefore be given to recognising and rewarding this performance. Regarding development plan documents (DPDs), it would seem that the proposals would reward those local authorities which concentrate their resources on a few DPDs, rather than those which have been ambitious in the number they are progressing and delivering. This is where the proposals should take into account workload, and those authorities which are trying to secure extensive and up-to-date plan coverage. A voice for garden suburbs GrahamTite’s proposal for a national forum for garden suburbs and cottage estates (Context 96, September 2006, p3) has received positive responses from a number of IHBC colleagues. Tite is now looking for help in compiling a register of these estates and their representatives and conservation panels, spreading the word more widely, and identifying garden suburbs throughout the UK and Ireland. Apologies for giving an incorrect email address for GrahamTite in our previous issue. Please contact him at 16 Bepton Close, Midhurst,West Sussex GU29 9QR. Tel 01730 816363. paolatite@clara.co.uk Tracy Holmes: future projects may include York Minster’s Great East Window. New round of THI awards The rundown centres of 13 towns and cities across the UK are to receive a total of £13 million in grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). This latest round of awards brings the total awarded through the HLF’s Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) over the past nine years to over £150 million. Towns to benefit from this new investment include those which have suffered decline and decay since the closure of traditional industries: Long Eaton, a former centre of lace-making in the east midlands;Wansbeck in the north east, once reliant on coal and iron production; and the west midlands’ town of Willenhall, famous for lockmaking. The multicultural community of Chapeltown in Leeds, home of the UK’s second biggest carnival, will also benefit. Sunlighters The Port Sunlight Village Trust has opened a new museum, Sunlight Vision. It introduces the social history of the 19th century garden village and the story of its founding byWilliam Hesketh Lever. The museum itself is based in the original Grade II Girls Club building. It contains a mix of memorabilia, artefacts, graphic and audio-visual displays about life as a Sunlighter. Sunlight Vision is managed by the Port Sunlight Village Trust, a charity set
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