Category Archives: Sector NewsBlog

The COP26 UN climate change conference set to take place in Glasgow in November has been postponed due to COVID-19.

The National Trust will furlough up to 80% of its staff as it responds to the coronavirus pandemic.

A traditional mill in Aberdeenshire dating back almost 140 years has been destroyed by a huge fire.

To celebrate its 85th birthday, gas company Calor has increased the value of its Rural Communities Fund to £85,000, which it will divide into 22 prizes, closing 9 April. image: for illustration purposes only – P Badcock

The RTPI are undertaking research on Measuring Planning Outcomes Research to consider how local authorities can measure the outcomes of planning in order to track and improve the impact of planning. image: for illustration purposes only – Open Government Licence … Continue reading →

Lovers of the built environment and folk self-isolating throughout Scotland, if spending a little more time indoors or are seeking an interesting way to pass the time why not look to the Scottish Civic Trust’s #WhatsOotMaWindae for some fun and … Continue reading →

Planning rules passed by Brighton and Hove council which come into force next month and will require new developments to contain so-called ’swift bricks’ to encourage nesting birds. 

Landscape-scale conservation to help tackle climate change and benefit more than 2.5 million visitors as, recognising the increasing need for a bigger, better and more joined-up approach to nature conservation, seven leading partners have come together to help protect wildlife … Continue reading →

Government UK notes 16 out of 22 Rosewell recommendations implemented, as the Planning Inspectorate publishes its updated Action Plan. image: Open Government Licence v3.0

City Hall has overruled Southwark Council to approve a £500m development on Bermondsey’s Biscuit Factory despite concern over a ‘shortfall’ of social housing as the plans, initially thrown out by Southwark’s planning committee over a lack of affordable homes, will … Continue reading →

After years of historical and archaeological detective work, nine lost statues of the ‘Muses’ – goddesses of the creative arts and poetry – have been recreated at the National Trust’s world-famous gardens at Stowe in Buckinghamshire.

The Scottish Government has published ‘A Culture Strategy for Scotland’ which shows how important culture is to Scotland’s prosperity and sets the future direction for supporting culture in Scotland.

England’s Housing Minister Christopher Pincher made a speech at the Planning Inspectorate Annual Training Event, name-checking history, design, old buildings and more. image: Open Government Licence v3.0

A Welsh Government consultation has been launched on ‘Changes to listed building consent applications: Applications for listed building consent by local authorities’, closing 8 June.

The Construction Industry Council (CIC) has published a new procedure to make adjudication affordable for low value disputes.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) is gathering sector-wide data to gauge the impact of the pandemic and with responses sought ASAP – including from bodies not funded by the NLHF – by Friday 27 March at the latest.

The Construction Industry Council (CIC) has launched its Roadmap for Change, a new digital resource to promote industry best practice, at Futurebuild, in London in March.

The Heritage Alliance (THA) has issued its report on the recent Budget, which included measures on an increase in the National Living Wage and a review of the Treasury’s Green Book, looking at developments with an impact on the heritage … Continue reading →

The London Historic Buildings Trust (LHBT) has issued its first online newsletter, and if people would like to receive LHBT news and updates they can sign up today.

Historic England (HE) is seeking views on revisions to their existing Advice Note on how to take account of the historic environment when planning for tall buildings, with the consultation closing 26 April. image: for illustration purposes only

The annual Brick Awards celebrate the best examples of clay brick in our built environment, seeking exemplary projects from leading architects, housebuilders, developers and contractors, across 17 hotly-contested categories, closing early May.

The Cultural Protection Fund is continuing into 2021, to build on from the success of the last four years, with new funding, reports The British Council.

Andrea Sandor writing about the city of Manchester asks whether development or democracy matters most.

The four UK higher education funding bodies are seeking diverse nominations for further panel members and impact assessors etc. to join the ‘REF sub-panels’, closing 3 April 2020, with areas including disciplines of Engineering; Architecture, Built Environment and Planning; Archaeology; … Continue reading →

Councils are reported to be considering taking up rarely-used executive powers to keep the planning and development system moving during the coronavirus pandemic, the Planning Officers Society reports, as officials may use executive powers to take decisions if committees are … Continue reading →