Memorandum submitted by the UK Association
of Building Preservation Trusts
The UK Association of Preservation Trusts (APT)
is a Registered Charity representing over 280 Building Preservation
Trusts (BPTs) across the UK. APT's remit is to encourage and assist
its member Trusts in expanding their capacity to preserve and
reuse the built heritage, and this is done through the provision
of information, advice and assistance, and by actively promoting
the work of BPTs. There are two types of Trust, revolving fund
and single building. Revolving fund Trusts operate on the revolving
fund principle of acquisition, repair and sale, using the proceeds
of one project to fund the next. Single building Trusts are usually
established to undertake a project within a community where the
building will have a community use.
APT notes that the Committee is particularly
interested in receiving evidence on six key issues as follows:
THE REMIT
AND EFFECTIVENESS
OF DCMS, ENGLISH
HERITAGE AND
OTHER RELEVANT
ORGANISATIONS IN
REPRESENTING HERITAGE
INTERESTS INSIDE
AND OUTSIDE
GOVERNMENT
APT is concerned that the protection of the
historic environment does not appear to be a high priority within
DCMS and that the split responsibility between DCMS, ODPM and
DEFRA exacerbates this problem. The present government appears
to see historic building conservation as something of an impediment
to development, thereby harking back to attitudes more commonly
seen in the 1960s. Some elements of the development industry,
in particular major developers, indicate that there are too many
historic buildings and too many planning controls, and this attitude
is inadequately challenged. There is important evidence that conservation-led
regeneration is of great value and more should be done to promote
this.
THE BALANCE
BETWEEN HERITAGE
AND DEVELOPMENT
NEEDS IN
PLANNING POLICY
The vital first step in identifying development
needs is in recognising the quality of the existing environment
and those aspects that make it important. There should be no major
conflict between heritage and development needs provided that
both sides think constructively. As indicated in the previous
response, there is ample evidence of the importance historic buildings
in their communities and in regeneration and many of the high
quality schemes now seen are based on a conservation-led approach.
The appropriate way forward in this respect would be for the conservation
responsibilities of DCMS to be transferred to ODPM and with conservation
of the built heritage properly recognised within the overall planning
framework.
ACCESS TO
HERITAGE AND
THE POSITION
OF HERITAGE
AS A
CULTURAL ASSET
IN THE
COMMUNITY
APT does not believe that recognition of the
heritage requires expert understanding. It is clear that a vast
number of people enjoy the environment in which they live, work
or visit, especially in historic towns and cities, though they
may not expressly see this as supporting the built heritage.
FUNDING, WITH
PARTICULAR REFERENCE
TO THE
ADEQUACY OF
THE BUDGET
FOR ENGLISH
HERITAGE AND
FOR MUSEUMS
AND GALLERIES,
THE IMPACT
OF THE
LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS
ON LOTTERY
FUNDING FOR
HERITAGE PROJECTS,
AND FORTHCOMING
DECISIONS ON
THE SHARING
OF FUNDS
FROM LOTTERY
SOURCES BETWEEN
GOOD CAUSES
APT views with great concern the continued decline
in the budget for English Heritage and the effects of this on
creative projects. The unfortunate decision forced on English
Heritage to restrict grant aid to grade I and grade II* buildings
leaves a very considerable number of grade II listed buildings
at risk with limited opportunities for their preservation. The
key consideration here is the fragile nature of those parts of
the historic environment that are at risk because once such buildings
are beyond repair they are lost for ever.
The other important aspect to success of heritage
projects is that many of these are complex and can take several
or more years to achieve; during that time security of funding
is vital. The building preservation trust movement has significant
potential provided that adequate resources are made available.
It seems inevitable that the decision to allocate lottery funds
to the 2012 Olympics will reduce the finance available for heritage
projects. Similarly any reduction in HLF funding will have the
same effect. For many BPT projects HLF grants are now the major
source of help, particularly taking into account the position
of English Heritage. Competition for these funds will mean that
some projects will not be achieved.
WHAT THE
ROLES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES SHOULD
BE FOR
ENGLISH HERITAGE,
THE HERITAGE
LOTTERY FUND,
LOCAL AUTHORITIES,
MUSEUMS AND
GALLERIES, CHARITABLE
AND OTHER
NON-GOVERNMENT
ORGANISATIONS IN
MAINTAINING THE
NATION'S
HERITAGE
There should be a clear definition of the roles
of English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund regarding standards
and policy. It should be for English Heritage to set standards
and determine policy in the national interest with the Heritage
Lottery Fund providing resources within a defined framework. It
should not be for the Heritage Lottery Fund to attempt to take
an intellectual lead. Within the overall framework there need
to be clear policies for participants such as local authorities,
museums and galleries etc. to pursue their own interests to the
best of their abilities. The contributions that can be made by
charitable and other non-government organisations need to be recognised
and supported. The efforts that are made by many such organisations,
including BPTs, will only continue provided that they can see
results. It is important that obstacles are not put in the way
and that assistance is offered to encourage the growth of the
non-government sector.
WHETHER THERE
IS AN
ADEQUATE SUPPLY
OF PROFESSIONALS
WITH CONSERVATION
SKILLS; THE
PRIORITY PLACED
BY PLANNING
AUTHORITIES ON
CONSERVATION; AND
MEANS OF
MAKING CONSERVATION
EXPERTISE MORE
ACCESSIBLE TO
PLANNING OFFICERS,
COUNCILLORS AND
THE GENERAL
PUBLIC
In recent years the priority given to conservation
by local authorities has declined along with the number of Conservation
Officers in post. Effective conservation requires well-trained,
skilled and experienced professionals and craftsmen and there
is evidence of a lack in this respect. APT recognises the pressures
on local authorities, especially planning authorities, but considers
that conservation of the historic environment should receive a
higher priority and that this will only be done if it is a requirement
rather than an option. Planning and conservation staff require
more training in conservation skills if the potential of the historic
environment is to be properly recognised and achieved. The variation
in the supply of conservation skills across the country places
certain areas at a disadvantage and this needs to be remedied.
16 January 2006
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