Conservation Bulletin 62: Conservation Areas

Everyone agrees that conservation aims to sustain the special character of places. But who decided what is special, and how to reconcile conservation obligations with the need to keep buildings in everyday use?

Protecting the past and championing innovative change have for too long seemed at implacable odds. At last we are realising that the old and the new can co-exist in creative harmony.

People have never been more interested in the past – but capturing their individual imaginations it has to be presented in new and diverse ways...

Climate Change is Happening. But what will it do to our Historic Environment? And How Can Our Knowledge of the Past Help us adapt to the Future?

For many younger people, the buildings and landscapes of the late 20th century are already heritage. So where does the historic environment begin and end?

England's historic environment can tell stories of extraordinary diversity and richness. More people than ever before are engaging with these stories and telling their own.

England's fragile rural landscapes face inescapable pressures for change. The challenge for the heritage sector is to work with others to ensure that change is managed in ways that sustain the vital historic character of the countryside on behalf of the millions of people who value it so highly.

Caring for the heritage is all about people and skills. English Heritage and its partners are working as never before to revive traditional crafts, create new expertise and harness the energy of young people, decision-makers and volunteers across the historic environment sector.

This autumn the government will launch its long-awaited White Paper on the protection of England's historic environment. In advance of legislative reform, English Heritage and its partners have been testing new streamlined approaches for designating and managing complex historic assets in public and private ownership.

The e-revolution is sweeping through the historic environment sector.The opportunities are immense, but will only be grasped through vision, partnership and clear understanding of the information services people really want.

In this 50th issue of Conservation Bulletin we focus on the international historic environment scene – how it works, the partnerships that are in place, the exciting results that are being achieved, and the outlook for the future.

In this special anniversary issue of Conservation Bulletin we and our partners look back at some highlights of English Heritage’s first 21 years as the Government’s champion for the historic environment.

An example of the multi-faceted nature of England's coast, Scolt Head Island on the North Norfolk coast extends over 5 kms between Brancaster and Burnham Overy (view looking east towards the pines of Holkham Hall's beach). One of the firstcoastal reserves in England – given to the National Trust in 1923 with the remainder acquired by the Norfolk Naturalists' Trust in 1945 – it is now managed by English Nature for migrating and breeding birds.

The remains of medieval 'random-patterned' fields grouped around dispersed farmsteads at Hitcham, Suffolk, a distinctive feature of the East Anglian landscape alongside less common numerous fields and regularly planned 'coaxial' patterns of the same date.

The Great Pavement (1268), Westminster Abbey, by Odoricus, a member of the Cosmati group of Roman marble workers whose work was characterised by the use of polychrome marble and mosaic inlay. Measuring 8.6 x 8.6 metres, the marble and onyx work set in Purbeck marble is in front of the high altar.

Typical DNA sequence results, showing four kinds of nucleotides. An unambiguous sequence will have a clear pattern of peaks without overlaps, but ancient DNA sequences are often damaged and hard to read. The underlying 19th-century legal document is one of a series of specimen parchments analysed by the University of Cambridge. Its study of ancient DNA signatures found in medieval parchments seeks to discover both the animal sources and the relatedness of the animals used.

There is more to war than weapons and fighting.The growth of interest in 20th century military remains is part of a wider span of social archaeology.

The historic environment gives resonance to the places where people live and work. English Heritage is developing new ways of thinking about, conserving and managing those places that matter to everyone.

Major changes in rural life pose a challenge which will need to be met by new policies to support agriculture, conserve diversity and historic character in the landscape and maintain the balance between town and countryside.

Major initiatives being developed by England Heritage, in partnership with the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, will strengthen urban regeneration and encourage good architecture which enhances the historic environment.

Gardens and landscape in the care of English Heritage include a wide range of nature conservation areas and historic sites. There have been a number of major garden restorations that have added to the understanding of the past and delighted visitors. Developments in refining historic landscape characterisation, designing contemporary heritage gardens and regenerating public parks have far-reaching implications.

Chief Archaeologist, David Miles, reports on the development of surveying techniques and the wealth of information arising from their application.

Sir Neil Cossons, Chairman of English Heritage, reviews former industrial sites in relation to regeneration and public understanding.

English Heritage Commissioner, Richard Morris, discusses the repercussions of the Heritage Strategy Review and the questions it raises about who the English are. and the questions it raises about who the English are.

The language of sustainable development is everywhere. Phrases such as ‘common inheritance’, ‘quality of life’, ‘future generations’, or ‘sustainable conservation’ are found in many different contexts, from countryside conservation to urban regeneration, from wildlife to heritage conservation, and from local authorities to government departments. They are central to English Heritage’s new Strategic Plan for the period 1999 to 2002. But what do these ideas mean in practice for the historic environment?

A new lead body for the heritage was created in April with the merger of the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England with English Heritage.

The recent publication of our Register of buildings at risk, launched in May, has received extensive coverage in the national and regional press. Paul Drury explains our intention to heighten awareness, promote debate and focus attention and money where they are needed.

Pam Alexander, Chief Executive of English Heritage, explains the restructuring of English Heritage into nine regions which will correspond to the boundaries of the Government Offices for the Regions and the proposed Regional Development Agencies.

Tall buildings. New Thames bridges. Better architecture. A new planning policy for London. These four topics were the focus of an English Heritage debate held on 29 May before an invited audience of developers, architects, journalists and policy makers at the Royal College of Physicians. Philip Davies reports.

English Heritage is making England’s Christian Heritage its theme for 1997 to celebrate the 1,400th anniversaries of the arrival from Rome of St Augustine and the death of St Columba on the Isle of lona, and to draw attention to the work being done to maintain England’s buildings, monuments and works of art. Richard Halsey reports.

In September 1995 English Heritage published a policy statement on industrial archaeology, together with an analysis of grants over the period 1984–93. The past year has seen a number of significant developments in this area, not least the growing involvement of the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), whose impact was only just starting to be felt a year ago.

Progress on the preparation of a Management Plan for the Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site has been reported in previous issues of Conservation Bulletin (22, 4–5 and 26, 5–8). The final version of the Plan* was published on 9 July this year, following a year of intensive public consultation.

Members of Professional Services will continue to visit sites and advise appropriate solutions for conservation issues. By redeploying, our professionals will be able to make their advice go further and provide vital support for English Heritage projects.

Imaginative solutions will be needed to fund projects in 1996. Jane Sharman, Director, Conservation Group, predicts a challenging year ahead.

A recent and happy visit to Kettlethorpe Hall in West Yorkshire, an important eighteenth century house which has been rescued by the Yorkshire Building Preservation Trust with the help of a large grant from English Heritage, prompted some thoughts about the future of Building Preservation Trusts in general.

Finance from the National Heritage Lottery Fund is seen by English Heritage as an exciting opportunity to repair some of the dilapidation in historic parks, gardens and other public open spaces in the London area.

The tenth birthday conference of English Heritage was a memorable occasion, with the Prime Minister and two of his ministers present, and a message from the Prince of Wales. Jennifer Page, chief executive, reflects on the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

English Heritage celebrates its tenth anniversary in 1994. In the first part of this issue we look back at ten years of achievements.

English Heritage goes into its tenth anniversary year with both the highest ever levels of government funding and the highest proposed level of spending on grants for the repair of buildings and monuments.

The recession is affecting conservation, as it does other aspects of our lives. Owners of buildings in need of repair are struggling to find the means to keep their properties in good shape. Changes in ownership, which are often the catalyst for a major repair or restoration programme, have slowed down, particularly in urban areas.

The last year has seen vigorous discussion of the purpose of conservation area designation, the adequacy of current controls in these areas, and the related planning framework. A Government consultation paper is imminent (indeed may well have been issued before this Bulletin is distributed), and English Heritage has also advanced the debate with its own consultation paper on the Conservation Area Partnership Scheme, and a guidance leaflet on Conservation Area Practice.

Our Forward Strategy Managing England's Heritage, issued late last year, reviews our role as the principal expert adviser on the historic environment in England. This comprehensive review of priorities reaffirms some basic principles and provides the opportunity for a change of focus, reflected in the 20 objectives reprinted here.

In the Chief Executive's Report on the 1991–2 English Heritage Annual report and accounts, published in early September, I said that we needed an increasingly positive attitude to the suggestions and plans of others. This openness involves us, I believe, in asking, not just telling, and in listening and learning.

After the election, the reorganisation. Perhaps the emotional hangover caused by the ritualised over-indulgence in political speculation during the pre-election period and on the night itself goes some way to explain the caution with which many people have greeted the changes in what is known as the machinery of government and, in particular, the creation of the Department of National Heritage.

Buildings at Risk: a sample survey was published by English Heritage on 22 January 1992. It analyses the results obtained during the first stage of the national survey of listed buildings which English Heritage is encouraging all local authorities to undertake. The report, which has been published as a consultation document, has been sent to all those who receive Conservation Bulletin. Its findings will be of value to everybody interested in the protection of historic buildings.

In earlier editorials, emerging data about English Heritage grant schemes were presented: my facts and opinions were subsequently used – and occasionally misused – in national and other publications. They helped to provoke greater scrutiny of English Heritage activities and policies. This is welcome: we wish to share what we can, particularly as sound data are scarce and guesswork rife in the conservation world.

In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, according to Benjamin Franklin, except death and taxes, and the latter can change quite markedly in nature and impact, as we all now know. Not unconnected with those changes is the increasingly unsettled political climate, as possible general election dates approach and recede and as arguments develop about the extent of the economic recession.

In October 1990, I wrote about the financial constraints which have been biting hard into English Heritage's activities. It was therefore all the more welcome that the Chancellor's November statement announced that our provisional allocation of funds from central government for 1991–2 would be raised by £9.5m, while our planning figure for 1992–3 would go up by £16.2m and for 1993–4 by £20.9m.

Recent heightened public interest in archaeology, fuelled by a number of well-publicised cases, particularly in York and London, culminated in the publication in February of a consultative draft for a Department of the Environment Planning Policy Guidance (PPG) note on archaeology. This increased interest in the subject, however, conceals the steady progress which has been made over almost two decades towards integrating archaeological conservation with planning and development control.

A recent and happy visit to Kettlethorpe Hall in West Yorkshire, an important eighteenth century house which has been rescued by the Yorkshire Building Preservation Trust with the help of a large grant from English Heritage, prompted some thoughts about the future of Building Preservation Trusts in general.

In a recent article in The Planner, Sir Colin Buchanan wrote of his part in extending the application of the term 'environment' from its natural sciences base to the concept of humankind in its physical surroundings, natural and created. It was in a planning context – the report on Traffic in Towns 25 years ago – that this central idea arguably first found its name, and with it, its identity.

Many English towns and cities are historic centres of great age: a good proportion date back to the Roman period, while others were foundations of the medieval or post-medieval period. Patterns of foundation, growth, and development have led to an amalgam of areas or buildings which are unique to each and which give to each an individual character.

Like many another non-departmental public body or quango, English Heritage has adopted as part of its management system a formal planning process structured around an annual plan which looks 2–3 years back and 3–5 years forward. The plan is the blueprint for implementing in the medium term specific programmes of action designed within an agreed strategy.

The role and expectations for English Heritage in managing the 400 properties entrusted to it were clear when it was created nearly five years ago. Its task was to conserve the fabric of the monuments to the high standards already set, to make them more attractive to visitors, and to exploit the educational and commercial opportunities they presented.

In 1096 Bishop Herbert Losinga began building Norwich Cathedral. By the time of his death in 1119 the choir, the transepts, and the eastern bays of the nave had been completed. The cathedral is, of course, one of the great glories of English architecture and one of the great Houses of God.

In the last issue of the Conservation Bulletin I wrote about arguments that had been advanced against the philosophy and practice of conservation. Related views have been expressed about the way 'the Heritage Industry' is produced and packaged for the public and its effect on society's attitude to the present and the future.

The speech of HRH The Prince of Wales at the Mansion House did not start the debate on the role of architects and planners within the community: it did, however, give impetus and publicity to what many have been thinking or saying for some time. It also reflected a wider debate about the way in which we protect and preserve the best of our historic buildings, villages, and towns.

Each year English Heritage submits a Corporate Plan to the Secretary of State for the Environment. This reviews progress in recent years and sets out policies and plans for the three succeeding years. The Chairman of English Heritage then meets the Minister of the Environment to discuss main issues, and in November we are notified of our grant-in-aid for the following year. The Plan is based on a financial planning figure given in advance by the Department, but we also set out that money which we consider is needed to carry out the full range of our proposals.

At the time of writing, English Heritage accounts for 1986–87 have not been finalised. Provisional figures, however, give a clear indication of the main features of last year's expenditure and how this relates to our income.