Welcome to the latest edition of the HELM newsletter. We are delighted to present this quarterly newsletter for your interest.

Your next update will be July 2010.

what's new in heritage: developments and challenges for the local historic environment

The second joint English Heritage and Local Government Association conference will be taking place on 19 July, at Local Government House in central London. The conference will look at the future holds for the heritage sector, with particular emphasis on the recently launched Planning Policy Statement 5. More information on the conference can be found at:

The Heritage Alliance Manifesto: Making the Most of our Heritage

Manifestos bunch like bananas but unique in the fray is The Heritage Alliance manifesto Making the Most of our Heritage identifying the goals of the non-government heritage sector. Against four criteria: building a new economy, giving value for money, empowering people; and responding to climate change, it recommends a series of measures that would realise the potential of heritage to benefit our national wellbeing.

Download the manifesto (and others) from the new manifestos webpage or request hard copies from The Heritage Alliance, the new name for Heritage Link, unites 77 non-government heritage bodies in England

Government's Statement on the Historic Environment for England

Government published it's Statement on the Historic Environment for England on 23rd March 2010, it is intended to help Government realise its vision for the historic environment and can be downloaded at:

PPS5

English Heritage is very pleased to welcome the new Planning Policy Statement for the Historic Environment (PPS5).

PPS5 (which was consulted on under the title Draft PPS15) brings a new, integrated approach to the historic environment removing the distinction between buildings, archaeological remains and landscapes. It is a major step forward in achieving Heritage Protection Reform.

English Heritage took a lead in preparing the government-endorsed Practice Guide that accompanies PPS5. It explains how the policies in the PPS can be applied and how the historic environment should be integrated into and considered during the planning process.

For links to the documents, to read and suggest FAQs, and for further information, visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/pps.

Principles of Selection for Listing Buildings and Policy Statement on Scheduled Monuments

DCMS has published the Principles of Selection for Listing Buildings and a Policy Statement on Scheduled Monuments to support the new PPS5. In essence they reflect previous documentation, slightly revised, mostly to reflect the new arrangements for devolved administration to English Heritage of the listing, scheduling and Scheduled Monument Consent systems of November 2009.

English Heritage is currently preparing revised selection guides for national designation across the asset range that, as far as possible under existing legislation, will reflect the integrated approach espoused by government in the Heritage Protection Reform programme and the new PPS: these will be published in early 2011. Full integration will need to await legislative change as envisaged by the draft Heritage Protection Bill.

Historic Environment Records

We have recently produced a new publication, Sites and Monuments Record to Historic Environment Record: Local Authority Case Studies through HELM (helm.org.uk/HERs) which showcases the range of uses Local Authorities have put their HER to. Case studies range across five themes including access and outreach, content and coverage, partnership working, interoperability and information management.

Alongside this, on 15th February 2010 English Heritage launched a new scheme within the Historic Environment Enabling Programme (HEEP). In 2010/11 we are making available a total of £400,000 towards research and development into HERs, to help owners and users bring HERs into line with planned Heritage Protection Reform (HPR). Tenders will be issued for some of this work (these will be posted on http://englishheritage.g2b.info/.). However, the majority of funding will be available as grants accessed via applications to HEEP, details can be found in the HER21 Scheme document, applications need to be received by 15th April 2010. The grant scheme is for one year only and all projects must be complete by March 15th 2011. If you are considering an application please read the scheme details carefully and ensure you are familiar with EH Project Management Guidance (www.english-heritage.org.uk/MoRPHE) and HEEP Guidance for Applicants. Further information is available from the Historic Environment Commissions Team.

National Heritage Protection Plan

In order to become more effective and proactive in protecting and managing the historic environment, English Heritage is developing a single framework to systemise the processes by which we identify significant heritage assets and how we protect them. Our intention is to set out our priorities for the period 2010-2015, and the reasoning behind them, in what we are calling the National Heritage Protection Plan (NHPP). As we develop the NHPP we will be consulting with sector colleagues on the principal approaches of the plan, and in the future, as we refine and review the plan on an annual basis. We hope to publish the final plan in September 2010.

Review of Statutory Lists (Quality and Coverage)

The NHPP sets out English Heritage’s approach to protecting the historic environment and will provide the framework for identifying and assigning significance over a 5 year period. In order to identify what our priorities for protection might be we need to have a good idea of the state of the current designation base and especially the lists which inevitably vary in age, thoroughness, coverage and rigour. A project has been initiated to take an overview of the huge quantity of existing designation and flag up areas – geographic or thematic, which are inadequately covered by the lists and thereby help to establish priorities within the NHPP for selective list revision.

Recent publications include:

Strategic Environmental Assessment, Sustainability Appraisal and The Historic Environment

The historic environment is more than an environmental and cultural asset; it is an important driver for economic development and delivering social objectives. The historic environment contributes positively to all aspects of sustainable development. English Heritage is one of the designated environmental consultation bodies for Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Sustainability Appraisal (SA).

Download Strategic Environmental Assessment, Sustainability Appraisal and The Historic Environment.

London's historic fire stations: EH and LFB Joint Guidance

This management guidance is intended to aid local authorities in the assessment of applications for alterations to historic fire stations whether they are listed, or unlisted and within conservation areas. By understanding what is important about these buildings, and understanding the unique requirements of the London Fire Brigade (LFB), it should be possible to successfully plan future changes that manage the delicate balance between conservation and service provision.

Download London's historic fire stations: EH and LFB Joint Guidance.

Sites and Monuments Record to Historic Environment Record: Local Authority Case studies

HERs are information services that provide access to comprehensive and dynamic resources relating to the historic environment of their locality for planning and development control as well as public benefit and educational use.

Download Sites and Monuments Record to Historic Environment Record: Local Authority Case studies.

HELM Training 2010

April

• 22nd April. Stopping the Rot. Exeter. For Local Authority staff working in planning, conservation, development control and legal departments. Colleagues from Building Preservation Trusts will also find this training useful. EH & invited specialists will use case studies to illustrate how existing statutory powers including Urgent Works Notices, Repairs Notices and Compulsory Purchase Orders can be used effectively.

May

• 6th May. Stopping the Rot. Liverpool. For Local Authority staff working in planning, conservation, development control and legal departments. Colleagues from Building Preservation Trusts may also find this training useful. EH & invited specialists will use case studies to illustrate how existing statutory powers including Urgent Works Notices, Repairs Notices and Compulsory Purchase Orders can be used effectively.
• 20th May. Archaeology in Planning and Development. Tyne and Wear. For Local Authority staff including planners and conservation officers. Professionals from the built environment and development sectors, and archaeologists wishing to specialise in planning and development archaeology may also find this training useful.

June

• 3 June. Historic Characterisation and Spatial Planning. Luton. For Local Authority staff involved with Local Development Frameworks, regeneration projects and the assessment of planning applications in a historic context.
• 24 June. Historic Characterisation and Spatial Planning. Newark. For Local Authority staff involved with Local Development Frameworks, regeneration projects and the assessment of planning applications in a historic context.

July

• 8 July. Cemeteries: Conservation & Management. Ipswich. For Local Authority staff, cemetery managers and others working in the local authority bereavement service.
• 15 July. Historic Characterisation and Spatial Planning. Hereford. For Local Authority staff involved with Local Development Frameworks, regeneration projects and the assessment of planning applications in a historic context.

September

• 9 September. Finding a Future for Traditional Farm Buildings: From Spatial Planning to Local Action. South East.

October

• 7 October. Historic Characterisation and Spatial Planning. Bristol. For Local Authority staff involved with Local Development Frameworks, regeneration projects and the assessment of planning applications in a historic context.

November

• 25 November. Historic Characterisation and Spatial Planning. London. For Local Authority staff involved with Local Development Frameworks, regeneration projects and the assessment of planning applications in a historic context.

Heritage at Risk

English Heritage would like to thank all of you who have completed the amended Conservation Areas survey. The survey has now closed, although users can still access and download their completed surveys. We are now considering updates for the for the 2010 Heritage at Risk register, which will be published on 30 June 2010. You may be contacted by our Regional Areas Advisor to discuss and agree your submissions. We anticipate making the survey available to you again as soon as possible after the launch, so that you will be able to record changes to sites as and when they arise, rather than all at once, in time for the 2011 register.

Historic Environment Traineeship (HET) Scheme

The HET Scheme is now well established and recruitment for the 2010 intake will open at the end of April.

For further information and recruitment information for the 2010 intake see www.english-heritage.org.uk/traineeships

Contact details

If you have any queries relating to this newsletter please email or phone Timothy Brooks on . If you wish to unsubscribe, please use the unsubscribe link.