INSTITUTE OF HISTORIC BUILDING CONSERVATION YEARBOOK
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3 CONTENTS THE INSTITUTE OF HISTORIC BUILDING CONSERVATION www.ihbc.org.uk Registered as a charity in England and Wales, number 1061593, in Scotland number SC041945 and listed in Northern Ireland Company Limited by Guarantee Registered in England number 3333780 REGISTERED AND BUSINESS OFFICE Jubilee House, High Street, Tisbury, Wiltshire SP3 6HA Tel 01747 873133 Email admin@ihbc.org.uk The institute cannot accept responsibility for the acts or omissions of any member, associate, affiliate or HESPR company and accordingly the institute shall not be liable for any loss or damage or other matter arising from the employment or engagement of any member. IHBC YEARBOOK We gratefully acknowledge the support of firms whose advertisements appear throughout this publication. While every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this yearbook is current and correct, neither the IHBC nor the publisher can be held responsible for any errors or omissions which may occur. All rights reserved. The title of the IHBC Yearbook is and shall remain the absolute property of the institute. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recordings, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the institute. This 2025 edition has been prepared for the Communications & Outreach Committee by the IHBC National Office with the help of Cathedral Communications Limited. For additional copies of the IHBC Yearbook please contact the Business Office. EDITORS Jonathan Taylor and Seán O’Reilly EDITORIAL TEAM Joanna Collie and Emma Heard COVER ILLUSTRATION Front cover: The dramatic steeple of Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson’s last remaining church in Glasgow, now vacant and at risk (Photo: Jonathan Taylor) The IHBC Yearbook is published and produced by Cathedral Communications Limited, High Street, Tisbury, Wiltshire SP3 6HA Tel 01747 871717 Email ihbc@cathcomm.co.uk www.buildingconservation.com Copyright 2025 Cathedral Communications Limited ISBN 978 1 912747 23 8 Foreword Cristina González-Longo 5 STRUCTURE AND MEMBERSHIP What is the IHBC? 6 Structure of the IHBC 7 Elected and appointed officers 8 Branch areas 9 Membership of the IHBC 10 REVIEW AND ANALYSIS Welcome Rebecca Thompson 15 Chair’s review David McDonald 16 Director’s update Seán O’Reilly 17 Better placed Dan Roberts 20 Berrington’s missing link Simon Robertshaw 25 Souk al-Saqatiyya Ataa Alsalloum 31 Chard Samantha Barnes 37 Roof condition monitoring 4.0 Frédéric Bosché and Jiajun Li 41 DIRECTORY HESPR companies 47 IHBC promotions and publications 50 Directory of members 51 USEFUL INFORMATION Courses and events 91 IHBC-recognised courses 94 National organisations 95 Local authority contacts 98 Products and services 103 Specialist suppliers index 112
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5 FOREWORD OUR HISTORIC environment is widely seen as one of the UK’s greatest assets, enjoyed by residents and visitors alike, and valued by sector professionals for its pivotal role in regenerating areas in relative decline. However, for others in the construction sector, heritage can be seen as an impediment to progress, placing unnecessary restrictions on development. In the rush to meet new targets for building more homes, it is important that developers never underestimate the central role of historic buildings and places to our environment, and the popularity of places which retain their significance. As Dan Roberts of Homes England puts it on page 22 of this Yearbook, those development constraints can ‘provide a springboard for invention and design innovation, for distinctiveness’. This translates directly into measurable benefits including not only the lower carbon emissions associated with the reuse of existing buildings, but also higher property values: people prefer to live and work in places which retain their links with the past. Dan Roberts’ article and the three that follow it, explore different aspects of how we approach the conservation and development of places. The focus here is on ‘context’, the fundamental term that describes the relationship between buildings and their surroundings, providing mutual meaning and creating places and shared memories. These articles follow this theme from the highly successful 2025 IHBC Annual School, held in Shrewsbury in June. A fifth article, by Frédéric Bosché and Jiajun Li of Edinburgh University, continues their research on AI, published in the 2024 edition of the Yearbook, exploring its use in monitoring the condition of roofs. From these articles, it is clear that the skill sets required to understand the significance and condition of historic buildings and sites, and successfully intervene in them, encompasses those of a broad range of heritage professionals. This includes historians, conservation architects, surveyors, structural engineers, town planners and conservation officers, in both central and local government, as well as in the private sector. Although the numbers of heritage professionals employed by local authorities has been declining, the interest into these professions continues. There is however the challenge that specialist conservation courses are not publicly funded, despite the urgent need for more conservation specialists to deal with the current extensive levels of work being carried out in historic buildings and sites. Graduates, from our own MSc in Architectural Design for the Conservation of Built Heritage at the University of Strathclyde, are great assets moving on into a wide range of organisations across the field of the built environment, and indeed some of them are also now teaching. Professional conservation and heritage skills are then nurtured and developed as requirements of all professional bodies for Continuing Professional Development. CPD is essential for building on the knowledge acquired at post-graduate level, for developing professional expertise through the workplace, and for learning from our peers working in the sector and in other specialist disciplines. It is here that the professional and expert networks of the voluntary sector bodies like ICOMOS, the SPAB, ICON and the IHBC are so important. In particular, as the principal professional body in the sector, and the only one that encompasses the full spectrum of constructionsector professionals, the Institute of Historic Building Conservation provides an extraordinary network of specialists, as is obvious from the scope of this year’s IHBC Yearbook. Since its emergence in 1997 from the Association of Conservation Officers, the IHBC has evolved to include conservation architects, engineers and building surveyors, as well conservation officers, with over half its members now working in private sector organisations. It is particularly welcome to see the institute progress to chartered status – a process in which I have been personally involved as a supporter – and it is gratifying to learn that the IHBC has now been given the go-ahead by the Privy Council Office for the submission of a petition for charter. While the development reflects the hard work and diligence of its officers and trustees, their success will be of little surprise to those who are familiar with the institute’s many excellent publications, in print and online, nor to those who attend its conferences and schools, or who enjoy the benefits of its network of regional branches. Dr Cristina González-Longo RIBA SCA RIAS FHEA RSA, Director of the MSc in Architectural Design for the Conservation of Built Heritage at the University of Strathclyde and President of ICOMOS CIF International Scientific Committee on Education and Training. CRISTINA GONZÁLEZ-LONGO
6 YEARBOOK 2025 WHAT IS THE IHBC? THE INSTITUTE of Historic Building Conservation is the principal body in the United Kingdom representing professionals and specialists involved in the conservation and preservation of the historic environment. Our members include conservation architects, architectural historians, conservation officers in central and local government, planners, surveyors and other specialist consultants, as well as academics and educators, curators, conservators and craftspeople. CHARITABLE PURPOSE As a registered charity, the IHBC’s purpose is to promote for the benefit of the public: the conservation and enhancement of the historic environment the highest standards of professional skills in this field the education and training of professionals and specialists responsible for such work. CORPORATE OBJECTIVES The IHBC’s operations are planned in accordance with the three objects listed in its current corporate plan (see website for details): helping people by promoting the conservation and management of historic places as a unique and evolving resource for people, both today and in the future helping conservation by supporting specialists, specialisms and specialist interests across all conservation-related activities, because effective conservation demands skilled care helping conservation professionals by supporting, encouraging and challenging IHBC members and prospective members, because conservation professionals work most effectively with coordination, advice, inspiration and scrutiny provided by an informed professional body. MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS Cutting edge news and debate: Twice weekly NewsBlogss, IHBC Conservation Wiki resource at DesigningBuildings.co.uk, IHBC’s journal Context, IHBC Yearbook, The Building Conservation Directory and other conservation publications from Cathedral Communications Professional development: Reduced rates and priority access (as applicable) to regular CPD courses and sector events, IHBC annual schools and branch events, job notices (IHBC Jobs etc), career advice and support, national and regional networking opportunities Technical support: Access to technical advice and guidance through national, regional and web-based advice and advisory panels Business support: Access to business support and listings including (for full members) membership of IHBC’s Historic Environment Service Providers Recognition (HESPR) scheme (see page 47), guidance on project development, participation and CPD opportunities in panels and groups, access to advocacy, and tax relief on subscriptions Participation and volunteering: Opportunities for shaping national and regional legislation and guidance through regular consultations, and involvement in all aspects of the work of the IHBC through regional branch activity and, at a national level, through our Council.
7 STRUCTURE AND MEMBERSHIP STRUCTURE OF THE IHBC COMMUNICATIONS & OUTREACH COMMITTEE DAVE CHETWYN Chair communications@ihbc.org.uk EDUCATION, TRAINING, STANDARDS COMMITTEE CHRIS WOOD Chair education@ihbc.org.uk MEMBERSHIP & ETHICS COMMITTEE ANDREW SHEPHERD Chair membership@ihbc.org.uk POLICY COMMITTEE ROY LEWIS Chair policy@ihbc.org.uk COUNCIL See ihbc.org.uk/aboutmain/council/ REBECCA THOMPSON President president@ihbc.org TORSTEN HAAK Vice President vpresidentth@ihbc.org.uk MIKE BROWN Immediate Past President (IPP) ippresident@ihbc.org.uk BOARD OF TRUSTEES See ihbc.org.uk/aboutmain/trustees/ MEMBERS TRUSTEES COUNCIL COMMITTEES AND BRANCHES PANELS, WORKING GROUPS, SUB-COMMITTEES etc ← ← ← REPORTING UPWARDS CONTROLS DOWNWARDS → → → EXECUTIVE OPERATIONS VOLUNTEERS NATIONAL OFFICE SEÁN O’REILLY Director director@ihbc.org.uk FIONA NEWTON Operations Director operations@ihbc.org.uk LYDIA PORTER Admin & Company Secretary admin@ihbc.org.uk ANGHARAD HART Education, Training and Application Support Officer training@ihbc.org.uk CARMEN MORAN Membership Services Officer membershipservices@ihbc.org.uk MICHAEL NETTER Professional Services Officer services@ihbc.org.uk JOANNA THEOBALD Brand and Marketing Consultant contact@ihbc.org.uk BRANCH SUPPORT CONSULTANTS See newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk CONSULTATIONS PANEL FIONA NEWTON Convenor consultations@ihbc.org.uk GREEN PANEL CRISPIN EDWARDS Chair green@ihbc.org.uk LEGAL PANEL LONE LE VAY Chair law@ihbc.org.uk TECHNICAL PANEL JOHN EDWARDS Chair technical@ihbc.org.uk EDITORIAL BOARD MICHAEL TAYLOR Chair ihbceditorialboard@gmail.com PANELS etc NATIONAL OFFICE
8 YEARBOOK 2025 ELECTED and APPOINTED OFFICERS The post-holders shown are correct at the time of printing but are subject to change. For the latest information please see ihbc.org.uk/page65/index.html DAVID McDONALD, CHAIR is an independent historic environment consultant specialising in providing heritage training for other built environment professionals. He formerly led the Conservation and Design Team at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. He is the IHBC’s representative at The Heritage Alliance and a trustee of the Council on Training in Architectural Conservation (COTAC). chair@ihbc.org.uk LONE LE VAY, VICE CHAIR is a retired chartered architect who worked primarily in the public sector providing specialist conservation, design and urban design advice. She most recently managed the Design and Historic Environment team at Chichester District Council and is a Fellow of the RSA. vchair@ihbc.org.uk DAVE CHETWYN, SECRETARY and COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH SECRETARY is managing director of Urban Vision Enterprise CIC and a partner of D₂H Land Planning Development. Former roles include High Streets Task Force Expert, chair of the board of the National Planning Forum, head of Planning Aid England, chair of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation, chair of the Historic Towns Forum, associate of the Consultation Institute and a Design Council Expert. ihbcsecretary@ihbc.org.uk communications@ihbc.org.uk JILL KERRY, TREASURER is a semi-retired chartered architect who has worked in the conservation sector for 25 years. She started her professional life in the public sector before moving to the private sector. She was the Northern Ireland branch representative until 2017. treasurer@ihbc.org.uk ANDREW SHEPHERD, MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY is the principal of Andrew Shepherd, Architect. A chartered architect and surveyor, his projects have included Grade I listed buildings and scheduled monuments. He has extensive teaching experience in the UK and abroad. His previous roles include president and education officer of the Ecclesiastical Architects and Surveyors Association and convenor of the Conservation Course Directors’ Forum. membership@ihbc.org.uk ROY LEWIS, POLICY SECRETARY is a director of Grover Lewis Associates Ltd, a specialist town planning and built heritage consultancy. He has held planning and conservation posts in local government and he ran an undergraduate conservation programme at the University of Derby. For the IHBC he represented the East Midlands branch from 2006 to 2017, and he has represented the IHBC on the Urban Design Alliance. policy@ihbc.org.uk CHRIS WOOD, EDUCATION SECRETARY was Head of the Building Conservation and Research Team at English Heritage. During his 26 years with EH and Historic England he led dozens of research projects prompted by casework priorities or other urgent issues and has written extensively on the findings. Now retired, he has worked in private practice architecture and was a conservation officer for over a decade. education@ihbc.org.uk REBECCA THOMPSON, PRESIDENT is Senior Estate Manager at English Heritage and past President of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). She is an active committee member of both IHBC Yorkshire branch and the annual CIOB Conservation Conference, where she is a regular speaker and event chair. Rebecca has a keen interest in responsible retrofit of historic buildings, reducing our carbon footprint and supporting heritage craft skills. president@ihbc.org.uk TORSTEN HAAK, VICE PRESIDENT Torsten started his career as a journeyman cabinetmaker in Hamburg. He then qualified in town planning, urban conservation and architecture and following on from 15 years with the Glasgow City Heritage Trust he is now the Executive Director of the Iona Community. He has held a number of UK and international roles including VicePresident since 2021 of the ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Historic Towns and Villages, and Board Trustee and Treasurer of Europa Nostra UK. vpresidentth@ihbc.org.uk MIKE BROWN, IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT is a chartered building surveyor with over 30 years experience of historic building repair and refurbishment. He is Director of Conservation & Design Ltd and former head of the conservation service at East Herts District Council. A past IHBC Chair and President, he sits on a number of heritage bodies and is particularly active on the Historic Environment Protection Reform Group with Historic England. ippresident@ihbc.org.uk
9 STRUCTURE AND MEMBERSHIP 0 50 100 km Crown copyright 2001 BRANCH AREAS • SCOTLAND (ALL ADMINISTRATIVE AREAS) • NORTHERN IRELAND (ALL COUNTIES) • NORTH (CLEVELAND, CUMBRIA, DURHAM, NORTHUMBERLAND AND TYNE AND WEAR) • NORTH WEST (CHESHIRE, GREATER MANCHESTER, ISLE OF MAN, LANCASHIRE AND MERSEYSIDE) • YORKSHIRE (ALL YORKSHIRE COUNTIES AND N AND NE LINCOLNSHIRE) • WALES (ALL ADMINISTRATIVE AREAS) • WEST MIDLANDS (HEREFORDSHIRE, WORCESTERSHIRE, SHROPSHIRE, STAFFORDSHIRE, WARWICKSHIRE AND WEST MIDLANDS) • EAST MIDLANDS (DERBYSHIRE, LEICESTERSHIRE, LINCOLNSHIRE, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE) • SOUTH WEST (CORNWALL, DEVON, DORSET, GLOUCESTERSHIRE, SCILLY ISLANDS, SOMERSET AND WILTSHIRE) • LONDON (GREATER LONDON) • SOUTH (BERKSHIRE, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, CHANNEL ISLANDS, HAMPSHIRE, ISLE OF WIGHT AND OXFORDSHIRE) • EAST ANGLIA (BEDFORDSHIRE, CAMBRIDGESHIRE, ESSEX, HERTFORDSHIRE, NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK) • SOUTH EAST (EAST SUSSEX, KENT, SURREY AND WEST SUSSEX)
10 YEARBOOK 2025 MEMBERSHIP OF THE IHBC THE INSTITUTE offers membership opportunities and linked benefits to all those who care for the built and historic environment. Our members are drawn from many disciplines, including architects, town planners, building surveyors, estate and asset managers, structural engineers, landscape architects, curators, buildings and project managers, archaeologists, architectural historians, local authority conservation officers, officers from national conservation organisations, academics and private practitioners. Membership of the institute is aimed at being inclusive rather than exclusive, though all assessed categories of membership require the observance of our code of conduct (see page 12) in line with our charitable objects. There are three categories of assessed membership: Full membership (assessed and accredited) represents conservation accreditation open to all active in the conservation of the built and historic environment. Full members have demonstrated to the IHBC their skills, knowledge and experience as interdisciplinary conservation professionals able to offer services and advice in line with national and international standards and models in conservation and its management. As such, full members are required to demonstrate skills and experience in line with and across the institute’s four areas of competence (see page 12), while significant skills in one or more areas may be seen to outweigh weaknesses in one of the other areas. Anybody who satisfies these requirements and has at least five years’ relevant experience would normally be considered eligible to apply for full membership. For those who have gained a qualification from a conservation course that has full recognition from the institute (see page 94), the period of relevant experience required is reduced from five years to two years. Associate membership (assessed and accredited) represents conservation accreditation awarded to practitioners who have demonstrated to the IHBC their capability in specialist skills, knowledge and experience in conservation in a single area of practical competence as recognised by the IHBC, typically one that corresponds to their primary skills or discipline. IHBC Annual School 2024 delegates on a tour of Reading town centre
11 STRUCTURE AND MEMBERSHIP Affiliate membership (assessed but not accredited) is available for those who have demonstrated an holistic ‘awareness’ of all aspects of conservation practice as described by the IHBC. They may later seek accreditation from the IHBC. RETIRED MEMBERS and SUPPORTERS (not assessed or accredited) For those who are less directly involved in conservation, including those with early career and late career interests, there are two further categories of membership that give access to the same core membership benefits, networks and activities all our members enjoy. Retired members are those accredited members (full or associate) who have formally retired from practice and pay reduced fees. Supporter status is open to anyone, typically those in the very early stages of a career linked to conservation and those keen to support the IHBC’s charitable objects. FEE SUPPORT Membership is available at concessionary rates for those in need or on low wages. Members of any category who make a case for fee support may secure further reductions. All forms of concessionary membership last only for the subscription year in which they are agreed. Full details are on the website. Retired This form of membership allows a reduced subscription rate for existing members who are retired from practice but wish to remain in contact with the institute. Those wishing to apply for this form of membership should write to the membership services officer confirming that they are no longer practising conservation. All members have the right to receive notices, literature and Context. The Membership and Ethics committee, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees, will decide on eligibility for and category of assessed membership. All membership information is kept on a computer database and names and addresses can be used for mailing of appropriate information to members subject to stated preferences on the membership application form and careful control by officers. To apply for membership please see ihbc.org.uk/join/index.html. MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS 2025 Subscriptions are due annually on 1 April and can be paid by direct debit, credit/debit card or by bank transfer. NB: IHBC fees are tax deductible as a professional expense, and through tax relief can reduce the cost by 20 per cent (basic rate tax payer) to 40 per cent or more. Members, associates, affiliates and supporters £150 per annum Concessionary rate £75 per annum (available to those with an annual income below £19,000, subject to proof of income and renewed annually) Retired members £75 per annum Fee support If you are having difficulty meeting the cost of our membership fees you can apply for fee support (ihbc.org.uk/join/feesupport/index.html). Successful applicants typically have their fees reduced by 50 to 100 per cent of the full rate. CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT The IHBC specifies ongoing training and development as a fundamental duty for an active professional. Consequently, CPD is compulsory for full members and strongly recommended for affiliates, individuals intending to become full members and associates. See ihbc.org.uk/learning/ cpd for details and registration forms. How much is required? Full and associate members must complete 50 hours of CPD over any two-year period and must supply CPD registration forms when requested by the institute. What qualifies? CPD must be planned on the basis of a personal development assessment related to the areas of competence (see page 12) and can include site visits, independent research, volunteering or other activities which broaden a member’s professional horizons. Where can I find CPD events? Sign up to receive the IHBC’s free CPD circular, or see events.ihbc.org.uk to find short courses and events, including many provided by IHBC regional and national branches. IHBC membership currently stands at 2,532. Excluding those members who have retired (160), 53 per cent are employed in the private sector (1,267) and 28 per cent in the public sector, with 479 in local authorities and 191 in national government bodies. IHBC MEMBERS BY EMPLOYMENT SECTOR NOTE These figures exclude retired members Third sector 8% National government 8% Local government 20% Private sector 53% Not employed 3% Students 5% Miscellaneous 1% Education 2%
12 YEARBOOK 2025 CODE OF CONDUCT The object of the code of conduct is to promote those standards of conduct and self-discipline required of a member of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation in the interests of the public and the protection of the built heritage. The main object of the institute is the promotion, for the benefit of the public, of the conservation of, and education and training in, the conservation and preservation of buildings, structures, areas, gardens and landscapes which are of architectural and historical interest and/or value in the United Kingdom. This heritage, which is part of society’s common heritage and which should be available to everyone, is, however, a limited and irreplaceable resource. It is therefore the duty of all members to act for and to promote its protection. Subscription to the IHBC’s code of conduct for individuals involved in the conservation and preservation of the built heritage assumes acceptance of these responsibilities. Those who subscribe to it and carry out its provisions will thereby be identified as persons professing specific standards of competence, responsibility and ethical behaviour in the pursuit of historic environment conservation work. This code indicates the general standard of conduct to which members of the institute are expected to adhere, failing which its governing body may judge them guilty of conduct unbecoming to a member of the institute and may reprimand, suspend or expel them. For further information see ihbc.org.uk/resources/A4-Code-ofConduct.pdf. AREAS OF COMPETENCE COMPETENCES PROFESSIONAL 1. Philosophy 2. Practice PRACTICAL EVALUATION 3. History 4. Research, recording and analysis MANAGEMENT 5. Legislation and policy 6. Finance and economics INTERVENTION 7. Design and presentation 8. Technology AREAS OF COMPETENCE AND COMPETENCES FOR IHBC MEMBERS The IHBC’s ‘areas of competence’, and their underpinning ‘competences’ provide an outline of the skills, knowledge and experience needed to fulfil the requirements of accredited membership of the institute. Prospective members are advised to refer to the institute’s current guidance for applicants, Membership Standards, Criteria and Guidelines (2008) which is posted on our website’s membership pages – see ihbc.org.uk/join/apply/index.html The following provides a brief summary of the principal headings: PROFESSIONAL AREA OF COMPETENCE 1. Philosophy Knowledge and understanding of conservation theory and the social, cultural, political, aesthetic, economic and environmental values that underpin current conservation policy and practice 2. Practice Knowledge and understanding of conservation practice and making of informed and authoritative conservation judgements, including knowledge of its processes and protocols and the ability to interact effectively with all bodies and individuals who have a significant role to play in the field PRACTICAL AREA OF COMPETENCE: EVALUATION 3. History Knowledge and understanding of the development of the historic environment including the remains of previous periods and cultures, historic buildings and settlements, work of engineering, parks, gardens and other elements of the historic landscape 4. Research, recording and analysis Ability to carry out or commission research, recording and analysis of the historic environment, and to maintain records accordingly PRACTICAL AREA OF COMPETENCE: MANAGEMENT 5. Legislation and policy Knowledge and understanding of legislation and policy for the conservation of historic environments, their formulation locally and nationally, and awareness of other relevant legislation, policies and guidance 6. Finance and economics Knowledge and understanding of economic factors in applying heritage legislation and policy, including applications for statutory consents, and for procurement of conservation services for heritage-related projects, including financial and viability assessments, valuation, cost planning and contracts PRACTICAL AREA OF COMPETENCE: INTERVENTION 7. Design and presentation Ability to analyse and evaluate historic contexts and to secure appropriate designs in fabric, buildings, townscape and areas, existing and proposed, and to communicate results in ways accessible to professionals and communities 8. Technology Knowledge and understanding of building construction of all periods, the characteristics of structures, the nature and properties of building materials, and appropriate methods of repair and alteration of historic fabric.
REVIEW AND ANALYSIS Central Station in Glasgow’s bustling city centre: much of the decorative cast iron work was restored in the 1990s. (Photo: Jonathan Taylor)
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REVIEW AND ANALYSIS 15 WELCOME! REBECCA THOMPSON, IHBC PRESIDENT THIS EDITION of the Yearbook arrives in my first year as IHBC President. I’d like to begin by thanking you all for your support, and in particular to Michael Brown for his outstanding contribution as outgoing president. It is a true honour to take on this role, and I do so with pride, passion, and a deep respect for our profession. The IHBC represents an extraordinary community of interdisciplinary practitioners – people united by their dedication to heritage and high professional standards. In my role as President, I want to shine a light on our profession, celebrate the skills we nurture, and encourage the next generation to find their place in our sector. People and development will be at the heart of everything I focus on. We need to reach future professionals wherever they are – in schools, colleges and workplace apprenticeships – and show them that a career in conservation is not only meaningful, but also viable and rewarding. I believe apprenticeships are essential to our future, and I’ll be using my role to advocate for investment, access and progression for people of all backgrounds. I’ll also be asking members to engage with their own development and let us know how IHBC can better support your CPD needs. I also want to reinforce our commitment to increasing diversity – in the sector, in our membership, and in leadership. The Gus Astley Student Awards remain a key element of this, and I was delighted to celebrate new and emerging talent at the Annual School in Shrewsbury. Another key focus will be supporting our Petition for Royal Charter. Gaining Chartership would be a defining milestone in our collective journey. It would formally recognise the exceptional standards upheld by IHBC members, raise the visibility of conservation professionals, and strengthen our voice across the built environment sector. It’s a long-term goal – but one well worth striving for. I hope to meet many of you at branch events, CPD sessions, or at our fantastic Annual School. The IHBC is built on its members. Our shared experience, expertise and enthusiasm are what give our institute its strength and identity. So let’s keep building. Let’s keep encouraging, supporting and inspiring one another. And above all, let’s remember that professional membership is not just about titles – it’s about people, relationships, and the shared responsibility we have to protect and care for our historic environment. Thank you once again to the IHBC team, our trustees, and every one of you who makes this community so special. Let’s make it a year to remember. Rebecca Thompson president@ihbc.org.uk Rebecca Thompson welcomes members at a reception in St Mary’s Church, Shrewsbury at the start of the IHBC Annual School.
16 YEARBOOK 2025 CHAIR’S REVIEW CHALLENGING TIMES DAVID McDONALD, IHBC CHAIR IN LAST year’s Chair’s Review, I wrote about advocacy, and specifically the advantages of chartered status for the IHBC. By the time this Yearbook has been published, the Privy Council Office will be considering our memorandum, seeking its comments on a possible formal petition by the IHBC. However, the importance of advocacy will not be lost on our members in this rapidly changing political environment. A change of government has meant an increased emphasis on growth in the housing sector as well as an intention to speed up the planning process, particularly in relation to major infrastructure projects. While it would be churlish to object to housing growth and a more efficient planning process per se, we do have a responsibility to ensure that there is sufficient consultation and the right level of checks and balances are in place to protect the historic environment. We have already commented on the infrastructure bill and will continue to respond to government consultations on legislation and policy over the year ahead. Our advocacy role does not simply entail responding to government. We are also in constant touch with other organisations in our sector and working with them to ensure that our voice is heard. ‘Heritage as an enabler not a blocker’ is the phrase that I keep hearing and that has been echoed in Griff Rhys Jones’s endorsement of this year’s IHBC Annual School in Shrewsbury. His witty and informal online advertisement for the Annual School contended that heritage supports growth rather than stifles it. We are fortunate to have gained some of his time in between his sterling work as president of both Civic Voice and the Victorian Society. In choosing the theme of ‘context’ for both this edition of the Yearbook and the Annual School, we are also advocating the value of the historic environment and demonstrating its relevance to growth and sustainability. During the last year, for me the overriding theme in sustainable conservation has been the connection between the natural and historic environment. This was covered admirably in Context No. 180, the theme of which was ‘Where heritage and nature meet’. I also attended The Heritage Alliance’s Foresight Day which dealt with similar issues. In the autumn I was privileged to be able to chair IHBC London’s Annual Conference which had the rather provocative title of ‘A Walk on the Wild Side’. At each of these events, there was a consistent message about working together with professionals in nature conservation and above all recognising that our professions are complementary rather than conflicting. If you’ll excuse the pun, 2024’s Annual School was much more down to earth. In dealing with finance, policy and people in conservation practice there were many lessons in how to manage the increasingly complex world of the historic environment. It was also a pleasure to be in Reading, a city with more historic interest than it is normally given credit for. I was particularly interested to learn that it was the home of the eminent Victorian architect Alfred Waterhouse. Of course, he is famous for his public buildings such as Manchester Town Hall and the Natural History Museum in London, but it was instructive to see some of his lesser works in and around Reading. Returning to our proposed petition for chartered status, it is reassuring to me that Mike Brown who, as President of the IHBC, was one of those strongly promoting chartership and he will be continuing to be involved in moving the initiative forward. As Immediate Past President, his responsibilities will include membership of our Petition for Charter Working Group. I would like to thank Mike for all and everything that he has done for the IHBC as President. It is one of those roles which combines formal responsibilities such as chairing council meetings with more informal tasks such as attending other organisations’ events on behalf of the IHBC. He has done all this with his customary energy and enthusiasm. He has proved to be an excellent representative and I am pleased that he will be continuing to work with us for the foreseeable future. At the same time, I should like to extend a warm welcome to Rebecca Thompson, our recently elected President. Rebecca, as many readers will be aware is Director of Property at St Paul’s Cathedral. I am grateful to her for taking on the role as president in addition to her duties at St Paul’s. She will bring to us the benefit of her experience in property care and management. I know that she has particular interests in training and equity diversity and inclusion (EDI) issues. I am looking forward to working with her over the coming year. Finishing on a positive note, I am pleased that we have added to the membership of the IHBC Board by appointing some new trustees, with a wider demographic background than previously. This will assist us in meeting the challenges ahead. David McDonald chair@ihbc.org.uk
REVIEW AND ANALYSIS 17 DIRECTOR’S UPDATE STRENGTHENING STANDARDS, SERVICE AND IMPACT SEAN O’REILLY, IHBC DIRECTOR SINCE MY last Yearbook update, as readers will be aware, the institute has continued its focus on those activities that make most difference to tangible conservation outcomes across our built and historic environment. Most notably, the sectorwide consultation on a potential Royal Charter continues to add weight to all the IHBC does. The exploratory work required was, it transpires, essential for much of what we do anyway, providing an ideal framework for reviewing who we are, what we do and how we move forward. Our progression also chimes well with the narrative in our Shrewsbury School in June, ‘Heritage in Context’, where we reflected on the model process for forward looking conservation outcomes: value, plan, change. In 2024 discussions around a Royal Charter gained momentum. Following the overwhelming support it received from our membership at our 2024 AGM, we submitted a formal memorandum to the Privy Council Office in May 2025 asking for their views on a Royal Charter for our institute. Hopefully, we’ll have initial feedback soon (at the time of writing) or already (at the time of reading). Meanwhile, our examination of charter status has not distracted us from our other services, as requested by our members. Indeed, charterlinked reflections, surveys and datagathering have added invaluable perspectives to our corporate planning priorities, often unexpectedly, but always usefully. It has provided a hugely welcome endorsement of our work to date. And it has given us new inspiration as we raise new service initiatives – from digital engagement in learning to more nimble approaches to fundraising in our CREATIVE Conservation Fund. Moreover, it has acted as a spur to our hopes and ambitions, based on a better ‘valuing’ of what we do, and the perfect foundation for any future ‘planning’ for informed ‘change’. One key criterion for any charter application is public benefit. For the IHBC, our outcomes in conservation practice speak for themselves. But perhaps less obvious is the energetic volunteering culture that we cultivate, inspire and rely on, particularly through the work of our branches, committees and boards, which helps us bring public benefit in spades. This is not least because, as a low-cost, high-skilled and reliable resource, our volunteers support services that offer, among other things, expert conservation learning and guidance that is accessible to all walks of life. Our charter investigation has reminded us of just how valuable our progressive and often innovative work in volunteer-framed conservation education and guidance is, both to the IHBC and to society at large. A recent example was our first blended Council, which was held in the London Charterhouse. In addition to welcoming in our new President Rebecca Thompson and Vice President Torsten Haak, and thanking Mike Brown as he took on the new role of Immediate Past President, that event also saw IHBC volunteers from branches across the UK joined together to benefit from new networks and learning. Alongside those headline opportunities we offered informal, technical advice for volunteers on hosting low-cost hybrid events, extending the reach of their programmes to engage with new audiences and to deliver even greater public benefit. Our charter discussions have highlighted the values our branches add, precisely because they extend the IHBC’s charitable outreach and work, so our investment in expanding volunteers’ skills and local services brings direct public benefit through our volunteers. Through the charter process, this improved valuing allows us to plan accordingly and, of course, invest resources with more confidence to support progress and change. The charter work also required that we specify the ‘unique’ expertise attached to the IHBC’s conservation practice. This has helped us crystallise new guidance based on our core practice model, The Conservation Cycle which underpins our assessment and regulation of personal, interdisciplinary historic built environment conservation practice. Although long embedded in our accreditation process, the cycle is now being brought to the forefront and featured in publications, CPD guidance and communications. For those who want more context to their professional journey, our forthcoming elevation of the cycle will only help. For example, it frames why the first step towards IHBC accreditation for emerging and early career conservation professionals might be as an Affiliate member: someone who has demonstrated a rounded, holistic ‘awareness’ of all aspects of the conservation process across all our eight Competences. It also makes explicit how those Competences, developed by conservation officers and adopted by the IHBC, align so well with international practice standards and models. Director Seán O’Reilly with David McDonald addressing virtual and in-person delegates at the IHBC Annual School in Reading 2024
18 YEARBOOK 2025 Members are also beginning to see more substantial references to The Conservation Cycle, our core framework for assessing and supporting interdisciplinary conservation practice. Although long embedded in our accreditation process, the cycle is now being brought to the forefront and featured in publications, guidance and communications, to help members as they maintain accreditation through continuing professional development (CPD). Our support for accreditation also includes delivering accessible, local and cost-effective CPD. This has helped sharpen our support for the training and accreditation events that our branches supply, and the impact is being seen already. In the last year especially, the IHBC charity has supported branch capacity and services ever more substantially through appointing dedicated branch consultants. Their roles are very limited for now, as we work our way into this new programme, but their supportive presence will help us all do better. They will be able to channel enhanced National Office support for topic-specific training in areas of CPD that are hard to access, and through our branch CPD partnerships they will be able to support branches manage their finances more efficiently. Clearly as the charter discussions aid a better understanding of what needs to be done, our resources can be targeted more effectively, and by investing in our volunteers’ skills and platforms, we can confidently scale up our services and public benefit. Through informed and managed change, our training, planning and professional CPD infrastructure has also been evolving, suitably informed by valuing what we do already. Our CPD infrastructure, from annual schools to CPD Circulars and our NewsBlog, continues to evolve. Each now reflects a more deliberate alignment with our conservation standards and professional competences. We’ve also enhanced the MATE (Membership Accreditation Training Event) programme, making it more accessible to those seeking accreditation or simply wishing to align their practice with IHBC standards, which remain the same even as the world around us changes. Our annual schools, hosted by branches but now led more by the National Office to ease the volunteer burden, are where learning, practice, standards and outreach come together with volunteering and public benefit. An expanded focus on accessibility, formed by reflection and the need to change, helps us expand public benefit just as we help raise members’ profile with clients, customers and communities. Free pre-School webinar programmes are fast gaining a profile of their own – growing out of small, in-person start-ups in our Wales branch, help make sure we are as inclusive as possible, and tied also to the communities of our members’ clients. Accessibility is critical to members and their colleagues too, as so many have duties to other professions and disciplines. This year’s timely and diverse endorsements of our Schools reflect the success of those changes: IHBC Schools have been branded as ‘pre-eminent’ by outgoing Historic England Chief Executive Duncan Wilson CBE, while the Shrewsbury School is perfectly profiled in the enthusiastic video endorsement – now on our YouTube page, and elsewhere – from no less a figure than Griff Rhys Jones, a Jiminy Cricket for the public benefit of heritage care and conservation! Overall, our efforts on the Memorandum makes clear that all we have been doing for more than a quarter of a century also happens to align with some of the key terms outlined in charter guidance. We may not tick all the boxes needed for a charter, so there’s no guarantees: size, unique-ness, viability, politics and more all may raise definitive barriers not touched on here. But the point is that our development of standards and services shares much with key essentials of a charter. In that context, a charter applicant also must demonstrate tangible achievements in a unique discipline. On that, our draft for the Memorandum has the last word: ‘The IHBC’s primary achievement has been to develop, formalise, implement and disseminate our integrated professional standards and services for regulating an individual’s competence in interdisciplinary historic and built environment conservation practice. Even globally, no professional body equivalent to the IHBC is known to us’. Seán O’Reilly is the Director of IHBC (director@ihbc.org.uk), joining in 2005 after working at the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland. He has written, contributed to and edited numerous publications in architectural history and conservation. IHBC delegates gaining essential training in the regenerated Butter Market in Redruth, Cornwall: this IHBC place-making and design CPD course was led by Dave Chetwyn of Urban Vision, and organised by IHBC South West Branch in conjunction with the central office. (Photo: Jonathan Taylor) IHBC South Branch committee members who, as volunteers, helped organise and co-ordinate the IHBC Annual School in Reading in 2024 (from left to right); Morwenna Breen-Haynes, Claire Turman, Alison Davidson, Sarah Homer and Emily Carter. (Photo: Jonathan Taylor)
REVIEW AND ANALYSIS 19 A specialist heritage consultancy providing expert, robust and constructive planning advice. 01223 919720 jbheritage.co.uk mail@jbheritage.co.uk Oxburgh Hall, Norfolk www.purcelluk.com Architects, Masterplanners, Heritage Consultants Rodney Melville + Partners Building Conservation | New Design | Conservation Planning Contract Administration | Feasibility Studies | Disaster Management Materials Science | Sustainability | Funding Advice | Strategic Planning Leamington Spa | London T 01926 881 311 www.rmpuk.com CHARTERED ARCHITECTS HISTORIC BUILDING CONSULTANTS Uppark,West Sussex The country’s leading independent heritage consultancy Heritage Impact Assessments Proposed Listing Reviews & Rebuttals Historic England Engagement Leading Expert Witness Provider www.vitruviusheritage.com Tel. 0208 106 8508
20 YEARBOOK 2025 BETTER PLACED HOW HERITAGE ASSETS CAN INFLUENCE THE SETTING AND CHARACTER OF DEVELOPMENT DAN ROBERTS MOST OF my professional career (if you can call it that!) has been in, or on the edges of, conservation of the built environment. To be honest, many professionals in the sector often overlap with conservation, whether they realise this or not. My love for conservation came via a degree in town and country planning, followed by post graduate studies in design in the built environment, way before urban design was recognised as ‘a thing’ once again in British planning. One of my very early course lectures told me that ‘we can’t design for the future unless we understand the past’. It is the mantra that I have worked to, if not lived by, ever since. As soon as work and finances allowed, I studied for a masters in conservation and renewal, to formalise my burgeoning realisation. Please forgive the indulgence of this mini resume, but I wanted to explain how I came to work in conservation. One of the joys of this sector, and urban design, is that, as practices, they draw on all sorts of backgrounds, approaches and learnings. Collaboration is key. I see placemaking as a mosaic, which forms a whole; the many, varied pieces of tile are only successful if they come together to make a cohesive picture. In my work for the public sector, at local, regional and national levels, I apply my learning, primarily, to inform the design of new housing-led developments. I see the mosaic better by stepping back to try to make sense of a place. The details intrigue and lure me still but, increasingly, I deal with the big picture nowadays. It is often said that ‘context is everything’. This statement is true, not only for explaining ad hoc careers in conservation but, more relevantly, when proposing new development. Context is always important but the government refocus on the regeneration of places heightens the need for thorough contextual analysis. When places are analysed, there is a craving to discover order. It is an inherent human trait. Built environment professionals often use plans to recognise the order of places and see the patterns that lie therein. Plans provide a means to plot and record places, and to analyse and understand them. Through site appraisal, a ‘pattern language’ is developed¹. The order of patterns is translated from plan to place. Repurposing of the Coal Drops Yard buildings as part of the King’s Cross regeneration in London Borough of Camden. The new roof, designed by Thomas Heatherwick, terminates a view across a new event space within the public realm, elevating the old warehouses from former backcloth to feature buildings. The gas holder structures in the background (illustrated opposite) were relocated and now contain private apartments.
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