The IHBC has just launched the first stage of its developing practitioner’s ‘Toolbox’ – an integrated online resource for built and historic environment conservation practice – with it IHBC’s new Research Notes programme currently covering issues as wide-ranging as jobs market data, judicial review and UK policy on VAT.
IHBC President Trefor Thorpe said: ‘I’m delighted that the IHBC is able to offer this impressive – and still evolving – ‘Toolbox’ resource to the wider sector as well as to our members. Already users might sense how it might become the ‘one-stop-shop’ to access IHBC-linked resources on any aspect of conservation information, knowledge, practice and standards.’
‘Critically, though, we do know that financial resources are tight everywhere, and we’re not looking to re-invent wheel. So the toolbox will complement existing conservation resources that reflect the IHBC’s own take on conservation.’
IHBC Education Secretary David McDonald said: ‘The Research Notes now being made available are the first stage of an ongoing research programme led for us by our Research Consultant and long-standing IHBC contributor, Bob Kindred. It is a particular privilege to be part of these new developments in our member support and services, and I know that these IHBC Notes are going to add a whole new – and, today, very necessary – layer to the credibility, recognition and consistency of built and historic environment conservation.’
Bob Kindred, IHBC’s Research Consultant said: ‘Our Research Notes & Guidance Notes programme offers current and recent research and advice into topics that we consider crucial to the promotion of good built and historic environment conservation policy and practice.’
‘In many specific areas of current policy and practice, there are information gaps. Our Notes necessarily reflect what is happening any one time and some of the work we are doing is in the form of crowd-sourcing to uncover good work that IHBC members and others are doing but not easily accessible to the sector. IHBC will always welcomes new case examples, feedback and comment for future revisions and periodic updates. This can come direct to me at research@ihbc.org.uk.’
Current published Research Notes are:
- Charging for Listed Building Consent Pre-application Advice
- Urgent Works Notices: Lessons from Appeals
- Market Intelligence: Local Authority Conservation Specialists Jobs Market 2014
- Policy regarding Value Added Tax (VAT) on historic buildings
- Planning Related Applications for Judicial Review
The IHBC will feature these in forthcoming NewsBlogs, and keep members up to date as and when new Notes for our Toolbox are published.
For the Research Notes in our developing Toolbox see: http://ihbconline.co.uk/toolbox/
