Publication has been announced of the EH funded, IHBC led ‘Stopping the Rot’ research, covering the use and effectiveness of Listed Building Repairs Notices, Urgent Works Notices, Compulsory Purchase and other statutory action in tackling Buildings at Risk (BAR), showing options available and to help local authorities make effective use of any of these powers.
Trefor Thorpe, IHBC’s President, said: ‘This is a truly excellent piece of work, and couldn’t come at a better time. Buildings at Risk are often the most visible reminders of environmental decay. Timely and well-managed action to save them is not only prudent sustainable action but can provide great examples to kick-start regeneration. So this is just the sort of the ammunition local authorities need.’
Trefor went on to say ‘I hope this guidance can be quickly modified and adapted to suit the needs of Scotland, Wales and Ireland too. I’m very proud that the IHBC has been at the forefront of this.’
Jo Evans, IHBC Chair, commented on the practical application of the guidance as follows: ‘As well as step-by-step advice on the use of the legislative options the new version includes case studies and a selection of specimen letters, notices, schedules and agreements which were additions frequently requested during our consultation with conservation officers.’
Fiona Newton, IHBC Projects Officer and research lead, said: ‘We found that 59.6% of Councils had taken no statutory action of any kind over a five-year period. Whilst 20.2% served one or more Urgent Works Notice only 11.5% authorities have served one or more Repairs Notice.’
‘But the research also produced a positive, encouraging or reassuring statistics for those considering action, such as that 59.6% of Urgent Works Notices approved by Councils did not actually need to be served as the owner carried out the works required or sold the building on.’
The guidance has been considerably expanded and updated from the original work to include not only Urgent Works Notices & Repairs Notices but other options for action such as Section 215 Notices and the Housing Act.
The guidance also includes statistical material on current use and practice drawn from research carried out by the IHBC as part of this project.
Download the FULL report: HERE
See the background on the English Heritage Website at: LINK
