1. The Gardens Trust County Gardens Trusts & Conservation
I’m down to talk about implications of the merger for CGTs conservation role.
In fact, CGTs’ (optional!) conservation role has been changing massively over the past few years, with the changes following the merger in July being only a small part of that jigsaw. So forgive me if I do something of a recap.
Historic Landscape Project

2. Historic Landscapes under Threat
Complex heritage assets
Many are undesignated
Lack of understanding causes loss of significance
Multiple physical threats, such as:
Neglect
Poor management
Development
Change of use
Prioritisation of wildlife conservation
The historic parks and gardens that we love have always faced dreadful threats, and this has not changed, although the precise nature of the threats may have changed over the years – fewer golf courses and mobile phone masts, more solar and wind developments.
Historic Landscape Project
Presentation 1 Introduction

3. All landscapes are under threat – locally, regionally and nationally significant places
Grade I (part CB) landscape at Warwick Castle threatened by permanent development of a “glamorous camping” site within the registered site boundary.
TGT worked with CGT to make strong representations against the development, but it has been allowed – demonstrating the very real nature of the threat facing designed landscape of even international significance.

4. Loss of expertise elsewhere
Historic England
Natural England
Local planning authorities
Garden History Society / The Gardens Trust
County Gardens Trusts have become the frontline –
Your Landscape Needs You!
In the golden past (let’s say a decade ago), we could have been forgiven for imagining a hoard of professionally-trained and paid staff in organisations such as Historic England, or local planning authorities, who were dealing with the conservation of historic parks and gardens. We in the CGTs could be left to enjoy researching gardens and visiting them, on our own terms.
Truth be told, this wasn’t ever really the case, but in any case over the past 5 years or so, it has really entirely ceased to be the case. Historic England has less than a handful of part-time landscape architects, and landscape issues are more often than not dealt with by Inspectors from a Buildings background. Similar situation at Natural England, where availability of Historic Environment specialists is extremely patchy. Local planning authorities have shed their conservation officers, and many of the staff remaining are, through no fault of their own, extremely deskilled.
And, as we all know, the GHS’s extremely part-time staff was never really able to adequately deal with the 1500 applications it received each year.
As a result, the situation we find ourselves in is that there really is no one else to look after the conservation of historic designed landscapes than CGTs. I find this as frustrating as you do, none of us are in this situation out of choice, but the reality is that if CGTs cannot pick up the conservation baton now, then the sector really has run out of options – and the landscapes will continue to be damaged and lost - forever.
Historic Landscape Project
Presentation 1 Introduction

5. Conservation value of CGT research
National designation
Local designation through local list, especially if attached to a Local Plan
Historic Environment Records held by local authorities, which the National Planning Policy Framework requires planning applicants and local planning authorities to consult
Quick side note here to say that although we really really need CGTs to pick up planning application work, their research and recording work can also be channelled invaluably into having conservation value if it is used to inform designation (both on the National List , ie Register of Parks and Gardens, and as the basis of a local list), and inputted to the local authority Historic Environment Records, which need to be consulted by applicants and planners before deciding an application.

6. Planning applications
By 2015, at least 30 of 36 County Gardens Trusts are dealing with planning applications. Fantastic! Thank you! (But we know there are still many many issues to iron out.)
GHS (now TGT) receives planning application consultations and inputs into a unique log.
Once a week it sends CGTs a list of these consultations.
If they would like to, CGTs pick out those from their counties and comment to the local authority accordingly.
This is often done in liaison with the GHS/TGT Conservation Officer (Jonathan Lovie) and Assistant Conservation Officer (Margie Hoffnung).
The AGT-GHS Joint Conservation Committee issued template letters that could be used to write CGT comment letters.
Many CGTs do not just wait for the Weekly List, but have built relationships with their lpas and so receive consutlations direct, especially on non-Registered sites, or are inputting into local plans etc.
Historic Landscape Project

7. Historic Landscape Project
Statutory status
The GHS had a statutory involvement [Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 and DETR Circular 01/2001] – planning authorities must consult with it on planning applications that may effect Grade I, II* and II sites on the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest
The statutory status has now passed to The Gardens Trust.
So, here’s the meaty bit: what has happened to the statutory status of the GHS?
Historic Landscape Project

8. How do CGTs fit into the consultation process?
The Gardens Trust (TGT) is a statutory consultee. This obliges local planning authorities to consult with it on planning applications, but not necessarily to listen to its advice.
It receives consultation on planning applications relating to Grade I, II* and II landscapes.
It turns to CGTs for help – CGTs are not statutory consultees but their advice is invaluable so TGT primes local planning authorities to heed their comments.
CGTs respond to consultations, sometimes with TGT and sometimes referencing it
and its statutory role in their letters.

9. TGT Casework Log and weekly list Identifying trends and hot spots – in your area and across the country
Cases referred to TGT are included on the casework Log.
Cases are circulated to CGTs each week. Not only does this alert the CGT to new cases in its area with which it may want to engage; it also allows CGTs (and TGT) to build up a picture of types of development proposals affecting designed landscapes (eg solar, wind, change of use), and particular places which seem to be the subject of more than their fair share of applications – eg wind turbines in the setting of Shugborough, Staffordshire.
This is a two way process – TGT relies on the huge reserves of expertise and local knowledge in CGTs; and we can provide support and advice, especially through Margie who liaises on a weekly basis with CGTs dealing with planning threats.

10. Historic Landscape Project
New planning leaflet
Need to introduce The Gardens Trust to local authorities
Need to restate the statutory consultee obligations
Need to ‘introduce’ the County Gardens Trusts and explain their role
New leaflet: ‘‘The Planning System and the Protection of Historic Parks and Gardens: What You Need to Know’’
Final draft available for CGTs’ National Forum in November
Distribution to local authorities late-2015/early 2016
A new leaflet for planners is planned for 2015 – text being finalised as we speak.
Will help to prepare the ground for CGTs to develop positive relationship with their LPAs.
Historic Landscape Project

11. Historic Landscape Project
Leaflet headings:
‘The Planning System and the Protection of Historic Parks and Gardens: What You Need to Know’
The Importance of Parks and Gardens
The Register
Statutory Consultation Requirements
Dealing with Planning Applications
Determining Significance
Checklist to assist LPAs in dealing with park and garden-related applications
Planning Policy
Other sources of Information
It will include explanation of how historic landscapes are designated (nationally and locally), introduction to TGT and reminder of statutory status and its implications, big plug for CGTs as working with TGT, details of how lpas should assess significance, plug for HER, where historic p&gs fit into NPPF, checklist of process that lpas should follow when assessing a planning application relating to a historic p&g.
Historic Landscape Project

12. The problem of non-consultation
We all know that non-consultation of TGT is a serious problem which underlines the urgent need to refocus the relationship between LPAs, TGT and by extension CGTs.
CGTs have an absolutely vital role in alerting TGT to cases where there has not been appropriate consultation – and advising us whether a statutory intervention would be appropriate.
This case at Boringdon, near Plymouth affecting the setting of the Grade II* landscape at Saltram, was brought to our attention just last Thursday.

13. Why bother to engage with planning
Why bother to engage with planning? Your interventions can be very successful – and save landscapes!
The hard fact is that if we (collectively) do not engage with the planning system to try to avert inappropriate and damaging development affecting designed landscapes, no one else will.
And although it sometimes seems an uphill, depressing struggle, it does sometimes pay off: planning officers were able to make use of the advice received from TGT to refuse consent for a proposed development of 400 houses, a convenience store, access, earthworks, enabling and access works on a site affecting the setting of Grade I Kedleston.