1. Joining up Agendas Key Issues for CGTs
Verena McCaig
Historic Landscape Project Officer
South East Region
[THIS PRESENTATION WAS CONCEIVED AND WRITTEN FOR SUSSEX GT COMMITTEE MEETING BUT THE ISSUES CONSIDERED APPLY MORE GENERALLY TO CGTs]
Hope I can outline some of the current issues and opportunities – because of the project I’m working on these are focused around research and conservation issues rather than schools and education but hopefully there can be links made
Might be useful just to say from where this project evolved:
Project is to support CGTs to play a greater role in conservation initiatives – to really ensure that they are supported to develop their potential – and to assist in protecting more landscapes, particularly parkland, in the south east
I took up post 18 months ago and needless to say things have changed rapidly during that time
Project has been developing in response to CGTs info and feedback and partner agencies
I’ll start at the broadest levels that the project is considering and hone down to what this could mean for CGTs and where I see we can make most difference
[2005 Heritage Counts EH report highlighted
Nearly 50% parkland lost since more than any other region - area larger than the IoW
AGT formed partnership with EH and NE - Target expertise and funding towards conservation of designed parkland landscapes in SE region]

2. State of Conservation National Policy Issues
Historic Environment Records – Heritage Assets
Localism / National Planning Policy Framework
Development and PPS5 – site significance
Local Listing
Heritage at Risk
Funding
Spending Review – impact on LAs/EH/NE
Heritage Lottery Fund
Higher Level Stewardship
Other
Closer working partnership – AGT, GHS, The Garden Museum, Parks & Gardens UK
HERs expanding from just having Listed Buildings and scheduled monuments – increasing numbers of landscapes
Changing planning framework – still evolving
PPS5 – Planning Policy Statement 5 – requirement for developers to consider the significance of a site
Funding – not just impact on LAs but on EH and NE too
HLF and HLS – both opportunities to get funding into designed landscapes

3. Stakeholder Priorities – EH & NE
Supporting the involvement of the voluntary sector in protecting heritage – especially Grade II Registered and locally important landscapes
Harnessing local knowledge
Greater access to knowledgeable and skilled individuals for advice on historic environment
Raising awareness and information exchange on ‘At Risk’ assets
Building up information for Historic Environment Records (HERs)
Improved targeting of Environmental Stewardship funding to protect the historic environment
Have highlighted the key priorities of project stakeholders – also LAs benefit
As the funding pot gets smaller and cuts and redundancies take effect, need to work with vol sector becomes greater if protection is to be maintained
The project recognises the links between the agenda of the CGTs and the key statutory bodies supporting our heritage protection

4. Emerging Issues for CGTs
Pro-actively engaging with the conservation agenda
Focus – for research, for conservation
Recruiting and retaining ACTIVE volunteers
Training
Geographic spread
Profile, particularly with statutory agencies
Communication with LPAs and GHS
CGTs – a key and fundamental aim is to conserve our designed landscapes? Through education, research and vigilance
Onus falls on the few for the many…
Geographic spread – issue can be travel time and expenses
I shall try to draw together some possible responses to issues

5. Bringing the strands together
At Risk agenda – support with research, for owners etc
Local listing – researching sites to ensure they are on the local list / understood
Research put on the HER and P&GUK
Contributing to NE Higher Level Stewardship information
Getting involved in Conservation Management Plans
Responding to planning applications
These are the areas in which there is useful overlap in our agendas

6. EH At Risk Agenda Vulnerability Management Trajectory Condition
At Risk Register – landscapes plus SMs, LBs, and CAs
Reasons for being At Risk
Condition: Development or neglect
Vulnerability: Multiple ownership
Development threat
Management: for example obscuring views…. Inappropriate planting…ignorance
Trajectory: in decline / uncertain / positive
If they’re on the Register, we want to take them off
Ways in which we can work with EH
E Sussex:
Stanmer Park
Kidbrooke Park
Bayham Abbey
W Sussex:
Lavington Park
Watching brief on these currently

7. Local Listing
Encourages local people to identify important local Heritage Assets which warrant greater protection
Gives LPA better understanding of Heritage Asset through research and recording
No additional consent requirements BUT
Conservation and contribution to the local area will be a MATERIAL CONSIDERATION
Feeds into local planning processes – clarifies constraints and opportunities of the landscapes
EH draft guidance now out:
Material consideration WHEN PLANNING DECISIONS ARE MADE AFFECTING Heritage Asset OR ITS SETTING
Only 55% of LPAs in the south east have Local Lists – I believe that Chichester, Horsham have LL certainly of buildings – worth going through checking out which others do
Local Listing criteria encouraging consistency
New guidance form EH coming out at the end of the year - should see greater emphasis on this and more LPAs looking to develop their lists – had an approach from Crawley already

8. Higher Level Stewardship
Targeted land management incentive scheme
Objectives include protecting the historic environment
Funding for:
Conservation Management Plans and Tree Surveys
Reverting fields from crops to grazing or mowing
Tree planting and protection
Dredging ponds and lakes
Opening up lost views
Funding feature restoration e.g. follies, traditional farm buildings
NE scheme
To give a few examples of what it might fund over 10 years
List here can apply to any landscape in HLS, not just Registered and not just At Risk
Can address issues of management across divided ownership if can bring owners together
Alters appearance aesthetic design integrity
Protection from animals, machines
Aesthetic and wildlife
Can look beyond boundaries to protect surrounding landscape
Buildings integral part of scene
As the approach to heritage becomes more holistic – looks at historic assets overall – designed landscapes epitomise this: listed buildings, registered landscapes, scheduled monuments and earthworks: but not just Registered

9. Research for Conservation
Ensuring sites are mapped / noted:
vistas, sight lines, approaches, features
If the site is on the HER it is more likely to be picked up properly
Local listing - awareness of criteria
P&G UK - gives NE officers and others ready access to solid information and links
Knowing the HLS ‘pipeline’
Helping owners research their estates
Site visits, contributions and comments on management plans
One step ahead! Target development lands and settings / At Risk
Mapping sites – makes sure that NE doesn’t miss it…
By NE officers – will be more than one line on an HER…
Local listing
P&G UK – can give indicative info and flag up features- can help in the initial analysis of whether it’s an important HE site prior to HER
Knowing what’s in the pipeline and being ready to flag up issues in the best interests of the site
If management plans are commissioned, CGTs can contribute and comment
Helping owners research e.g. Holmbush – enthusiasm can influence owners! Offers new perspectives, can pick up on odd features
Can be proactive in thinking about the settings of landscape, boundaries
Key tools that rely on research:
At Risk – being aware as you visit, hear about planning, notice changes in ownership; establishing contact and helping with information
Local Listing – indicating significance of the site
HER – starting point for so many issues
HLS – research flags up what features need to be considered for conservation or restoration
Conservation Management Plans – being part of consultation to make sure things aren’t missed; picking up small pieces of research to enhance a plan

10. How does this benefit CGTs?
Opportunity for focused research
Research acknowledged
Applied
Making a practical difference
Permanent record publicly accessible
Gives a lever for recruitment – recruiting with an end goal
Volunteers gaining and honing personal skills whilst making a contribution of lasting and practical benefit
Higher profile for the CGT
Closer working with LPAs and SDNP – more likely to trigger information re planning applications
more likely to be involved in county initiatives, attract new members, be approached for advice etc
Focused research doesn’t mean that vols can’t or don’t research sites that interest them – but can be applied for different things eg published article, reworked, can go on HER, P&G UK database – used for planning, HLS etc

11. Going Forward
Develop focused projects for recruiting active volunteers - start small
Consider HLF smaller grants – Your Heritage
Encourage members to take up training offered
+ use HLP web resources
Ensure sustainability - train and mentor new volunteers for addressing planning issues
Continue to develop external relationships, particularly with HERs, LPAs, SDNP, EH and NE
– and with other CGTs
Develop focused research to support
Local listing + Natural England HLS
SGT Conservation Sub-committee
Maintain awareness of EH At Risk sites
Reflect research and conservation work and opportunities in newsletters
These are just a few suggestions – try through the project to offer ideas
Share out planning – less onerous if others are picking up smaller sites
Break this down into manageable chunks – Brian is extremely skilled
Support from GHS too
Focused research – for example: