Institute of Historic Building Conservation No 109 May 2009 Conservation goes underground
Contemporary or traditional designs alike, Welsh slate is one of the few natural products which maintains a constant harmony across increasingly complex environments. Call 01248 600656 or visit www.welshslate.com Welsh Slate, Penrhyn Quarry, Bethesda, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 4YG Email: [email protected] Roofing the nations buildings for hundreds of years
C O N T E X T 1 0 9 : M A Y 2 0 0 9 1 Context Cover: Williamson’s Tunnels at Edge Hill, Liverpool (Photo: CA Iles, Trustee, Friends of Williamson’s Tunnels) see p25. If you seek their monuments, look down Editorial This issue of Context goes underground. Our authors focus on conservation challenges and monumental works ranging from the legacy of tin mining (p18), a power station hidden under a mountain (p23), the mysterious tunnels built by a retired tobacco merchant (p25) and, semi-underground, pillboxes of the second world war (p20). Most notable is the heritage of coal mining. As Miles Oglethorpe points out (p15), coal was once ‘responsible for providing almost all our energy, either directly through domestic fires in houses across the country, or indirectly via steam generated in coalfired boilers powering the machinery of industry, and the locomotives carrying goods and people within the densest railway network in the world.’ Oglethorpe reminds us: ‘Even town gas was generated from coal by gasworks situated in big cities and small towns, and the bricks from which a significant proportion of buildings were constructed also emanated from the coal industry.’ JohnYates (p31) points to some of the most important issues relating to the heritage of coal mining in his account of ChatterleyWhitfield Colliery – ‘still a dauntingly powerful and evocative place, carrying the imprint of all that human energy, of lives and deaths’. Should we conserve big industrial sites of outstanding national significance, bearing in mind that large-scale industry is this island’s most influential contribution so far to human history,Yates wonders? How does one approach the repair philosophy of buildings intended for short lives, such as workshops with half-brick wall panels in steel frames? Is the design and specification more important than the actual fabric? Should at least part of a site such as ChatterleyWhitfield be conserved in its present decayed and partially overgrown state? Should the landscape conserve the scars of industry? ‘Industrial heritage produces special challenges,’ John Rodger writes in his article on the task of managing the 33,000 hectares of dramatic mountain-top landscape that is the Blaenavon world heritage site (p29). ‘Unlike castles or cathedrals, industrial structures were utilitarian, and liable to change or demolition to accommodate industrial processes.’ Perhaps part of the fascination is that the distinction is not as clear as that. Defensive castles were utilitarian and liable to change with each advance in defensive technology; cathedrals were liable to change in response to liturgy or architectural fashion. Industrial heritage is sometimes utilitarian, sometimes splendidly architectural; sometimes flimsy and in other cases monumentally permanent. Just look around – and down. The Institute of historic building conservation www.ihbc.org.uk Registered as a Charity Number 1061593. Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England Number 3333780. Registered Office: 3 Stafford Road,TunbridgeWells, Kent TN2 4QZ. IHBC Officers President Eddie Booth email [email protected] Chairman Dave Chetwyn email [email protected] Vice Chair Sheila Stones email [email protected] Secretary Richard Morrice email [email protected] Treasurer Michael Knights email [email protected] Membership Secretary Jo Evans email [email protected] Education Secretary John Preston email [email protected] Publicity Secretary Doug Black email [email protected] Law & Practice Coordinator vacant email [email protected] Director Seán O’Reilly email [email protected] Projects Officer Fiona Newton email [email protected] Consultant Consultations Coordinator James Caird email [email protected] Membership Services Officer Devon DeCelles email [email protected] Administration Officer Lydia Porter email [email protected] IHBC Committee Chairs Policy Mike Brown email [email protected] Membership & Ethics Jo Evans email [email protected] Finance & Resources Richard Morrice email [email protected] Education John Preston email [email protected] Communications & Outreach vacant email [email protected] Branch Officers North Geoff Underwood Tel 0191 433 3435 NorthWest Kate Borland Tel 0161 2344556 Yorkshire Keith Knight Tel 01904 658482 West Midlands Charles Shapcott Tel 0121 7044312 East Midlands Roy Lewis Tel 01636 653060 South Julia Foster Tel 01296 585888 SouthWest Ian Lund Tel 01225 477687 East Anglia StaceyWeiser-Jones Tel 01954 713178 South East David Kincaid Tel 01227 862185 London David McDonald Tel 020 8881 6724 Scotland Charles Strang Tel 01835 822560 Wales Nathan Blanchard Tel 01492 583443 Northern Ireland Sharon BrownTel 028 9754 3087 Republic of Ireland Cormac O’Sullivan Tel 00353 5677 62907 Business Office Jubilee House, High Street, Tisbury, Wiltshire SP3 6HA England Tel 01747 873133 Fax 01747 871718 email [email protected] Briefing 2 Remembering Anthony Blacklay 4 Periodically 5 Conference report: Victorian Studies Group Graham Tite 7 The writer’s voice 7 Conference report: ANABF, Bordeaux Dennis Rodwell 8 Changes to building regulations ChrisWood 10 Rediscovering Pont Ceunant generating station Graham Levins 13 Losing our mines Miles Oglethorpe 15 Geevor Tin Mine Ainsley Cocks 18 An island in the vale Simon Loaring with David Hunt 20 Ben Cruachan’s hidden giant David Fleetwood 23 The labyrinth of Edge Hill Claire Moorhead 25 Managing Blaenavon’s industrial landscape John Rodger 29 The imprint of human energy JohnYates 31 Heritage values in a conservation area Crispin Edwards 35 The doocot capital of Scotland Matthew Price 39 Notes from the chair 42 Director’s cut 43 Membership notes 44 Vox pop 45 Book reviews 46 Products and services 49 Advertisers index 52 Institute ofHistoricBuildingConservation No 109 May2009 Conservation goes underground
2 C O N T E X T 1 0 9 : M A Y 2 0 0 9 Context Briefing Copy deadlines Context is published five times a year, in March, May, July, September and November.The copy deadlines in 2009 are: Issue Deadline July, Issue 110 18 May September, Issue 111 20 July November, Issue 112 21 September Editor Rob Cowan Editorial Coordinator Fiona Newton 21 George Street, Louth, Lincolnshire LN11 9JU Tel 01507 602567 email [email protected] Editorial Board Fiona Newton (chair) Susan Brook (regular contributors) Nigel Crowe (main features) Peter de Figueiredo (book reviews) Michael Taylor (main features) Cartoons by Rob Cowan Context is distributed to all members of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation. © Institute of Historic Building Conservation 2009 ISSN 0958-2746 Publisher Published for the Institute of Historic Building Conservation by Cathedral Communications Limited, High Street, Tisbury,Wiltshire, England SP3 6HA Tel 01747 871717 Fax 01747 871718 email [email protected] www.buildingconservation.com Non-member subscriptions to Context Context is available to non-members of the IHBC at an annual subscription rate, including postage, of: United Kingdom £50.00 Elsewhere £75.00 Subscription orders, together with remittances payable to Institute of Historic Building Conservation, should be sent to the IHBC Business Office at Jubilee House, High Street, Tisbury, Wiltshire SP3 6HA. The views expressed in Context are not necessarily held by the IHBC or the publisher. Neither the publisher nor the IHBC shall be under any liability whatsoever in respect of contributed articles. 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 issue of Context is current and correct, neither the IHBC nor the publisher can be held responsible for any errors or omissions which may occur. Sizergh Castle renovated Sizergh Castle in Cumbria has reopened following extensive repairs and renovation. The work has included re-roofing the north and south wings in Westmorland slate, re-leading the roof of the central tower and associated gutters, rebuilding tower parapets and rendering the chimney stacks. The 14th century Pele Tower has been re-pointed in lime mortar, and the chapel ceiling re-lathed and plastered. The Grade I listed house, extended in Elizabethan times, has been home to the Strickland family since the 13th century. It is owned by the National Trust. Purcell Miller Tritton was the architect and historic building consultant. Get your head down Nigel Crowe writes: Underground structures have a fascination of their own. A trawl of the web reveals numerous sites dedicated to their study, recording and touring. There are sites for the USA, the former East Germany (a bunker nut’s paradise), France, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Britain, among other countries. Many of these websites are devoted to cold war structures. If White Alice, Cobra Mist and Magic Mountains get your pulse racing, these are for you. One of the best-developed websites is that of Subterranea Britannica. Formed in 1974, the group is devoted to ‘the study of man-made and manused underground places’. Sub Brit divides into two main areas of interest. One covers a wide range of historic underground sites including canals, railways, roads, mines, quarries and pre‑20th-century military structures. The other covers cold war sites including Royal Observer Corps posts (over 1,566 of them), local government control centres, nuclear shelters, RAF airfields, Rotor Radar stations and so on. Some of these cold war sites are staggering. Burlington, the subterranean city beneathWiltshire, had accommodation for 4,000 people, an underground lake and 60 miles of roads. It was only decommissioned in 2004. Sub Brit does a fine job of revealing the secrets of underground Britain and organising visits to the most accessible sites. Just one word of warning: once you get on to www.subbrit.org.uk, you will be there for hours. Sizergh Castle, home to one family since the 13th century and owned by the National Trust
C O N T E X T 1 0 9 : M A Y 2 0 0 9 3 Mining history A newly built colliery lamp cabin has been opened at Beamish open air museum in County Durham. Designed by Purcell Miller Tritton, the new building complements the recreated 1913 colliery village, a centrepiece of the museum. The cabin includes spaces where costumed staff will re-enact the miners’ story, and an exhibition area. It was constructed using traditional methods, which meant that the team was denied the use of cranes to lift the timber trusses. The king post truss at the centre of the building’s frame was assembled piece by piece on site. The completed exhibition area shows part of the museum’s collection of miners’ lamps, rescue equipment and mining tools dating from the mid-18th century up to the late-20th century. Soho Lodge, a Grade II listed summerhouse in Soho Square, is being renovated. The conservation team of architect HOK will renovate the timbers (some thought to date back to the 17th century), treating decay and preventing the lodge from further sinking and twisting. The lodge was built in 1875 at the expense of the residents of Soho Square. The Beamish colliery lamp cabin: a new building constructed with traditional methods Barns in the Dales: many are in bad condition. The Fitzwilliam Estate has begun a £150,000 restoration project at Owston’s warehouse in Malton, North Yorkshire. The 18th century building is almost the last physical remains of Navigation Wharf, the place where goods were unloaded, stored and transported to Malton since the middle ages. Eco-pod for dales barn An experimental project that could help to bring disused barns back to life in theYorkshire Dales has been launched by theYorkshire Dales National Park Authority. The authority’s planning committee has approved the temporary use of a free-standing ‘eco-pod’ inside an isolated barn on the Bolton Abbey estate near Skipton. For a year it will be occupied occasionally by staff from architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, who will be testing its viability as a place to stay or work. Around 2,000 barns in the national park are classified as being in ‘poor’ or ‘very bad’ condition. The park authority has secured funding fromYorkshire Forward for a feasibility study to assess the economic viability of using pods to restore and then maintain other traditional barns. ‘The beauty of installing a free‑standing pod is that it has no material impact on the internal fabric of the barn,’ says Peter Watson, the authority’s head of planning. Additional funding for the project has come from the authority’s sustainable development fund, which is managed by theYorkshire Dales MillenniumTrust. Natural England ‘too passive’ The IHBC has submitted its response to Natural England’s draft policy statement Future Landscapes. The statement’s Policy 1 declares: ‘Change is a fundamental characteristic of landscapes. Our future landscapes should emerge as a result of planned interventions, set within the context of a long-term vision’. The IHBC comments that ‘while the institute does not disagree with this, it seems to be a statement of fact rather than a policy. We are not clear why it needs to be stated in this way.’ Policy 2 states that ‘the character, condition and quality of England’s future landscapes should be built on an understanding of existing landscape character, through a landscape character approach.’ The institute comments that it strongly supports this policy. ‘We are
4 C O N T E X T 1 0 9 : M A Y 2 0 0 9 Remembering Anthony Blacklay Celebrated in a favourite church Anthony Blacklay has died after a short illness. An architect with his own practice specialising in conservation, he was well known in the north west and his native Cheshire. His best-known projects were the gardens at Biddulph Grange, particularly the Chinese Pavilion, and the Apprentice’s House at Styal. At various times Anthony was chair, secretary and council member for the IHBC’s north west branch. He will be sadly missed. Anthony was one of the first members of the IHBC in the north west to come from the private sector. He was a breath of fresh air in rooms stuffed with conservation officers. He was forthright and challenging, representing the interests of the private sector and widening the perspectives of the branch. Anthony was a sterling secretary. He greatly helped me as the national consultations secretary in distributing draft responses to incessant publications from government and English Heritage. When later he took on the role of chair and council member, his forthrightness and commitment was greatly appreciated at both local and national level. The service for the celebration of his life was a moving tribute. It was held in the medieval church of St Mary in the centre of Nantwich, a Grade I church for which he was architect for the past seven years. His friends recalled his special interest in architecture, and love of nature and landscape design. He was a man of many parts, an avid cyclist with a diploma in wine tasting and a predilection for the simple pleasures of life. He was unflappable, courteous and a gentleman. Living in Nantwich for most of his life (only leaving for public school and architecture training at Edinburgh University), Anthony was committed to his home town and the Cheshire countryside beyond.With his local connections and drive he made great impacts on Nantwich through the town council and other organisations. As we filed away from the service in the sunshine of a warm March day, members of the branch reflected on a life well led; his contributions to a wellloved and delightful town; the obvious esteem in which he was held; and, the appropriateness of celebrating him in a favourite church with a low sun glowing through a Kempe window. Graham Arnold, past chair, IHBC north west branch The gardens at Biddulph Grange in Staffordshire were among Anthony Blackay’s best-known projects. strong supporters of landscape character assessment and historic landscape characterisation as tools for assessment, planning and monitoring purposes.’ Policy 3 says: ‘Our vision for England’s landscapes will accommodate a range of different futures. Some landscapes will be transformed and some will change less markedly.’ The IHBC comments: ‘This policy is too weak. It does not seem to us to represent any strong intention on the part of Natural England than to accept change passively.We think the policy should point towards the objectives (as yet unstated) for the importance of landscape hierarchies and specific approaches to control and management.’ The only one of the policies that the institute feels provides a real policy direction is the one that states that ‘there should be a multi-function approach to future landscape management, with England’s future landscapes planned and managed to provide a range of ecosystem goods and services.’ Even here, the institute is not sure that the terminology would be widely understood. English Heritage has announced new grants to help repair war memorials across the country. Here the Rev Stephen Banks and second world war veteran Harry Jackson stand by the lychgate of St Mary’s Church, Newton Regis, Warwickshire. The lychgate was built in 1928 to commemorate those who died the first world war, including Jackson’s uncle. (Photo: David Burges) Correction The photograph on page 2 of Context 107 (November 2008) was miscaptioned: it showed the Bluecoat Arts Centre, Liverpool.
C O N T E X T 1 0 9 : M A Y 2 0 0 9 5 Periodically… Sir Bernard Fielden, patron of the Journal of Architectural Conservation died last November at the age of 89.This robbed the conservation movement of one of its most influential post-war figures. His achievements not only in the UK but also within the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the Indian National Trust are the subject of a number of warm international tributes from conservation luminaries in the latest edition (Vol 15, No1).The issue also provides several invaluable articles of direct relevance to conservation practitioners. One of the valuable aspects of Elizabeth Green’s article about the conservation of a medieval Grade ll* farmhouse ‘Egryn’ in Meirionnydd,Wales, for the National Trust is the thorough explanation of the approach. Here, understanding is gained concerning the significance of the fabric of the house and the importance of balancing high standards of building conservation.This is in addition to allowing public access and continuing the house’s original purpose as a working farm.Work on the site continues, but the author states that prior evaluation emphasises the importance of carrying out as much analysis as possible before building works, as well as the need for local community involvement and support. Understanding the significance of historic structures without destroying them is essential wherever possible. Explanation of current best practice in such matters is an important aspect of the journal. In this regard the article by Jonathan Spodek and Elizabetta Rosina on the application of infra-red thermography (IRT) is instructive.While this technique has been available for some time, the explanation of its practical application, together with four case studies, serves to emphasise that IRT functions as a measure of radiated surface temperature. The interpretation of the temperature maps generated relies on correct, careful and thorough evaluation.This is coupled with a clear understanding of historic building materials and assemblies.The integration of IRT with other techniques will dramatically enhance the value of an investigation’s results. Unconsidered changes to the internal environments of historic buildings can have serious consequences for both the fabric and contents, especially buildings open to visitors. Linda Bullock examines the impact of environmental controls in National Trust properties for which she is a consultant. She describes the issues and processes associated with measures to slow deterioration of collections and internal decorations without damage to the structure. She discusses how environmental monitoring provides knowledge of building performance prior to a services project and how this relates to the trust’s environmental control strategy.The article also briefly mentions other control methods such as buffered microclimates and dehumidification, and other current issues of ventilation, insulation and fuel. It should perhaps go without saying that the choice of appropriate material and techniques for traditional buildings applies wherever the building is situated.The unfortunate loss of traditional building construction skills and disuse can quickly lead to the complete loss of buildings that have been gently and suitably repaired over many generations.The impact of some of these issues and the generic lessons for us all are highlighted in Aylin Orbasli’s well-illustrated description of the conservation of traditional coral stone buildings on Saudi Arabia’s northern Red Sea coast. It is becoming impossible to identify all the techniques and materials used in the past. In this case, conservation specifications are now needed on a case-by-case basis in the light of the varying qualities of the stones and mortars used. Recent repair in cement-base renders, coupled with a shortage of the right skills, has led to many losses.The author emphasises the need for a regional crafts training programme to address this. Natural Stone Specialist (February 2009) reports that a new source of Bath stone is about to become available with Ham and Doulting Stone, based at Charlton Adam, Somerset.This involves reopening Park Lane Quarry near Neston,Wiltshire. The last stone was extracted there in the late 1960s when the lease, rather than the stone, ran out.The site is only about a mile from the Monks Park Bath stone mine but the new stone is said to be more characteristic of Hartham Park.The mine has a good seam, six metres high, running through the site. There is good news that common sense has triumphed concerning the safety of cemetery memorials after the Ministry of Justice published new guidelines to cemetery authorities. Recently overzealous ‘topple-testing’ had seriously eroded the special character and appearance of some historic cemeteries, where so many monuments have been laid flat. Direct ministerial publication should give extra weight to the guidance and prevent ‘heavy-handed actions by some graveyard operators’ where this has not already occurred. Readers may recall an Ombudsman’s investigation in 2008, which castigated the testing practices of some local authorities as insensitive.This was not only to the concerns of the bereaved, but also for the damaging impact on these historic environments.The new guidance can be downloaded from www.justice.gov.uk/ publications/safety-burial-grounds.htm The same issue also explains in some detail the stonework and other repairs undertaken during the £4.5 million restoration of the Monument for the City of London Corporation.The Grade l listed, world’s tallest free-standing stone column, built to commemorate the Great Fire of London, was completed between
6 C O N T E X T 1 0 9 : M A Y 2 0 0 9 1671 and 1677 by Sir Christopher Wren and Robert Hook.The 18-month contract, overseen by Julian Harrap Architects, involved cleaning, repairs and a significantly improved viewing platform replacing a 1950s cage of iron bars.The re-gilding of the orb surmounting the monument required 23,750 sheets of gold leaf covering 105 square metres. Over 100,000 visitors a year are expected to enjoy the view following re-opening. The March issue has some very useful coverage on the current application of stone for hard landscaping, including the products for efficient pointing of stone paving.The main conservation-related article describes the Heritage Lottery Fund assisted restoration of the imposing painted and gilded Coade-stone statue of George III (commissioned byWeymouth and Portland Borough Council from Osirion Building & Conservation), as described inContext 108 (March), p31. The RICS Building Conservation Journal (March 2009) is devoted to historic glass. Adrian Stenning, chairman of the Building Conservation Forum, expresses in his editorial a perhaps overoptimistic view. He states that there may be some insulation for the sector from the general economic gloom because ‘old buildings always require looking after, regardless of the economic climate’. He rightly identifies deferred or reduced maintenance as storing up problems for the future and an obvious false economy. Ray Stevens discussed the longevity of glass in situ in historic buildings by highlighting the 80 box-sash windows at Calke Abbey which contain their original c1703 glass, of which some panes are only 1.5mm thick. A phased programme of window repairs has thrown up a myriad of factors.These include the structure of the windows, the age and quality of the glass, and how it was made. Existing putties were removed with a half-inch sharp chisel, not a hacking knife.This is because the glass is frail and oil-based (not waterbased) primer was used on the rebates before re-glazing.TheVictorians would have painted the rebates with linseed oil to stop the putty drying out too fast. Theatres, the journal of theTheatres Trust (Vol 19, Spring 2009) looks again at the issue of upgrading historic theatres for 21st century audiences, five years after the trust published its Act Now! report. Act Now! estimated that at least £250 million (at 2004 prices) needed to be spent in theWest End over the following 15 years. Despite the general economic meltdown, it seems that the theatre industry has remained buoyant.The 52 members of the Society of LondonTheatre report that in 2008 13.8 million people spent over £480 million on tickets and advance bookings. As living-working buildings, some tough economics is currently involved.The continuation of conservation in difficult times will be of interest to anyone dealing with the heritage aspects of historic theatres. The trust also explains its experiences and statutory relationship with local development frameworks (LDFs), the importance of policies for cultural facilities and the significance the trust attaches to PPS6 (Planning for Town Centres).To give an idea of the scale of the LDF process, the trust reports that by mid-October 2008 it had received its 2,000th LDF consultation and the flow continues undiminished.The article also illustrates three theatres missed byYork’s core strategy. Other items of interest include an article on the trust’s activities in and vision forWales; a brief illustrated history of two huge theatres (the Pavilion and the Opera House) within Blackpool’sWinter Gardens; and a very interesting piece by DavidWilmore on the lost trade of the theatre furnisher. Although there is still a small industry supplying all manner of historic fixtures and fittings, the art and craft, and knowledge of an old theatre furnisher, such as AR Dean and Co of Birmingham, is difficult to replace. Ian Dungavell inTheVictorian (No 3, March 2009) strikes a warning note in the post-Heritage-Bill and economic meltdown era by drawing attention to the implications for the government’s next comprehensive spending round. It is widely believed that this will be tough on the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) and its clients, especially English Heritage. One worry is that while English Heritage has pledged to support the current level of national amenity society casework grants until 2012 (despite the subsequent fall in planning applications), funding for the society’s community engagement project will shrink to nothing. Talk of the green shoots of recovery may be premature, but the landscape historian Hazel Conway gives a useful overview of what has been achieved in restoringVictorian parks in the last 15 years, especially under the Urban Parks Programme. Conway concludes that if that massive investment is to have been worthwhile, it must be managed sustainably.This will require the appropriate horticultural skills where serious shortages exist, as is the case among historic environment professionals. The issue also describes the 30-year campaign leading to the restoration of Joseph Paxton’s Birkenhead Park, the world’s first public park (authorised by Act of Parliament in 1843 and opened in 1847).Widely considered one of the best, its condition was not always matched by its maintenance. It was described as ‘run-down and decayed’ in 1967, with its important structures such as the Swiss Bridge vandalised. Its recent transformation and rehabilitation conservation has been the result of £11.3 million investment from the Heritage Lottery Fund, English Heritage and the European Union. Three other successes under the Urban Parks Programme are also described: Alexandra Park, Oldham (1865), restored 2004; Sheffield Botanical Gardens (1836), where restoration commenced in 1998 and continues; and Baxter Park, Dundee (1863), another Paxton park, restored over five years commencing in 2001. Bob Kindred MBE
C O N T E X T 1 0 9 : M A Y 2 0 0 9 7 Conference report: Cambridge Victorian Studies Group Plunder and preservation The title of the Cambridge Victorian Studies Group conference in March was ‘From Plunder to Preservation: Britain and the “Heritage” of Empire, c1820 to c1940’. First-hand experience of empire is rare today. But only a generation or so back, states in western Europe wielded massive power in the affairs of numerous places as close to us as Ireland or as far from Europe as the South Seas. Other empires, Ottoman Turkey and Austro-Hungary, still ruled historic lands across great distances. These former empires relied on cultural power as well as on the strength of their armed forces. In the period (1820-1940), architecture, conservation, town planning and the emergent study of archaeology all had their parts to play in the exercise and duties of government throughout their empires. Matters debated today locally or nationally were debated globally by our predecessors. The debates were also two sided and sometimes involved more than mere exchanges of words. In 1857 an uprising in India was prompted in some respects by treatment by the imperial power to local sites of religious devotion. Nations that had become the subjects of 19th century and 20th century rule (Egypt, for example) had themselves formerly been the seats of empires. Further complications were religious in origin and due to the rivalry between western powers within colonial regions. Conference topics ranged from digs at Mayan sites in the forests of Central America to the geopolitics of the CrimeanWar, the British rules in Sudan and Jerusalem, and the 200 years of British India. Delegates learned about Captain Cook’s 18th century surveying in the Pacific and how much his navigation owed to the previous explorations of the native inhabitants in the South Seas. In late-imperial times and during more than a generation (1882–1922), Britain governed, or at least exerted a veiled protectorate in, Egypt. But, we learned, ‘Britain ruled the country, the French ran the antiquities service’. Throughout the era the British Museum and the Louvre competed to fill their galleries with the choicest objects from around the globe. They were soon joined by American museums in this pursuit. Mirrors were held up to England itself. The USA had sought assistance from Canada and the government in London to save Niagara Falls from natural and commercial exploitation. The success of this action led to an entente around 1900 between these countries that ultimately protected UK sites such as Shakespeare’s home in Stratford,Wordsworth’s Lake District and Thomas Carlyle’s house in Chelsea. Speakers saw the large-scale works to restore (or reconstruct) stretches of Hadrian’s Wall in the 19th century as symptomatic of the underlying ambition in British imperial attitudes. Graham Tite www.victorians.group.cam.ac.uk From ‘Outrage 20 years after’ by Ian Nairn, Architectural Review (1975) THE EARTH’S SURFACE is sacred and not to be abused – even, in the meanest terms, because if you do so abuse, it will turn round and bite you. City streets and national park and the deep blue sea are one thing. And, boy, will they bite hard, when they do. Urban violence and a fishless Mediterranean are part of the same process. Thanks, old Alexander: the proper study of mankind is man. In the 1720s it was a salutary reminder; in the 1970s it is a four-minute warning. We made this mess, and we have to sort it out. There’s nobody here but us chickens. The revolution has to come inside us: no flag-waving or machine guns. So that every single thing in the landscape happens with compassion – we have managed to debase the word love, which is quite an achievement. Every single thing, every paving stone, every fence post, every new town plan. And that without thinking the world to pieces. Can we do it? We’ve got to, mateys. It means altering – not just here, but everywhere – our laws, our attitudes (‘when did you stop cuddling your wife?’ ‘Sorry, me’lud, I never started’) and ourselves. As a pessimist I don’t think we can do it in time. As a loss leader prophet, we have to, or else. I wish I could care, in general I don’t. We aren’t various enough, humorous enough, compassionate enough – in general. The particular saw us through, before, whether it was Hawksmoor with gout or Mozart with debts or the thousands who went to their deaths in Lancasters and Halifaxes to restrain just one single lunatic. That time is over. It is self-heal or nothing. All I can do, personally, is echo Brendan’s immortal words: have a pint with what’s left over... and the best of luck to you.
8 C O N T E X T 1 0 9 : M A Y 2 0 0 9 Conference report: ANABF conference, Bordeaux Conservation in a changing climate The Association Nationale des Architectes des Bâtiments de France (ANABF) is the nearest approximation in France to the IHBC in the UK. Its members are the approximate equivalent of local authority conservation officers, government agency historic buildings inspectors and historic area advisers rolled into one, but with a more uniform training and career structure and a more central place in the overall planning system. They function as civil servants, employed by the Ministry of Culture, and operate out of offices located in each of France’s 100 départements, including four in overseas territories. The journal La Pierre d’Angle (The Cornerstone) is the equivalent of Context. Within a format similar to that of the IHBC summer school, the ANABF holds its national event every four years. In 2004, it was held in the northern cathedral city of Amiens, with the theme of the relationship between people, place, culture and development. In 2008, it was held in the Atlantic port city of Bordeaux, with the theme of sustainable, heritage-led development. For both events, the focus was on cities in Europe, and the balance between conservation and development. The Bordeaux event was attended by around 400 ANABF members and affiliates, academics, architects in private practice, elected members and officials in local and national government, representatives of public utilities, journalists and students. ANABF president Frédéric Auclair noted how the context had changed dramatically since the 2004 Amiens conference. The emphasis today was on sustainable development against a backdrop of climate change and economic crisis. Elisabeth Touton, deputy mayor for Bordeaux with responsiblity for urban planning and development, housing and transport, expressed the need to consume fewer resources to greater collective and individual benefit; for a softer, evolutionary approach to the future development of the city; and for heightened focus on heritage and quality of life. The conference debated two interrelated questions. First, the protection of the identity and diversity of historic cities in an increasingly uniform world. Second, climate change and the impact on historic buildings of measures to improve their thermal efficiency. Cyria Emelianoff of the University of Maine (France), linked the pioneering early 20th century work of the Scot, Patrick Geddes, directly to the belated revival of environmental consciousness in the early 1990s and to the European Sustainable Cities and Towns Campaign (www.sustainablecities.eu) that was initiated by the 1994 Aalborg Charter (which has been signed by more than 2,500 local and regional authorities in 44 countries). The Aalborg Charter, responding as it did to Agenda 21 of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, spelled out the critical role that cities have to play in addressing the need for humanity to live within the carrying capacity of nature. By implication it commended the sustainability credentials of historic cities in terms of their compactness and proximity, economic patterns of land use and resource consumption. Emelianoff emphasised that urban planners champion historic cities today for their cultural significance and as symbols of socio-economic identity. Historic cities are also commended as material resources on which the energy in construction has already been expended and as hosts to biodiversity. She discounted the hypothesis that historic cities, sustainability and addressing climate change could be in conflict. This supported the growing convergence between city planners and ecologists in favour of compact, energy-efficient cities. A number of speakers gave alarming predictions concerning the exhaustion of the world’s mineral and fossil fuel resources, and the relationship between carbon emissions and climate change. Discussion focused on European Union directives demanding action to increase the thermal efficiency of existing buildings, historic or otherwise. Research presented by Julien Burgholzer and Marie-Christine Roger confirmed that the overall environmental performance and thermal capacity of traditionally constructed buildings was poorly understood. The conference drew attention to the potential contradiction between increasing the thermal performance of historic buildings based on a simplistic approach to U values, and the consumption of the materials and energy to achieve these increases. What merit is there in replacing readily maintained 250-year-old, single-glazed timber windows with double-glazed patterns with a lifespan of 10 to 15 years – especially, when the resultant gain does not reach the measurable (but not recognised by regulation) U value achieved when the original windows are used in conjunction with wooden shutters and curtains? Chris Wood of English Heritage added weight to this argument, challenging the presumption that old buildings were inherently inefficient in energy use. After clarifying that his role was not restricted to listed monuments, he illustrated examples of insulation improvements using modern building materials that could cause considerable long-term damage and were costly to reverse.Wood reported that research and testing of benign improvements was continuing at English Heritage and in collaboration with Historic Scotland. Dennis Rodwell, consultant in cultural heritage and sustainable urban development The completion of Bordeaux’s three lines of new tramway in 2004 was accompanied by extensive redesign of the public realm.
C O N T E X T 1 0 9 : M A Y 2 0 0 9 9 Conservation planning and heritage expertise For further information about how DPP Heritage can help with your requirements contact: Roger Mascall on 020 7092 3600 or [email protected] www.dppllp.com DPP Heritage provides a range of specialist conservation services to both private and public sector clients, including major property developers, government departments and agencies, local authorities and English Heritage. ART CONSERVATORS & HISTORIC BUILDING CONSULTANTS Conservation of painted and applied decoration on plaster, stone, canvas, wood and metal substrates Cleaning and stabilisation of interior and exterior building surfaces Historic paint research and recreation of historic decorative schemes Survey, specification and analysis services available Laughton, Sleaford, Lincolnshire, ng34 0he Telephone: 01529 497449 Fax: 01529 497518 Email [email protected] Website www.hirst-conservation.com Traditional Rainwater Cast Iron Systems Tuscan Foundry manufacture a range of cast metal products including Radiators, Rooflights, Gutters and Pipes. Free Expert advice available. 0800 174093 www.tuscanfoundry.com Unit 8, Tamar Business Park, River Tamar Way, Holsworthy, Devon EX22 6HL
10 C O N T E X T 1 0 9 : M A Y 2 0 0 9 Changes to building regulations Strong views on Part L exemptions ‘Catastrophic, devastating... we might as well all pack up and go home.’ These were some of the comments from conservation officers concerning the proposed removal of the exemptions for historic buildings under Part L (Conservation of fuel and power) of the Building Regulations. They were responding to a questionnaire from English Heritage seeking to find out what impact the exemptions had had since their introduction three years ago. There was virtually unanimous agreement that the exemptions had been helpful in conserving historic buildings. A majority confirmed that their own building control teams felt that they were beneficial. The main reason for this was that the exemptions brought clarity to a complex system. It was made clear that the government valued historic buildings and that the pressure to tighten energy efficiency targets should not result in a loss of character or introduce technical risks. Exemptions did not mean that improvements were not carried out. On the contrary, good liaison between officers from building control and conservation permitted an effective and balanced approach. These issues were discussed at a meeting in March between researchers from Leeds Metropolitan University (who are undertaking research for Communities and Local Government [CLG] on the implementation of Part L 2006), representatives from English Heritage, conservation officers, and church and cathedral architects. Given that plans for the consultation document on Part L are well advanced, it is unlikely that the results of the questionnaire and of the meeting will influence the proposals. However, the views expressed will be fed back to CLG, and all those with an interest in the conservation issues relating to Part L are encouraged to respond to the formal consultation document. Tightening the targets in Part L is one of the main vehicles used by the government to make buildings more energy efficient and thereby reduce carbon emissions. However, the government recognises that some of the suggested measures could be harmful to historic and traditional buildings. Both the 2002 and 2006 approved documents state that the aim is ‘to improve energy efficiency where and to the extent that it is practically possible, [but] not prejudice the character of the historic building, or increase the risk of longterm deterioration to the building fabric or fittings’. Work specifically allowed to historic buildings is replacing lost elements (such as facsimiles of historic windows); rebuilding lost buildings (such as a gap site in an important terrace); and making provisions to allow buildings to breathe. These special considerations should be taken into account by building control officers. In any cases of doubt they should take account of the views of the conservation officer. A limited survey commissioned by English Heritage in 2006 indicated that this approach was working reasonably well and that building control officers were compromising on the targets. However, feedback from the latest questionnaires suggests that this is no longer the case in a great many authorities. The 2006 changes included some last-minute wording copied out of the European Directive. These changes introduced the exemptions for listed buildings, buildings in conservation areas, ancient monuments and churches in use, where compliance would unacceptably alter their character or appearance. The special consideration clauses were retained, although the definition of historic buildings in the 2002 edition was mistakenly omitted in 2006. These have not been restored despite promises to do so. The proposals for 2010 are likely to include removing the exemptions, but retaining the special considerations and stressing that the English Heritage guidance note should be followed and that the advice of the conservation officer should be taken into account. A wider definition of buildings to be included is also proposed. A total of 399 questionnaires were emailed to local authorities posing the questions set out in the table. Eightyfive replies were received, representing a 21 per cent return. This was very impressive, considering the short time allowed for replies and the fact that this was the third questionnaire sent out by English Heritage recently. It clearly demonstrated the gravity of the issue. The table shows the results from 85 responses. Most of the replies included comments. In particular the answers to questions 1 and 4 were heavily qualified. The major conclusion from the exercise is that there is overwhelming support for retaining the exemptions. The main reason appears to be that the word is clear and readily understood by all.Yet ironically it does not mean that energy improvements are not implemented. They are, and it is apparent that exemptions act as a trigger for most authorities to discuss this with conservation staff. A common point was that building control staff were not trained to negotiate or apply discretion, preferring more certainty. Others reported that many were not interested Question Yes % No % Both yes & no % 1 Have exemptions been widely used in your local authority? 75 88 9 11 1 1 2 Have they been helpful in conserving historic and traditional buildings? 82 96 1 1 2 2 3 Do building control officers consult you over applications under Part L? 64 75 21 25 – – 4 Do building control officers follow your advice and recommendations? 77 91 5 6 3 4 5 If the exemptions are removed, will this make a significant difference to how historic and traditional buildings are dealt with under Part L? 73 87 12 13 – – 6 Do your building control officers view the exemptions as a problem? 21 25 53 63 11 13 7 Do your building control officers view the exemptions as a benefit? 47 56 32 38 5 6 8 Do you want to see the exemptions remain? 74 87 8 10 3 4
C O N T E X T 1 0 9 : M A Y 2 0 0 9 11 in the needs of historic buildings, did not understand how they performed, and saw their role as ensuring total compliance with approved document targets. Applying special consideration was too vague for many building control staff. By contrast, a significant number of conservation officers reported that their building control colleagues did have a good understanding of the technical issues. Here building control officers were prepared and interested in pursuing imaginative solutions which achieved energy and conservation objectives. A vigorous debate surrounding these issues was often needed and compromises were made by both sides. A good working relationship did seem to be the key. Even where this existed, conservation officers were clear that the exemptions were a key factor in establishing this productive method of working for the reasons already cited. Exemptions also send an important message. They show that the government values historic and traditional buildings. This has been particularly important in countering the relentless emphasis on potentially destructive measures such as insulating buildings and replacing windows. Removing the exemptions would be interpreted by many (including applicants, agents, building control and product suppliers) to mean that these buildings should not be given special consideration. The removal of the definition of historic buildings in 2006 had this effect. A common problem was experienced with approved inspectors, certifiers from the National House Building Council (NHBC), energy installers and Fensa-registered installers, few of whom felt any compunction to follow the recommendations in the approved documents covering historic and traditional buildings. This has led to conflicts where ‘illegal’ work has been carried out, without listed building consent. There was a wide variation in the extent to which building control staff were prepared to be flexible. Most accepted this for listed buildings, although some were selective about measures they would accept, for example allowing single glazing (with improvements) but refusing any compromises over insulation targets. There was a great deal of doubt as to whether unlisted buildings in conservation areas received a flexible approach, some building control staff refusing to countenance it. By contrast some conservation officers reported very positive approaches by building control officers who recognised the uncertainties and risks of internal wall insulation, and the great value of concentrating on more benign improvements such as loft insulation and improved heating systems. The research meeting in London covered the issues at some length and gave representative conservation officers the opportunity to make researchers aware of problems on the ground. There was a common desire to see energy performance improved in all buildings, including those of architectural or historical interest. This was the same for churches, although in all cases it was agreed that some measures were not appropriate. However, Part L did not distinguish which these were. It was the indiscriminate application of the guidance in the approved documents that often caused problems. It was agreed that the existence of formal exemptions had been beneficial. Those present felt strongly that they should remain in the 2010 Part L, but with clearer qualifications about how and when they should be used. For instance, should they apply to buildings or works? Greater clarity needed to be given to the conservation officer’s role. It was felt that the approved documents should use language which was stronger and more specific than simply suggesting that: ‘In arriving at a balance between historic building conservation and energy efficiency improvements, it would be appropriate to take into account the advice of the local authority’s conservation officer’. Such language was considered much too equivocal, as it did not stress the importance of the role of the conservation officer. What is clearly needed is the publication of more detailed advice on applying Part L. English Heritage intends to do this in the coming months. But there was scepticism as to how effective these might be because of the vast amount of technical documents already resourced by building control officers. Some felt that additional technical documents would not be read or used, and that the only place for such advice on application was within the approved document. Focused training is clearly needed and should include conservation officers, building control officers, approved inspectors and others who are involved in the process. However, this is not something that can be accomplished before 2010. Look at the IHBC website for details of the formal consultation by CLG. All those interested are urged to respond. ChrisWood works for English Heritage and is a member of the IHBC Technical Panel.
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