Conservation
Here are the latest GHS conservation notes. These include updates from both our English and Scottish offices.
November 30th, 2011
DEPUTY CONSERVATION OFFICER (ENGLAND)
As part of the reorganisation of the Society’s conservation and planning work, we wish to appoint a part-time Deputy Conservation Officer for England.
The Deputy Conservation Officer will work in close association with the Principal Conservation Officer and the Conservation Casework Manager in planning casework.
The Deputy Conservation Officer will also be involved in [...]
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November 30th, 2011
We wanted to keep Members informed of important developments following our AGM in July at Keele, and that of the Association of Gardens Trusts at Oxford in September.
Working Together
The Working Together Feasibility Study Group, comprising GHS, AGT, the Garden Museum and the Parks & Gardens database (P&GUK), continues to discuss a possible way forward towards [...]
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November 30th, 2011
Site of John Evelyn’s Deptford garden under threat
The site of the house and garden at Sayes Court — John Evelyn’s London residence by the then Royal Dockyard at Deptford — is currently subject to a planning application from a property developer which would see the site of the garden built over. A small group of [...]
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September 7th, 2011
In late July the Government published its proposals for simplifying the planning system in England.
We are working through this complex document, and will be submitting a full response to Government in due course. However, it is clear that the proposed Framework contains some very worrying changes which have the potential to allow unchecked and damaging [...]
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September 6th, 2011
Please note our new Scotland office telephone number: 07760 893 954
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September 6th, 2011
The Society has made many contributions to protecting parks and gardens throughout its history and, as Mavis Batey reminded us at her recent 90th birthday party, even Petworth’s park was once under threat from a bypass proposed to run through it. The latest threat is that posed by HS2, and we combined with both The [...]
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September 6th, 2011
Wood was purchased by James McDiarmid, Surgeon, in 2008 with the intention of using the property as a cosmetic surgery/beauty therapy centre. Mr McDiarmid is aware of the historic importance of Wood, which is a Grade II* listed building within a Grade I Registered historic c1904, designed landscape by Thomas Mawson, [...]
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September 6th, 2011
Ten years ago the garden at The Drum Inn was finally laid out to a design, based on a sketch by Cyril Fairey, which illustrated Edwin Lutyens original ideas for the garden. The design was never fully implemented; only a pair of Lutyens’ distinctive brick steps linked by one of the axial footpaths were constructed [...]
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September 6th, 2011
As reported in the Summer News (86), the Historic Environment Amendment (Scotland) Bill progressed through the Scottish Parliament during 2010 with its third reading in January 2011. The Bill was duly passed and is expected to receive Royal Assent and become an Act in early March. The provisions of the Act will then be brought [...]
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September 6th, 2011
In the eighteenth century, Queen Caroline is said to have asked the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole, how much it would cost to close St James’ Park to those members of the public who were fortunate enough to be key-holders. The reply, “Only three Crowns, Ma’m”, was apparently sufficient to deter her ambition. Today, the [...]
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September 6th, 2011
The Government’s controversial plans to dispose of some 258,000 hectares of woodland and forest presently managed by the Forestry Commission poses an interesting dilemma for the Society. The proposal to hand areas of ‘heritage woodland’ such as the Forest of Dean or the New Forest to new or existing trusts seems positive and should, with [...]
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September 6th, 2011
The Government announced a revised route for the proposed high speed rail link between London and Birmingham in the autumn. While some welcome amendments have been made, such as moving the line further from vulnerable sites such as Waddesdon Manor, Buckinghamshire (I), at least two major designed landscapes, Hartwell House, Buckinghamshire (II*) and Stoneleigh Abbey, [...]
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September 6th, 2011
This major piece of Government legislation received its second reading in Parliament on 17th January 2011. The Bill is an extensive document which seeks to deal with a variety of issues; as such it is immensely complicated to formulate an overall view of its likely impact. However, it is clear that as presently framed, the [...]
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December 13th, 2010
The GHS has published a beautifully illustrated free leaflet called Beyond the Playground: new approaches to children’s play in historic gardens, with a text by Linden Groves, our conservation officer for the East of England & London. To receive a copy, please contact Louise Cooper, the Adminstrator at the GHS office.…
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March 17th, 2010
Jonathan Lovie writes:
It would be surprising if heritage protection featured as a major issue in the impending General Election; but the outcome of that event has the potential to have a significant impact on the way in which the historic environment is managed in England for many years to come.
With cuts of up to 20% [...]
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