1 February 2019
Manchester

Dr Mynors has written extensively on the law in relation to the historic environment.

This afternoon, from 1:15 – 5:15pm at BDP Manchester, will look at the issue of the extent of listing, from ‘What is a listed building?’ Dr Mynors will cover the extent of listing including objects and structures fixed to the building in the list, and likewise the extent of curtilage, using case law examples.

There will also be an opportunity for questions from the floor.

Places are limited, the cost is £15 for IHBC members and £17.50 for non-members and a sandwich lunch will be provided.

To secure your place please email your details to christine.davis@bdp.com

26 February 2019
Oxford

Neighbourhood Planning: What it’s achieving and how

With neighbourhood planning now well underway in many urban centres and neighbourhoods, towns, villages and rural areas, this seminar is an opportunity to hear about innovative strategies and techniques to build an evidence base for critical issues, common challenges and ways to respond to them, and what to look for in appointing an inspector.

Further details and bookings here

22 January 2019
Kellogg College, Oxford

Following on from the well-received 2018 seminars on town centres, this next event organised by Historic Towns and Villages Forum looks at the visitor economy as a key part of the future high street’s appeal.  Attracting the ‘experiential consumer’ – whether an international tourist or local resident – is now seen as the future to bolstering retail activity in town centres. 

In this seminar we explore what this means in different contexts, the role of the historic environment, and how to attract visitors and re-capture spending locally, looking at: 

• the outcomes of research into the four types of ‘town signatures’ – to understand how different towns actually function; 
• the role of communities and heritage assets in revitalising town centres;
• playing to a place’s inherent strengths in developing its brand for a stronger visitor economy; 
• using place-making strategies to change perceptions; 
• reusing empty shop to bring arts and culture to a town centre; 
• what it takes to turn your town around; 
• why it is worth investing in historic shop fronts; 
• plus, a workshop on your challenges and putting ideas into action.

This seminar will be of interest to local authority officers and councillors, civic societies, amenity and local community groups, and consultants with an interest in urban design, planning, community action, and town centre, heritage and retail management. 

Further details and booking here

23 January 2019
MK City Discovery Centre Milton Keynes

This International Network led by Oxford Brookes University and Coventry University has been supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, Milton Keynes Council, and MKCDC and has originated out of several New Towns celebrating birthday milestones, but with one eye on using that pivotal year to move forward to meet future growth and/or regeneration challenges.  Other partners in the Network include the International New Town Institute, Rotterdam, Peterborough and Harlow. The working programme is attached.

The day will see speakers drawn from across a number of new towns in the network and a variety of disciplines including academia, heritage, culture, city planning and growth all come together to share their experiences from the research project.

The morning will explore the strategic context of how new towns, having reached a certain ‘age’, are now seeking to reinvent themselves, using their unique heritage and design ‘DNA’ to  position themselves in a rapidly urbanising and diversifying world.  Following a networking lunch, the afternoon will then focus on individual new town case studies. 

Panel discussions will follow both sessions in which you and/or your colleagues can also feedback your experiences in your town, so that a complete story of what challenges are facing new towns is captured.  The day will end with an open ‘Next Steps’ session where discussion will be on what the Network hopes to achieve in 2019 and whether there are opportunities for your town to participate. 

The day is open to any number of delegates, specialising in the disciplines mentioned above, although for capacity reasons we may have to restrict numbers. 
If you are interested please RSVP by Tuesday 15 January stating how many delegates wish to attend to: Director@mkcdc.org.uk