Historic Landscape Project - Conservation through Partnership
Welcome to the Historic Landscape Project for the Southeast
It's new! It's informative! It's interactive! It can help answer your burning CGT questions! Enter the CGT Web Forum created to enable CGTs to exchange ideas and experiences, download presentations and materials, and generally have your say. It’s easy to register – just follow the instructions on the Forum. We look forward to hearing your views and suggestions! Enter CGT Web Forum
SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS OF OUR FORTHCOMING TRAINING
This FREE training has been developed to build on the knowledge and skills of CGT volunteers in the south east region to get more actively involved in their Trust's conservation activities. You can also see the courses we are planning for the rest of 2012!
The southeast region has a wealth of historic designed gardens and parkland. 368 parks and gardens are on the English Heritage Register of Historic Parks and Gardens, but there are at least 3000 more identifiable designed landscapes of great variety and significance which deserve to be better understood, recorded, protected and enjoyed. Sadly these are frequently under threat from such forces as development, intensification of agriculture, multiple ownership, and insensitive management. 24 of the region’s registered landscapes are on the English Heritage ‘At Risk’ Register, that’s 24% of those considered at high risk nationwide.
The Historic Landscape Project aims to support the network of county gardens trust volunteers in the south east to get more involved in conservation and research initiatives, enabling the trusts to contribute to greater protection of our historic designed landscapes.
We’re working closely with English Heritage and Natural England, and increasing our work with local authorities across the region, as well as The Garden History Society and Parks and Gardens UK.
Verena McCaig, the AGT’s Historic Landscape Project Officer, is leading the project and would be very pleased to answer your questions, hear your ideas, or work with your county gardens trust to develop local conservation and research initiatives. Email Verena: verena.mccaig@naturalengland.org.uk
HISTORIC LANDSCAPE PROJECT TRAINING EVENTS
Understanding Conservation Management Plans
These plans are so important in ensuring the conservation of historic parks and gardens through proper research and analysis, and can be used in all sorts of ways, from management to planning applications.
Course aim: To enable CGT volunteers to participate confidently in contributing to Conservation Management Plan consultation, before, during and after the document is drafted, to ensure the maximum management protection is given to the site and significance made clear.
Both courses will be delivered by Virginia Hinze with Verena McCaig. You can book by e-mailing Teresa at gardenstrusts@agt.org.uk
22 February 2012
10am to 4.15pm, Kidbrooke Park (Michael Hall School), Forest Row, East Sussex >more details
14 March 2012
10am to 4.15pm, Denham Park/Langley Park, Wexham, South Bucks
Responding to Planning Applications Affecting Historic Designed Landscapes
It needn’t be a labyrinth!! Delivered by Verena McCaig, Historic Landscape Project officer for the AGT in the southeast, this day will be a mixture of short presentations, discussion, looking at examples and a practical exercise. It aims to be ‘entry level’ to enable those CGT volunteers who have not had experience in this aspect of the CGTs’ work before to begin to get involved. Delegates will be equipped by the end to be able to respond to planning consultations relating to historic designed landscapes and begin to build experience in doing so, armed with hints and tips.
As this is an introductory course, it offers a really useful opportunity to get involved in this area and support those already carrying out this important function.
21 March 2012
10am to 4.15pm – lunch provided, Hercules House, Hercules Road, Waterloo, London SE1 7DU
Course Objectives:
- To demystify the planning process
- To enable delegates with little prior knowledge of the planning system to understand the key legislation and guidance relevant to historic designed landscapes
- To equip delegates to use this legislation and guidance to respond appropriately to planning consultations effectively, consistently and proportionately
- Importance of responding to planning consultations
- Local Planning Authorities and introduction to planning policy
- Designations and protection
- Planning Policy specific for the historic environment
- How to approach a planning consultation – step by step
- Writing the letter – what planning officers want to receive
- Resources available to help – and what else CGTs can do to smooth the way
- Jargon busting!
Please note that this course is only available to CGT members from gardens trusts in the southeast region as listed on this web page. If you are in doubt, do contact Teresa, AGT Co-ordinator.
COMING LATER IN 2012!
We're busy planning the programme of courses that will be delivered for CGT volunteers between April and December 2012. Dates and venues are to be confirmed, but the topics will be:
- Researching Historic Designed Landscapes for Local Listing
- Understanding Historic Parkland **NEW**
- Responding to Planning Applications affecting historic designed landscapes
Researching Historic Designed Landscapes for Local Listing: this workshop was run in October and November 2011.
Here are examples of some of the feedback we received:
"An excellent day that was well structured. I learnt a lot from how to write up surveys which I have never been confident at doing."
"Really helpful, excellent pace."
"...for me, what will be of greatest importnace is the section on writing up descriptions in the English Heritage format...the whole day has helped me refresh my memory and interest on how to research and record gardens."
If you would like to read more about this course and see the handouts and materials, register on the CGT Web Forum.
Find out more about the project
> Download project leaflet (pdf, 211kb)
You can read Verena McCaig's ‘Reflections on Year 1 of the Historic Landscape Project’
County Gardens Trusts that fall within the southeast region:
Berkshire Gardens Trust
Buckinghamshire Gardens Trust
Hampshire Gardens Trust
Isle of Wight Gardens Trust
Kent Gardens Trust
Oxfordshire Gardens Trust
Surrey Gardens Trust
Sussex Gardens Trust
Relevant and Useful Links
English Heritage – information on Heritage at Risk, including parks and gardens. You can search here for landscapes considered at high risk in your county and read a report on ‘Heritage at Risk’ in the southeast:
www.english-heritage.org.uk/protecting/heritage-at-risk
Learn more about the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens and what makes a landscape eligible for registration:
www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/register-parks-gardens
www.english-heritage.org.uk/protecting/heritage-protection/criteria-for-protection/pag-criteria
Natural England – understand the potential of Higher Level Stewardship for conserving and restoring parkland:
www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/farming/funding/es/hls
Follow this link to download this useful pamphlet from English Heritage - ‘Farming the Historic Landscape – caring for historic parkland’
www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/farming-the-historic-landscape-historic-parkland
Follow this link to browse the on-line historic gardens information resource, Parks & Gardens UK – find out more about a park or garden you know, discover new ones, learn about adding your own research to it: www.parksandgardens.ac.uk. This site also has very helpful guidance for researchers – look under the ‘Research & Record’ menu.
Your County Gardens Trust needs you!
• Develop new skills and knowledge by joining our free training workshops designed to support research and conservation
• Actively contribute your knowledge of local historic landscapes to conservation and planning initiatives
• Carry out research on your local designed landscapes and make sure these are properly recognised and recorded
• Keep in touch with other volunteers and contribute your ideas as our web pages develop
