Improving historic environment practice - consultation

[Relictor]

I would love to be proved wrong and I truly hope I am.


However the mission statement of the Southport Group states they are

a group of professionals within the industry who have formed a working party to think creatively and radically about how we practise and how the PPS may best be implemented.

It then goes on the say

A post-Southport world would see a sector that consistently adds value to development by contributing to the sustainable development agenda, to design, brand, place-shaping, securing consents, risk management, PR, CSR, marketing and sales/rental values. The vision is that commercial investigation and explanation of the historic environment should be commissioned and conducted in a way that makes public participation the norm not the exception.

and then

Development-led research into the historic environment should be a collaborative venture involving commercially-funded, local authority, higher education and the voluntary sector.

as for changing the Standards and Regulations well that is also mentioned

....containing recommendations for a framework of guidance and other products that would help realise the aspirations of PPS5. It will contain the specification for the tools and rules we will need for the job – ie the revised advice and guidance (for planners, the archaeological sector and others) on how to realise public benefits from archaeology

Now, even if it is not the intention to place volunteers within the commercial framework, the wording certainly allows for it to be interpreted that way. It certainly is a valid question to put to the group what exactly their intention is, because as they say:

The authors of this report hope that the sector, by responding to this draft, will seize the opportunity to shape the future.

So lets make sure we secure our future .....