Historic Towns Forum

About HTF

The Historic Towns Forum (HTF), formerly the English Historic Towns Forum (EHTF), has been supporting professionals working in the historic built environment since 1987.

The Forum's events and publications focus on perennial and topical issues. Together, they offer a strong platform from which to lobby policy makers on behalf of historic towns and cities more details.

HRH The Prince of Wales becomes Patron of the HTF

HRH The Prince of Wales has become the Patron of the Historic Towns Forum (HTF) bringing together The Prince's great interest in the built environment with that of the Forum's work for our historic towns and cities.

PPS15 - Where are we now?

After lengthy and vigorous involvement in the consultation process for PPS15, the Forum was disappointed to learn that there would not be further consultation on the final revisions.
 
However, after pressure was brought to bear by HTF and others in the heritage sector this decision is receiving further consideration read more

The Forum initially welcomed the publication of Draft PPS15 for consultation but, having studied its content, was extremely concerned and disappointed.
HTF response to Draft PPS 15

Capturing Quality in Our Time

Historic towns and cities are environmentally attractive, offer a good quality of life, are frequently prosperous and are, in varying degrees, models of sustainable development. It is in part a consequence of these qualities that historic towns are facing the challenge of unprecedented growth ... read more

Positive, strategic and practical approaches to effectively addressing the growth pressures are explored in the report 'Capturing Quality in Our time'

IPC Goes Live

The Infrastructure Planning Commission went live on Monday 1 March.  After that date applications for energy and transport projects which are classed as "nationally significant infrastructure projects" under The Planning Act 2008 must be made to the IPC. ... read more

Updated Park & Ride survey

The Park & Ride survey carried out on behalf of HTF by RPS last year gave us invaluable information about schemes all over the country. To share your experiences or to update information you have already given us please complete the updated survey.

Special Offers for HTF Members

As well as receiving free downloads and discounts on HTF publications, HTF Members can now receive discounts on the following:

• Practical Guide to National Infrastructure Projects 
  by Bircham Dyson Bell
  

• Living Buildings Architectural Conservation: Philosophy, Principles and Practice
  by Donald Insall
• The Historic Environment: Policy & Practice 
  a new journal due June 2010

Valuing what you've got ...

Following English Heritage’s Conservation Areas At Risk (CAAR) survey in 2009, in which one in seven were found to be at risk, a series of seminars 'Managing Heritage Assets for Added Value' was delivered across England, aiming to support those in local authorities responsible for strategic management and policy making.

Seminar series report and speakers' presentations 

Planning and Protection for Quality Places

The 2009 Annual Conference, in Chichester, looked at heritage protection, heritage assets, conservation areas at risk and the value of townscape, which are all high on the agenda at present.  Expert witnesses presented a range of good practice case studies and recent research to support practitioners and decision makers. Conference report and speakers' presentations

The 2010 Annual Conference, in Oxford, will be examining climate change; the present challenges and solutions offered in the historic built environment ... more details to follow

Integrated sustainable transport strategies

Sustainable transport must be a priority if we are to manage historic places and resources.

Park & Ride can offer a solution but can be difficult to implement. This along with other parking strategies, in the context of integrated transport planning was examined at our conference in Winchester last year. Conference report and speakers' presentations

Reflecting on retail development

In York last September leading experts from both private and public sectors offered new information on retail development.
Conference report and speakers' presentations

This year HTF will be looking at the St David's development in Cardiff ... more details to follow