I join a delightful supper at the invitation of Pat Brown MBE & Muyiwa Oki PRIBA to discuss ideas on ‘Collaboration for Design Leadership’.
I came away more conviced that the solution lies in creating a meaningful relationship between the consumers and the producers of the built environment.

10 years of Historic England celebrated at UK House of Lords last evening. The reception hosted by Lord Neil Mendoza & Duncan Wilson CBE, was an opportunity to reflect on our development supporting heritage-led & people-centered regeneration since the separation from English Heritage a decade ago.

A visit last week by Historic England commissioners to Derby City Council was a great opportunity to reflect on the changing role of our organisation in supporting the challenges for a local authority at the heart of the nation's economy and defence.

Full House!
Pretty much all the measures set out in the planning & Infrastructure Bill on:
Planning Committees
Nature Restoration Fund
Compulsory Purchase Reform
Development Corporations
Strategic Planning
Nationally Significant Infrastructure
Clean Energy
are promoted in my 2023 book #HomeTruths!

Catch me discussing reactions to the Infrastructure & Planning Bill with Kait Borsay on Times Radio at 7.30 this evening.

Lest anyone doubt football is now the national religion, here’s its place of pilgrimage - Manchester United new ground at Old Trafford by Foster & Partners - processional route, spires and all.

I got along to RIBA for a celebration for Charles Hind, curator of the RIBA drawings collection over the last 37 years - probably the finest collection held by any architectural institute anywhere in the world.
Charles has done a wonderful job gathering the work of distinguished members.

Good to see our cafe space at #HTADesignLLP decked out with just some of the display of our #WinterExhibition. This year’s show is a really encouraging record of what was a difficult year.

Riveting, often funny Loyd Grossman at #TempleBar last night. Can #CityOfLondon be the tourist destination merited by its unique history?
Many ideas offered but above all a plan is needed to offer all the amenities that might sustain attractive #StreetLife, presently closed outside office hours!

Some very welcome Southwold sunshine.

To an excellent round table discussion on the housing crisis organised by the very lively #NegroniTalks. Lots of great points. But if we were to overcome extreme inequity and widespread poverty we may see less of this - snapped on my way home. Bell tents outside high end furniture store, Heals.

Pursuing answers to the question to be put by Loyd Grossman at Temple Bar London on 28th Jan: ‘Destination City: Can the Square Mile become a Tourism Magnet?’ I find myself at the Sky Garden with the irrepressible Kate Davies. It’s cold and the airport-style security leaves our quest unanswered…..

Thinking about Peter Murray’s upcoming evening at Temple Bar London when Loyd Grossman will talk on, ‘Destination City: Can the Square Mile become a Tourism Magnet?’
Well, the new 1 Leadenhall is a frightful example of the way the city’s remarkable heritage is subjugated to relentless commerce:

Today I met my new colleagues as Trustee at SAVE Britain’s Heritage, and went on to enjoy the launch of our 50th year celebrations at Space House. With half a century giving new life to threatened buildings there remains much to do.
@savetoreuse.bsky.social

The redoubtable Duncan Wilson CBE, who retires after a decade as Chief Executive of Historic England in nine months time, will be a hard act to follow. But what an opportunity! Pictured at the unveiling of George Harrison’s Blue Plaque.
Apply here:
app.beapplied.com/apply/exfbjm...

Full moon over Highbury Place

My Housing Today column this month highlights the importance of bringing more people back to live in town centres, citing experience as chair of Historic England's Historic Places Panel and at Chatham High Street Heritage Action Zone.
www.housingtoday.co.uk/why-people-c...

The report of our Historic England, Historic Places Panel inquiry in Exeter is now available online:
historicengland.org.uk/content/docs...

My first post on Bluesky.
I’m a refugee from ‘X’ where I said goodbye to a network of more than 9k built up over years.
I care about people and places.