Outline Chronology of The Civic Trust
1957
- The Civic Trust is launched at Lambeth Palace by Lord Duncan Sandys
- Organised largest international exhibition of landscape architecture plus free service to anyone wanting to start new local society
1958
- Annual Civic Trust Awards Scheme launched
- Volunteer work camps started to clear National Park eyesores
1959
- Successfully opposed plans for meretricious redevelopment of Piccadilly Circus.
- The Civic Trust undertook the first ‘street improvement scheme’ in Norwich.
- First National Conference for local civic and amenity societies took place.
1960
-Second street improvement scheme took place in Burslem
- Organised conference on Rebuilding City Centres.
- Membership grew to 300 local civic and amenity societies.
1961
- Her Majesty The Queen opens third street improvement scheme.
- Campaign launched for ‘instant’ landscaping for bleak urban areas using semi-mature trees.
- Launch of North West Civic Trust (regional association).
1962
-“New Face for Britain” a film about street improvement goes on general release
- Organised Conference in Salisbury on historic towns.
1963
- Organised conference on industrialised (system) building. Pilot programme on instant landscaping.
-The Civic Trust is a founding member of Europa Nostra (European federation of non-statutory conservation organisations).
1964
- Formulates plans for UK’s first regional park in Lea Valley, North East London.
- The Civic Trust’s Report ‘Derelict Land’ prompts Government to take remedial action.
- Civic Trust for Wales launched and 500 amenity and civic societies now registered as members of the Civic Trust.
1965
- The Civic Trust’s campaigning defeats damaging and grandiose Government plans for redevelopment of Whitehall/Westminster area.
- North East Civic Trust launched and “The Challenge of Leisure” published, which highlights need for increased leisure facilities.
1966
- Organised national conference titled ‘Trees in Towns’
1967
- Prime Minister Harold Wilson speaks at the Civic Trust’s 10th Anniversary dinner
- The Civic Trust’s drafted Civic Amenities Act, which becomes law. This enables local authorities to designate conservation areas for protection, of which there were 6,000 in 1989 in the UK, and Government grants are now available to assist with restoration and enhancement.
- The Civic Trust publishes ‘Conservation Areas’
- Scottish Civic Trust launched. Local civic and amenity society membership now 600.
1968
- National Conference of amenity societies held in York
- ‘Mark 2’ of street improvement scheme in Hemel Hempstead
1969
- Anglo-American conference on public participation.
- Exhibition of local amenity and civic societies’ work at Harrods.
1970
- National conference on derelict land, and first ever study of damage done by heavy lorries published which prompts calls for reform, and subsequent Government action
1971
“National Conference on Conservation”, a film is released on urban conservation, also a report is published requesting the setting up of the Architectural Heritage Fund.
- Civic Trust campaigning helps to defeat un-idiomatic and damaging plans for redevelopment of Covent Gardens.
1972
- Asked by Government to run the UK contribution to European Architectural Heritage Year. Other countries entries, bar Switzerland, were organised by their respective Governments.
- “Pride of Place” is published, manual on townscape care, later translated into Japanese and other languages
1973
- As proposed by the Civic Trust, the Government introduces Conservation Grants.
1974
- Civic Trust drafts Town and Counties Amenities Act which is passed as law.
- The Civic Trust is a founding member of European Environmental Bureau.
1975
- Civic Trust manages European Architectural Heritage Year. The main objectives are to promote education in schools and develop Heritage Centres – two of which opened in York and Chester.
1976
- Architectural Heritage Fund formed, and has been a constant success.
- “The Local Amenity Movement” – study of local societies is published
1977
- Scandal of urban wasteland highlighted in a Civic Trust report and the Government is promoted to start a register of such land.
- Education group launches Wide Awake Trail for the young.
1978
- First Urban Regeneration scheme undertaken in Wirksworth
- Civic Trust launches Heritage Interpretation Programme for societies
1979
- “Understanding Our Surroundings” is published
- Civic Trust advises government on environmental impact of heavy lorries
- Organised National Conference for members of conservation advisory committee
1980
- The Civic Trust launches “Pride of Place” – a competition on improvement schemes for local societies
1982
- The Civic Trust organises the national civic society conference in York
1983
- “Bypasses and Juggernauts” is published, highlighting the need to remove heavy lorry traffic from town and city centres
- Civic Trust receives Europa Nostra Award for regeneration work in Wirksworth
1984
- Regeneration scheme started in Calderdale, (including Halifax)
- Organised first national conference on Heritage Centres
1985
- The Civic Trust organises the first national environment week
1986
- Advises Isle of Man government on Tynwald meeting place. (oldest surviving legislature in the world)
1987
- The Civic Trust’s Regeneration unit is formed. First “Building a Better Britain” exhibition is launched in London.
1988
- Education unit launches “Shaping Place”
- New report on ‘Urban Wasteland’ and launch of UK 2000 – a Partnership of 6 voluntary groups .
1989
- Approx 1,000 local societies registered with Trust. National congress in Oxford, and second ‘Building a Better Britain’ exhibition
- New scheme launched for personal membership, HRH Prince of Wales becomes first member and Patron of the Civic Trust.
- Organised Conference on ‘Creating the Living Town Centre’
- Civic Trust launches Northern office in Liverpool.
1990
- Undertook UK Audit Review of the Environment with local societies
- BT sponsored Community Pride awards launched by the Civic Trust, and Regeneration campaign set up with target of 100 projects throughout the country.
- Development trusts now have their own association.
- “Lorries in the Community “ published
- “About the Urban Environment” published for GCSE students
- UK Audit of the Environment published – highlighting the need for safety in town centres
- Publication of new forms of community partnerships
-The Civic Trust is awarded a contract to manage DEFRA’s Environmental Action Fund, which helps voluntary and community groups to run sustainable projects.
1991
- Produced video of Regeneration: featuring the Civic Trust’s regeneration work.
- Organised “Bridging the Regeneration Gap” conference
1992
-” Inner City Regeneration” is launched, a practical advice resource for local groups to regenerate economic activity
- Regeneration Unit joins forces with URBED & Comedia to launch the Heart of Urban Initiative at the third Building a Better Britain conference, which focused mainly on the plight of town centres
- HRH Prince of Wales launches the Seaside Regeneration Campaign highlighting the Civic Trust’s work in Ilfracombe and pleading for similar towns which manage to slip through the funding net
- Grand Met Inner City Action Scheme is launched by the Civic Trust to aid local groups. Funding from the DOE enable the Civic Trust to give free
consultancy advice to needy groups
1993
- Friends of The Civic Trust scheme launched, and also the Campaign for Liveable Places which is sponsored by Grand Met
- “Winning Partnerships”, a new training course for urban regeneration is launched by Secretary of State, Michael Howard. The course is designed
to fill an important gap in training needs of the regeneration field
- CentreVision, a programme for town centres launched by the Civic Trust and sponsored by Boots the Chemist.
- “Turning The Tide” is published, detailing regeneration of seaside town
- The Civic Trust launches Heritage Open Days in England, which celebrates local heritage by opening buildings to the public during a weekend.
1994
- Heritage Open Days is launched as England’s contribution to European Heritage. The programme is co-ordinated by the Civic Trust, and supported by English Heritage.
1997
- The Civic Trust publishes “Pride of Place” – a manifesto to celebrate 40 years of achievements, and to call for a national commitment to British urban renaissance.
1998
-The Civic Trust launches Civic Champions – a programme to provide training and support for community activists to help them lead their communities in making local improvements.
1999
-The Civic Trust starts to manage the Green Flag Award Scheme on behalf of CABE Space.
2001
-The Civic Trust launches BizFizz in partnership with nef (the new economics foundation). This is an innovative national programme for entrepreneurs where a local panel and coaches offer their expertise to start ups and small enterprises.
2003
The Civic Trust is awarded a three year funding grant from the (then) Department for Communities and Local Government, to investigate good practice in managing and developing the evening and night time economy.
2005
- The Civic Trust wins the contract to deliver the Green Flag Award Scheme on behalf of Communities and Local Government.
- The Civic Trust launches a new Education Programme as part of Heritage Open Days, aimed at encouraging school children to explore and enjoy their heritage.
- The Civic Trust holds a national conference – “Town Centres for All” – creating a healthy variety of evening and night time activities.
2006
- The Civic Trust joins other heritage organisations, including the National Trust to launch “History Matters” – a campaign to encourage people to understand and explore their heritage.
- The Civic Trust launches the “NightVision” report, which, following three years of research, makes proposals for the management of town and city centres to make them attractive and inclusive to all at night. Eight pilot projects are launched across the country.
- The Civic Trust launches “GrassRoots” - a membership magazine.
- The Civic Trust launches a pilot “High Street” programme in Great Malvern. Local people, councillors, traders and the local civic society work together to improve the town’s economy.
2007
- Heritage Open Days involves 35,000 volunteers and attracts 1 million visitors over a long weekend in September, making it England’s largest voluntary cultural event.
- Under the management of the Civic Trust, the Green Flag Award Scheme has grown considerably, with over 500 parks and green spaces now flying the prestigious flag.
-BizFizz now helping entrepreneurs in 21 locations across England and Scotland.
-The Civic Trust joins other environmental organisations to campaign for changes to the proposed Planning Bill.
- The Civic Trust launched the first national exhibition featuring Civic Trust Award winning buildings and projects.
2008
- The 49th year of the Civic Trust Awards sees a record 103 winners. The Awards attract sponsors including CABE and ICI Paints.
- Well known actor, writer and comedian Griff Rhys Jones joins the Civic Trust as national President.
- The Civic Trust will hold a Parliamentary launch of the Purple Flag Awards (1st July) which will recognise those town and city centres which have developed well managed and inclusive evening economies.
We continue to work to with our members and partners, across our programmes and campaigns, to create better places in which people can live and work. Please click here to see our current Annual Review.