Policy and Campaigns

We influence the thinking and actions of people who shape and manage the built environment in a variety of ways. In addition to the practical projects we carry out, we also:

• respond to consultation papers issued by central government and its agencies.
  LATEST RESPONSE - to the Government's Planning White Paper (August 2007). Many thanks to all those Civic Societies which contributed to the response. If you would like to read a summary, please click here.
• issue position statements that capture our views on individual topics.
• take part in focused campaigns, harnessing the lobbying power of our Civic Society membership to change policies and attitudes. For further information about our campaign against some of the recommendations of the Barker Review of Land Planning, please see our Campaigns page

*************LATEST CAMPAIGN****************

Cut the VAT!

We have joined forces with the Federation of Master Builders and other organisations to campaign for VAT on building repairs and renovation to be cut from 17.5% to 5%.

New build projects are exempt from VAT, whereas the repair and renovation of existing buildings is charged at 17.5%. The Civic Trust believes that this balance should be redressed to:

- Reduce the number of empty homes
- Reduce the number of those living in substandard housing
- Protect the countryside
- Stop the destruction of decent existing buildings
- Help preserve our national heritage
- Increase the number of zero carbon homes
- Help tackle fuel poverty
- Reduce the number of rogue builders

What can I do?
If you would like to support the campaign, sign the online petition at www.cutthevat.co.uk , or complete the postcard in the next issue of House Beautiful magazine.

Tell us how this issue has affected you or your Civic Society. Call Hannah Mummery on 020 7539 7908 or email hmummery@civictrust.org.uk. To complete a brief online survey, please click here.

To read more about our campaign, click here.

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Our latest Policy e-newsletter is dedicated to the implications of the Barker Review. To download a copy, please click here.

Over the last 11 years, the Civic Trust has made 135 policy statements which represented (and continue to represent) the views of our members. For a full list of our policy statements from 1996 - 2007, please click here.

Click here for our view on Housing Market Renewal.

If you have any comments on our policy and campaigns please contact us. We produce a Policy e-update. If you wish to receive this update, please email Hannah Mummery

updated 28.01.08

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