From Archaeology to Heritage Planning: Andrew Rudge on Managing Change, Sustainability & Inconsistent Decisions

*🎙️ You can also access the full Audio version of this Podcast by searching for ‘Heritage Buildings Podcast’ on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, PocketCasts, and your favourite podcast apps.*

Welcome to the Heritage Buildings Podcast!

Host Vincent Read welcomes Andrew Rudge, Regional Historic Environment Director at Landpro in Birmingham, to discuss his career journey from environmental archaeology and archaeological science into field archaeology, historic building recording, curatorial heritage roles (including Cornwall County Council and Historic England), and finally consultancy supporting clients through development. They explore what draws people from archaeology into historic buildings, the detective work of understanding building change, and the importance of storytelling.

The conversation examines sustainability, local materials, and how post-war pressures and later-20th-century practices contributed to more disposable construction. Andrew and Vincent discuss the often inconsistent relationship between heritage and planning, resourcing gaps, risk-averse decision-making, impacts on homeowners, and the need for better communication and access to skilled specialists. Andrew outlines his new role building Landpro’s Midlands heritage offer across varied projects.

Topics covered include:

• Andrew Rudge’s journey from archaeology to heritage planning consultancy
• Understanding historic buildings through investigation, recording, and storytelling
• Traditional building materials, sustainability, and construction waste
• The influence of post-war development on Britain’s building culture
• Challenges and inconsistencies within the heritage planning system
• The impact of planning decisions on homeowners and building conservation
• Improving guidance, communication, and access to trusted specialists
• Building Landpro’s Midlands heritage consultancy and conservation team

Whether you’re an archaeologist, heritage consultant, architect, building surveyor, planning professional, conservation specialist, student, or simply passionate about historic buildings and sustainable architecture, this episode offers valuable insights into the challenges of heritage planning, the importance of traditional building practices, and the need to balance conservation with modern development while protecting Britain’s built heritage for future generations.

*Below is a more detailed breakdown of the video with relevant timestamps*

(Click the time on the left to jump straight to that section)

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

02:19 Andrew’s Current Role

03:12 From Archaeology to Buildings

06:46 Why Historic Buildings Hook Us

11:12 Sustainability Then vs Now

16:22 Waste and Reuse in Construction

24:13 Local Materials and Identity

28:50 Heritage vs Planning System

35:34 Inconsistency and Homeowner Frustration

42:14 Ideas to Improve Guidance

43:48 Finding Better Guidance

45:47 When Decisions Defy Logic

50:15 Fear of Change Debate

52:38 Skills Shortage and Bad Advice

55:55 Signposting Trusted Experts

59:05 Databases and Liability Fears

01:02:34 Beyond Accreditations

01:04:02 New Role at Lampro

01:06:57 Building a Hands On Team

01:12:51 Project Examples and Deadlines

01:17:05 Switching Off and Sleep Tips

01:18:11 Wrapping Up and Next Steps

*Connect with Andrew Rudge using the links below:*

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-rudge-88638644/

Email: [email protected]

*🔗 Learn more about the Heritage Buildings Association*

https://heritagebuildingsassociation.com

*Click here to join the conversation:*

https://heritagebuildings.forum/share/dDYOnkLWJAkaA5xE?utm_source=manual

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#HeritageConservation #HeritagePlanning #HistoricBuildings