Project Summary

The "Traditional Building Skills" project delivers training events in a variety of traditional building skills disciplines across the counties of Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham.  These one-day courses aim to protect North East Wales' built heritage by providing anyone working or with an interest in old buildings the confidence in working with traditional materials and conservation techniques. 

With thousands of buildings across North East Wales protected by ‘listed' status and numerous conservation areas, the courses are part of a strategy to ensure that the region's historic buildings are not lost or damaged through the use of incorrect building techniques.

Problems encountered in the region include lack of knowledge of traditional lime products and techniques, the extensive use of cement renders, unsympathetic treatment of historic joinery and glazing, lack of care to historic brick and stone work, limited knowledge of the causes of dampness in buildings and a general desire to replace rather than repair.

So far the traditional building skills project has run twenty eight courses, which have seen well over two hundred individuals receive hands-on tuition in re-pointing with lime mortars, lime plastering, using traditional finishes, diagnosing damp, external joinery, stone conservation and brickwork repair.  Attendees have included builders, architects, surveyors, plasterers, painters, interior designers, conservation officers, homeowners and students.

To date the project has been a resounding success with great attendance, feedback and demand for further courses.  Through the training days and promotional activities, the project has raised awareness of the need for appropriate repair techniques for historic buildings and contributed to an increased understanding of the area's cultural and heritage resources.  Moreover, the project acts as a platform into further learning and skills development.

Partners

The project is supported by Cadwyn Clwyd and Northern Marches Cymru as part of LEADER+, a European funded programme which promotes the development of rural areas by encouraging long-term innovative strategies for sustainable development. 

Match funding has also been provided by the Welsh Assembly Government and by Denbighshire County Council, Flintshire County Council and Wrexham County Borough Council through Townscape Heritage Initiative schemes.

Objectives

• To raise awareness of the need for appropriate repair techniques for historic buildings
• To contribute to an increased understanding in the area's cultural and heritage resources
• To create a test framework for courses that are relevant to the repair and restoration of historic buildings
• To support the development of a skills base for historic building repair crafts in the LEADER + area
• To encourage local businesses to gain greater awareness of traditional building skills that will give them more confidence in tendering for conservation work and thus reviving the local economy

Long-Term Benefits

• Opportunity for localised growth within this niche of the construction industry
• Upgrades skills within the local workforce
• Promotes property development and use of existing building stock
• Well preserved built heritage provides an attractive and distinctive environment that assists tourism

Environmental Benefits

• Traditional building materials are naturally more environmentally friendly and sustainable compared to many modern construction materials
• Course content also looks at innovative ecological products on the market today

Upcoming Events

For more infomation and for a full list of courses, click on this link to the Traditional Building Skills website. 

See also Conservation Area Management Plans (top) for more short course listings 

Technical Pamphlets 

• Lime Plastering

Contact