On 2nd October, the Directors of HCEL had a walk round with Jon Willetts, the City Council’s Historic Environment Officer. Roof tiles, windows, bricks and solar panels were on his agenda. Jon observed that some houses in the Estate are approaching their centenary, which makes the sourcing of original materials increasingly challenging. HCEL needs to identify acceptable replacement building materials, particularly bricks, and inform the Council’s Planning Department so as to provide coherent guidance to property owners. Directors are looking at different roof tile manufacturers and suppliers, with the aim of finding tiles that cover a range of costs and styles. Jon does his best to oppose solar panels on the front roof-slopes in Conservation Areas despite councillor pressure. He stated that our estate continues to be one of the best kept in the city.