As part of Water and Stone a programme of illustrated talks took place in CAST’s black box screening space. Architectural conservation expert Nick Collins’s talk, Helston’s Conservation Area: Characterising a historic town, explored how and why an understanding of the past can help to influence the future, looking at the work undertaken to comprehensively characterise the town’s conservation area in its 2010 Conservation Area Appraisal – and why it is just as relevant today.

Nick Collins BSc (Hons) MSc MRICS IHBC has twenty years experience in the property sector, including as a Director of the Conservation Team at integrated design consultants, Alan Baxter & Associates. Nick spent nine years at English Heritage as Principal Inspector of Historic Buildings and Areas where he led a team of historic building inspectors, architects and archaeologists on a wide range of heritage projects in East and South London. This experience has given Nick an in-depth understanding of the property industry, listed building and planning process, heritage policy and guidance and funding bodies.

Nick contributed to the Conservation Area Appraisal of Helston completed by Alan Baxter & Associates in 2010: map.cornwall.gov.uk/reports_conservation_areas/Helston

The talk was documented by filmmaker Ollie Smith.

Water and Stone was supported by FEAST, Helston Town Council, Cornwall Heritage Trust and The Curry Fund. The project was also supported by Cornwall Council’s Community Chest small grants scheme, with individual grants from Councillors Guy Foreman (Helston South & Meneage) and Mike Thomas (Helston North).