Stone forms an important part of the UK built environment and the importance of its local distinctiveness is becoming increasingly recognised in repair and conservation.



New streetscape and paving projects are also turning to natural stone, leading to an increase in demand and a resurgence in parts of the stone industry. Yet while the UK has been a producer of building and roofing stone for hundreds of years, today only a fraction of these quarries are open and we are struggling to obtain appropriate stone that matches the original materials.



There is a need to identify historic patterns of local use and raise awareness of their significance to improve decision-making for conservation and provide stone for new build that is in keeping with the historic environment. Public-funded urban regeneration projects in town and city centres need to ensure that this money will be used to enhance the traditional environment and respect the local identity of places.



Safeguarding our historic quarries and identifying areas to search for compatible sources are important. Opportunities exist for small-scale quarry operations that will not only provide stone but also benefit the local economy, particularly in rural areas, and cut transport costs.



A symposium entitled Building a Future for Stone hosted by the British Geological Survey (BGS) has been organised at the Geological Society in Burlington House on London's Piccadilly on 1 October to look at how to improve the use and availability of indigenous building stone.



Speakers will discuss the stone industry past, present and future and look at improving selection and safeguarding of quarry resources. The issues of sustainability and stone sourcing for the local economy are also on the agenda as well as the role of heritage agencies, local government and the planning system. The event will also look at databases for the future and improving access to information.



This meeting aims to bring together planners, architects, stone producers, heritage conservation professionals and all people with a professional interest in the use of building stone to discuss the way forward and tackle the key issues for heritage and new construction.