Heritage Information (HI), a national online database intended to bring together consultants, contractors, craftsmen, products, services and information relating to the repair, restoration and conservation of the historic environment, has been launched to the trade prior to its public launch in the spring.

HI was launched to the trade by the Duke of Gloucester at HI\'s headquarters in Kensington Palace Gardens, London, in November. There were displays of conservation crafts at the launch, including a stone and wood carver.

With the mission of "making heritage happen", as they put it, HI intends to include skilled craftsmen, consultants, training courses, products, books, news and jobs, as well as information involved on conservation and repair.

The database will contain a vetted register of contractors, craftsmen and consultants, although the idea of vetting the list has always worried some people. Ingval Maxwell made the point at the Institute of Historic Building Conservation\'s annual school in 2001, when HI director Dorian Crone spoke about his brainchild, that vetting effectively created a black list of companies excluded from the register.

However, Dorian Crone says vetting will be along the established lines of the former Museums & Galleries Register (now run by UKIC), the Conservation Register of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and the Register of Architects Accredited in Building Conservation.

These registers accept people on the basis of experience and qualifications, although as conservation qualifications are relatively new, much of the qualifying criteria for the HI register will be based on experience and length of service in the industry.

The register will contain the names of individuals, as skills rest with those individuals. Craftsmen will be able to register themselves for £100 and companies will be able to register up to three people (and the company name will be included) for £300.

Anyone who is excluded from the register will be told why and what they need to do to be accepted. There will be an appeal procedure so that anyone who feels they have been excluded unjustly can have their case heard by a panel constituted on an ad hoc basis and comprising those with relevant skills to judge the matter.

And anyone who feels that someone on the register should be removed from it in the light of experience will also be able to present a case to an appeal panel.

The benefits of registering are intended to be that the register will be widely used by people looking for skilled professionals and craftsmen for conservation projects. Early on, 100 conservation consultants and specifiers had applied to be registered.

Dorian Crone, who was formerly with English Heritage and is an architect, says: "I see Heritage Information as oiling the wheels of conservation, putting people in touch with each other, making information easy to find and simplifying the whole process.

"Ultimately, what we\'re trying to do is ensure the maximum possible number of Britain\'s buildings and gardens are repaired and maintained in the best possible way by involving the right skilled and experienced people."As it says on the front page of our website, we\'re all in this together and this is what Heritage Information is all about."

HI received some heavyweight backing to get off the ground. Key supporters include English Heritage, the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Department of Trade & Industry, the National Trust, The Crown Estate and the Council for the Care of Churches.

Heritage Information is currently seeking specialist consultants, contractors, architects, craftsmen, products and services to join the register ready for its public launch in the spring.

You can apply to join the register or find out more about it on the website, or by contacting:

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