From 1990 it had become increasingly apparent that difficulties in obtaining authentic stone were seriously hampering the repair and conservation of historic and listed buildings in the UK.
This situation had come about because of a number of factors including: The consequence was that dimension stone quarrying became increasingly uneconomical and unpalatable especially for small scale operators.
In response to this situation and with the support of English Heritage, the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office (now the Department of Communities and Local Government Department for Communities and Local Government)[4] commissioned a report Planning for the Supply of Natural Building and Roofing Stone in England and Wales (known as The Symonds Report).
Published in 2004 it reviewed the state of supply and demand for building stone and the planning environment in which it operated.
The main threads of national policy are that: ESF is also supporting and contributing views to a scheme for the designation of Global Heritage Building Stones which is being developed by the International Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment.