Heritage Expert Witness Profile
Dr David Hickie BSc(Hons), MA, PhD, IHBC, CMLI, CEnv, MIEMA
Qualifications
- Full Member Institute of Historic Building Conservation (2009)
- Chartered Landscape Architect (1983)
- Chartered Environmentalist and Member of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (2002)
Membership of other Professional Bodies:
- Affiliate Member Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (2017)
- Member of the Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain (2009)
- Member of the Vernacular Architecture Group (2009)
- Member of the International Association for Impact Assessment (1998)
- Registered Member – UK Register of Expert Witnesses (2020)
Principal Professional Specialisms
I specialise in all aspects of: Listed Buildings; Building Preservation Notices; Registered Parks and Gardens; Registered Battlefields; Scheduled Ancient Monuments; World Heritage Sites; locally listed heritage assets; Conservation Areas; historic gardens and landscapes; and, the setting of heritage assets.
I have acted as an expert witness for High Court Cases, as well as Planning Inquiries and Hearings. My clients have included Local Authorities and private sector owners and developers.
Professional Expertise
I am a national expert in the field of heritage management and planning. I was formerly Assistant Regional Director of English Heritage (now known as Historic England) where I led a team of Historic Building Inspectors, Historic Area Advisors and Ancient Monument Inspectors providing expert advice across the Region. This included providing expert advice and training for all the Local Authority Conservation Officers within the Region. I was responsible for advising the Secretary of State on which planning applications should be ‘called in’ on heritage matters within the West Midlands Region. I am also a recognised international expert on EIA and LVIA matters. I am now the Managing Director and Principal Consultant for Heritage Matters, an independent specialist heritage consultancy.