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High Street Heritage and Conservation Areas — [Yvonne Fovargue in the Chair]
13 September 2023
Lead MP
Jack Brereton
Stoke-on-Trent South
Con
Responding Minister
Rachel Maclean
Tags
Crime & Law EnforcementTaxationHousingBusiness & Trade
Word Count: 13832
Other Contributors: 9
At a Glance
Jack Brereton raised concerns about high street heritage and conservation areas — [yvonne fovargue in the chair] in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
Mr. Brereton asks for more investment from Historic England specifically for Longton's local heritage, additional time to address projects delayed due to the pandemic and inflationary pressures, better resources and skills related to enforcement actions, and relaxation of planning rules to facilitate change of use in historic buildings.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Mr. Brereton is concerned about the preservation of historic bottle ovens in Stoke-on-Trent, which are crucial to the city's identity as the world capital of ceramics. He highlights the shortage of skilled officers and experts needed for heritage conservation, noting that without character appraisals, it becomes challenging to conserve areas meaningfully. Mr. Brereton also mentions the poor state of some current conservation areas and the lack of enforcement action during the pandemic, leading to further deterioration. The MP cites specific examples such as buildings falling into disrepair in Longton and properties on the heritage at-risk register, emphasizing the need for proactive measures like section 215 notices.
Rother Valley
He agreed with his hon. Friend's point about councils lacking plans to move forward, citing Rother Valley as an example where some high streets lack detailed outline plans for bidding funds under levelling-up initiatives.
Ben Everitt
Con
Bedford
Heritage is vital for community identity, especially in Stoke-on-Trent where the ceramics industry holds significant heritage value. The pandemic slowed progress, but levelling-up initiatives offer opportunities to regenerate high streets and convert empty properties into homes, supported by funds like the shared prosperity fund.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Praised the heritage of Newtownards, highlighting its rich history and thriving high street. Noted that despite challenges with empty properties in conservation areas, efforts are being made to revitalise them. Acknowledged the importance of local councils and chambers of trade in preserving cultural heritage.
Jo Gideon
Lab
Stoke-on-Trent North
Jo Gideon highlighted the importance of conservation areas in preserving historic and architectural significance, expressing concern over empty properties that threaten the essence of towns and cities. She emphasized the need to encourage growth in these areas, making heritage assets more productive and attractive to residents, businesses, tourists, and investors.
Jonathan Gullis
Lab
Stoke-on-Trent North
High streets and heritage are important to Stoke-on-Trent, especially in towns like Burslem and Tunstall. The area has seen significant investment, such as £3.5 million for the Tunstall Library and Baths renovation. However, there are ongoing challenges with rogue landlords neglecting properties and causing disrepair. Gullis introduced a private Member's Bill to increase fines for property neglect and supported efforts to restore historical buildings like Chatterley Whitfield colliery and the Burslem indoor market.
Marco Longhi
Con
Bermondsey and Old Southwark
This intervention highlighted the voluntary nature of local council registers for heritage buildings and proposed making it compulsory for councils to maintain such registers, reviewing them annually or biannually. Briefly reminded other speakers not to forget about the Black Country's contributions to the discussion. He highlighted the vulnerability of heritage buildings to arson attacks and proposed that temporary listing protection should be introduced for England, similar to Wales' system. He also suggested increasing penalties for incidents involving arson and misuse of property.
Sarah Owen
Lab
Luton North
Ms Owen highlighted the economic and social impact of retail closures, citing Wilko's plight with 12,500 jobs at risk. She emphasized the need for a coherent industrial strategy to prevent further job losses in manufacturing towns like Luton. Owen also discussed the detrimental effects of empty properties on local businesses and communities, referencing studies by the Federation of Small Businesses and the Association of Convenience Stores. She proposed reintroducing respect orders to tackle antisocial behaviour and praised councils such as Sheffield and Telford for their successful high street regeneration efforts.
Theo Clarke
Con
Stafford
He congratulated his hon. Friend on securing this debate, stating that Stafford faces similar challenges with heritage buildings and campaigned for the reopening of Shire Hall, which was given £1.6 million by the Government.
Yvonne Fovargue
Lab
Makerfield
Ms. Fovargue thanked Mr. Brereton for his work and highlighted the challenges faced by Stafford in its conservation areas, including absentee landlords and buildings falling into disrepair.
Government Response
Rachel Maclean
Government Response
The Minister praised the efforts to protect and rejuvenate high streets, highlighting initiatives such as high street rental auctions, funding for derelict properties, and the Office for Place. She mentioned £2 million made available by the antisocial behaviour action plan to support communities in bringing derelict properties back into use. The Government is investing tens of millions through the future high streets fund, with an additional £930,000 investment this year to support existing high street heritage action zone projects. She also discussed the importance of local planning authorities reviewing past designations and using section 215 powers effectively.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.