Heritage Assets and Regeneration

Name Jon Ackroyd – Acting Team Leader, Design & Conservation,

Planning ServiceCity of Bradford MDC

Heritage Assets?

• The obvious built heritage:– c.5800 listed buildings– 59 conservation areas, all with character

appraisals and a programme of review

• The less obvious:- 13 registered parks and landscapes- 203 scheduled monuments- 1 registered battlefield shared with Leeds and Kirklees

What value has heritage to regeneration?

• Heritage provides sense of place

• Assets illustrate historic development of our environment, of technology and industry, and reflect how we lived and worked.

• Assets instil local identity and provide constants or landmarks in mental image of our environment.

• Any change can be controversial, potential harm or loss often results in resistance or anger.

Heritage Regeneration…

• Removes urban and visual blight.• Stimulates activity, economy and positive spiral – neighbouring

refurbishments and contemporary new build have rejuvenated this city centre conservation area fronting onto a main arterial road.

• Provides jobs and sustains craft skills – the middle 3/5 of the façade had to be taken down and rebuilt.

• Promotes sustainability by re-using building stock.

Heritage Regeneration…

• Provides new local landmarks and facilities – a new community health education centre and medical centre for a deprived city suburb.

• Restores significant listed buildings at risk.• Removes blight.• Reinforces sense of place.

Heritage Regeneration…

• Removes blight from local communities, restoring landmark buildings.

• Achieves sustainability by re-using building stock.• Contributes to need for local housing – 11 high quality

apartments created in a former Sunday School.

Heritage as the context

• Historic buildings and areas often robust enough to take good contemporary intervention.

• Proportionate intervention needed to ensure redundant buildings or deprived areas are rejuvenated.

Heritage as the catalyst

• Exemplary design and quality stimulate regeneration and reinforce local distinctiveness.

• Longevity assured through design and quality. • Feel-good factor and increased vitality stimulate

continued regeneration and investment.

Making it happen…

Making it happen…

• HLF THI funding for areas - £2 million for Keighley, £750,000 for Pontefract.

• Engaging with community, positive guidance stimulating improvement – localism in action? English Heritage Capacity Building Grant.

• Diversification – identifying new ways of achieving heritage benefits.

Making it happen…

• 2 neighbouring buildings at risk, potential resort to powers under Listed Buildings Act and Building Act.

• Receiving banks ultimately agreed to implement planning permissions to protect assets.

• Court House conversion to 14 apartments, project cost £700,000.

• York House conversion to 24 apartments, £990,000.

What Next?

• Refurbish and adapt social housing with HCA funds? Integrate new housing, promote revitalisation of the conservation area.

• How to facilitate regeneration of large obsolete heritage assets when borrowing stalled – new system of heritage loans through trusts or public/private partnerships?

• The visual and dynamic benefits are clear, we must all work to make it happen.