Private sector business network Downtown in Business (DIB) and heritage regeneration specialist PJ Livesey have joined forces to call for major reforms to the way Britain protects and restores its historic buildings.
The two organisations have submitted detailed evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee’s inquiry into protecting built heritage, arguing that the greatest threat facing many historic buildings is not redevelopment, but delay.
The submission is accompanied by a supporting report, Forgotten Heritage: When Delay Becomes Decay, which highlights how planning complexity, funding challenges, public asset disposal processes and regulatory uncertainty can leave important heritage assets standing empty for years whilst their condition deteriorates.
The joint response sets out six key recommendations to government:
- Reform public asset disposal frameworks to prioritise deliverability over maximum land value.
- Recognise Heritage-Led Housing as a distinct delivery model within the National Planning Policy Framework.
- Introduce Early Investigative Consent routes to reduce uncertainty and encourage investment.
- Reform funding mechanisms and public sector support for heritage assets.
- Remove the VAT disadvantage faced by heritage conversion projects.
- Strengthen coordination between Historic England and local planning authorities.
Downtown in Business Group Chair and Chief Executive Frank McKenna said:
“Britain’s historic buildings are among our greatest assets, yet far too many are being allowed to deteriorate whilst bureaucracy, policy failures and a lack of joined-up thinking prevent meaningful action.
“We need a planning and regeneration system that encourages restoration rather than inadvertently rewarding neglect. Historic buildings can deliver new homes, attract investment, support tourism and create jobs, but only if we make it easier to bring them back into productive use.
“The greatest threat to many heritage assets is not redevelopment. It is delay. When delay becomes decay, heritage is lost forever. That is why we are urging government to adopt a more practical and delivery-focused approach.”
PJ Livesey Managing Director Georgina Lynch said:
“For more than forty years, PJ Livesey has demonstrated that historic buildings can be successfully transformed into thriving residential communities whilst preserving their architectural and historic significance.
“However, the challenges involved in restoring heritage assets are fundamentally different from those associated with conventional development. Current policy frameworks do not always recognise those differences, creating unnecessary risk, delay and cost.
“We believe there is a huge opportunity for government to unlock the potential of heritage-led regeneration. With the right policy support, historic buildings can play a major role in meeting housing needs, supporting sustainability objectives and driving economic growth in towns and cities across the country.”
The submission argues that heritage regeneration should be viewed as a core component of the Government’s growth agenda rather than solely a conservation issue.
DIB and PJ Livesey also warn that unless reforms are introduced, many historic buildings will continue to remain vacant and vulnerable, resulting in escalating restoration costs and the permanent loss of important heritage assets as well as a missed opportunity for housing delivery.
The organisations are now calling on ministers, local authorities, Historic England and industry stakeholders to work together to create a more effective framework for heritage-led regeneration.
