Conservation and the Recession

Last Wednesday (July 7th), English Heritage published the  Heritage at Risk Register 2010, which suggested that the economic downturn may have caused a reduction in the number of Grade I and II* buildings rescued from decay. Many conservation projects may be affected, or even fail to start in the first place.

Unfortunately, Birmingham Conservation Trust has itself seen some of the results of the recession.

The problem doesn’t end with listed buildings. The Register includes conservation areas at risk, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, registered battlefields and protected wreck sites.

Chief Executive of English Heritage, Dr Simon Thurley, said: “Cuts in both private and public spending are currently inevitable, but armed with our Heritage at Risk Register English Heritage is well-equipped to guard against the loss of the nation’s greatest treasures and to suggest effective and economical strategies to protect our national heritage.”

To search the Register click here, view the press release here, click here for the national analysis report and click here for a summary of key statistics.  For the regional reports, click here.