3rd Report - Protecting built heritage
Select Committee
Culture, Media and Sport Committee
HC 144
13 July 2026
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Recommendations & Conclusions
39 results
1
Recommendation
The deterioration of heritage assets represents a major missed opportunity.
Recommendation
The deterioration of heritage assets represents a major missed opportunity. Their significant potential to support economic growth and tourism is being systematically constrained by a combination of financial, structural and policy pressures. Without a more coherent and proactive approach, increasing …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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2
Recommendation
We recommend the government introduce a ‘heritage-to-housing’ scheme to bring vacant and at-risk historic buildings...
Recommendation
We recommend the government introduce a ‘heritage-to-housing’ scheme to bring vacant and at-risk historic buildings back into residential use. The scheme should draw on lessons from other countries such as Italy’s €1 house initiatives and renovation tax incentives, but be …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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3
Recommendation
We recommend that the government establish and lead a high street repurpose programme as a...
Recommendation
We recommend that the government establish and lead a high street repurpose programme as a core intervention within the national reuse-first housing strategy. The scheme should require developers to demonstrate that reuse has been prioritised over demolition, empowering local authorities …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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4
Conclusion
Heritage-led housing is no longer a niche or peripheral opportunity, but a major and under-recognised...
Conclusion
Heritage-led housing is no longer a niche or peripheral opportunity, but a major and under-recognised means of addressing the country’s acute housing shortage. Historic England’s estimate that up to 670,000 47 homes could be delivered through the reuse of vacant …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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5
Recommendation
We recommend that the government adopt a reuse-first approach to housing policy, prioritising the conversion...
Recommendation
We recommend that the government adopt a reuse-first approach to housing policy, prioritising the conversion of vacant and under-used heritage buildings before pursuing new build. This approach should embed reuse as a clear priority in the National Planning Policy Framework, …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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6
Conclusion
The Heritage minister should have regular and structured meetings with the Housing minister to align...
Conclusion
The Heritage minister should have regular and structured meetings with the Housing minister to align policy and delivery. This should include joint oversight of heritage-led housing schemes and clear accountability for unlocking reuse at scale. (Recommendation, Paragraph 20)
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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7
Conclusion
Our evidence points to a systematic weakness in how government collects data on its heritage...
Conclusion
Our evidence points to a systematic weakness in how government collects data on its heritage assets. Without fully understanding the current state of the sector, the government will not be able to unlock the value of built heritage. (Conclusion, Paragraph …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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8
Recommendation
We recommend that the government establish a comprehensive and standardised national dataset on the condition,...
Recommendation
We recommend that the government establish a comprehensive and standardised national dataset on the condition, ownership and maintenance of heritage assets across England. This should be delivered jointly with Historic England and include asset-level information on condition, risk status and …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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9
Conclusion
Existing frameworks for protecting built heritage do not adequately capture contemporary cultural heritage, leaving many...
Conclusion
Existing frameworks for protecting built heritage do not adequately capture contemporary cultural heritage, leaving many culturally significant spaces vulnerable despite their clear value to communities. Without a broader definition of heritage, there is a risk that important aspects of the …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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10
Recommendation
We recommend that the government put in place processes for identifying and protecting buildings with...
Recommendation
We recommend that the government put in place processes for identifying and protecting buildings with high cultural and social value alongside architectural significance. This should include acknowledging the cultural importance of nightclubs, music venues and activist spaces where a particularly …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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11
Conclusion
Place-based approaches offer an effective way of aligning investment with local need, strengthening partnerships and...
Conclusion
Place-based approaches offer an effective way of aligning investment with local need, strengthening partnerships and embedding community involvement. However, their impact is uneven. Areas with less capacity, particularly rural and deprived parts of the country, face barriers such as limited …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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12
Recommendation
We recommend that the government implement and promote place-based approaches to the protection of built...
Recommendation
We recommend that the government implement and promote place-based approaches to the protection of built heritage. These approaches should involve models bringing together the whole range of organisations working in the community. The government should also develop mechanisms such as …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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13
Recommendation
We recommend that the government introduce a local high street assessment tool to tackle the...
Recommendation
We recommend that the government introduce a local high street assessment tool to tackle the challenge that a one-size-fits-all approach is ineffective. This tool can be used to compare the cost and effectiveness of interventions, including planning, engagement, skills and …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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14
Recommendation
The current funding landscape for built heritage is fragmented, short-term and does not adequately support...
Recommendation
The current funding landscape for built heritage is fragmented, short-term and does not adequately support the long-term nature of conservation. We recommend that the government sets out a clear, cohesive and long-term strategy for funding built heritage, aligning the various …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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15
Recommendation
The government should review the effectiveness of the current institutional landscape for heritage, including the...
Recommendation
The government should review the effectiveness of the current institutional landscape for heritage, including the division of responsibilities between Historic England, English Heritage and other funding bodies. It should assess the case for greater streamlining, or even the merging of …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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16
Recommendation
We recommend that the government explore the feasibility of establishing a heritage funding model analogous...
Recommendation
We recommend that the government explore the feasibility of establishing a heritage funding model analogous to Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisation system, or a dedicated heritage investment fund to deliver consistent and strategic investment. Any such model must, however, …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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17
Recommendation
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and its delivery partners should expand the scale...
Recommendation
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and its delivery partners should expand the scale and accessibility of early-stage development funding. This should include ringfenced funding to support feasibility work, design development and access to professional expertise. The government should …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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18
Conclusion
The government’s decision to replace the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme with the Places...
Conclusion
The government’s decision to replace the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme with the Places of Worship Renewal Fund represents a significant shift. While we recognise the rationale for directing limited public funds towards areas of greatest socio-economic need, we …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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19
Recommendation
We recommend that the government ensures that overall funding available through the Places of Worship...
Recommendation
We recommend that the government ensures that overall funding available through the Places of Worship Renewal Fund is at least as generous in real terms as the level of support provided through the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme prior …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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20
Conclusion
The current VAT regime creates a structural disincentive to repair, maintain and reuse historic buildings.
Conclusion
The current VAT regime creates a structural disincentive to repair, maintain and reuse historic buildings. Sector bodies have told us that changes, such as rebate schemes or equalisation with new-build rates, could unlock stalled housing schemes, prevent managed decline and …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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21
Recommendation
We recommend that the DCMS initiate formal discussions with HM Treasury on the impact of...
Recommendation
We recommend that the DCMS initiate formal discussions with HM Treasury on the impact of VAT on heritage repair and reuse. The government should introduce targeted VAT relief for maintenance and conversion of listed heritage buildings. This could include reducing …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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22
Recommendation
We recommend that the government reform VAT rules applying to the repurposing of existing buildings...
Recommendation
We recommend that the government reform VAT rules applying to the repurposing of existing buildings to remove the current disincentive to investment and to support national carbon reduction objectives. The new rules should replace the narrow and complex 5% reduced-rate …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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23
Recommendation
We recommend that HM Treasury review the impact of the business rates system on high...
Recommendation
We recommend that HM Treasury review the impact of the business rates system on high street premises and heritage buildings and bring forward reforms that reduce burden on these properties. The reforms should include proposals to shift a greater share …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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24
Recommendation
Publicly owned heritage assets are too often allowed to deteriorate, with responsibility spread across departments,...
Recommendation
Publicly owned heritage assets are too often allowed to deteriorate, with responsibility spread across departments, weak compliance with existing protocols and no effective mechanism to enforce minimum standards. While the government has acknowledged the need to improve oversight, this must …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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25
Recommendation
We recommend that UK Government departments be required to produce and publish asset-level heritage management...
Recommendation
We recommend that UK Government departments be required to produce and publish asset-level heritage management plans for all listed buildings within their estate, including condition assessments, maintenance schedules and plans for reuse or disposal. These plans should be updated regularly …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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26
Conclusion
While the One Public Estate programme represents a valuable attempt to coordinate the management and...
Conclusion
While the One Public Estate programme represents a valuable attempt to coordinate the management and disposal of public assets, heritage considerations are not systematically embedded within its operations. Evidence suggests that decisions are still primarily driven by broader regeneration and …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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27
Recommendation
The government should embed built heritage within the One Public Estate programme, making heritage considerations...
Recommendation
The government should embed built heritage within the One Public Estate programme, making heritage considerations a specific factor to be taken into account when it comes to the management, reuse and disposal of publicly-owned assets. This should be supported by …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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28
Conclusion
Workforce and skills shortages now pose one of the most serious risks to the long-term...
Conclusion
Workforce and skills shortages now pose one of the most serious risks to the long-term protection of the UK’s built heritage. An ageing workforce, limited training routes, insecure funding and declining local authority 52 expertise are combining to create a …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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29
Recommendation
The government should build on the success of the Hopwood Foundation’s heritage skills training programme...
Recommendation
The government should build on the success of the Hopwood Foundation’s heritage skills training programme at HMP Thorn Cross by supporting the expansion of similar schemes across prisons and further education sectors. Such programmes could help address critical shortages in …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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30
Recommendation
We recommend that the government work with Skills England, Historic England and sector bodies to...
Recommendation
We recommend that the government work with Skills England, Historic England and sector bodies to create protected training pathways for endangered heritage crafts, including the specialist skills identified on the Heritage Crafts Red List. It should establish a “heritage skills …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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31
Recommendation
We recommend that the government, within 12 months of the introduction of the Growth and...
Recommendation
We recommend that the government, within 12 months of the introduction of the Growth and Skills Levy, review how greater flexibility can be built into the levy scheme to better support the heritage sector. This review should assess whether levy-funded …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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32
Recommendation
We recommend that the government consult on and implement proposals to establish and then promote...
Recommendation
We recommend that the government consult on and implement proposals to establish and then promote multi-employer apprenticeship schemes tailored to the heritage sector, enabling small and specialist heritage businesses to pool apprentices, share costs and benefit collectively from sustained skills …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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33
Recommendation
We recommend that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and its arm’s-length bodies develop...
Recommendation
We recommend that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and its arm’s-length bodies develop a funded support framework that gives volunteer-led organisations access to practical assistance, including ‘critical friends’, mentoring and shared technical resources. This could include, 53 for …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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34
Conclusion
While the government’s proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework are welcome, they must...
Conclusion
While the government’s proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework are welcome, they must go further to address the persistent delays, inconsistency and administrative burden experienced by developers, owners and community organisations. Without change in how the system operates …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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35
Recommendation
We recommend that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport work closely with the Ministry...
Recommendation
We recommend that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure that the revised National Planning Policy Framework delivers tangible improvements for the heritage sector. In particular, the …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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36
Conclusion
Where Local Listed Building Consent Orders have been used, they have reduced administrative burdens, lowered...
Conclusion
Where Local Listed Building Consent Orders have been used, they have reduced administrative burdens, lowered costs and provided greater clarity for applicants and authorities alike, enabling straightforward and low-risk works to proceed efficiently. However, their implementation remains uneven and the …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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37
Recommendation
We urge the government to make both Local and National Listed Building Consent Orders a...
Recommendation
We urge the government to make both Local and National Listed Building Consent Orders a standard and accessible route for the approval of low- risk and routine heritage works by supporting Local Planning Authorities to consider their immediate adoption. This …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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38
Recommendation
We recommend that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Ministry of Housing,...
Recommendation
We recommend that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government work together to develop targeted and sustained support to increase the 54 number of conservation officers and heritage specialists within local …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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39
Recommendation
The government must ensure that planning policy and regulation enable and prioritise, rather than inhibit,...
Recommendation
The government must ensure that planning policy and regulation enable and prioritise, rather than inhibit, climate adaptation and the decarbonisation of historic buildings. This work must include clearer national guidance for local authorities, reform of energy performance certificate methodology to …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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