Trust to host conference to help save decaying buildings

THE future of important heritage buildings will be discussed at a conference for public and private sector organisations later this month.

Businesses will be urged to work with community groups to rescue the buildings they love at the event in Leeds organised by The Prince’s Regeneration Trust as part of its BRICK programme.

BRICK (Building Resources, Investment and Community Knowledge) is the Trust’s education programme giving local communities advice and practical guidance on saving locally important buildings.

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The organisation has been involved in the rescue and redevelopment of a number of buildings in Yorkshire including Eastbrook Hall in Bradford and Milton Rooms in Malton.

Ros Kerslake, chief executive of The Prince’s Regeneration Trust, said: “There has never been a more vital time to save heritage sites.

“Today, more than 15,000 heritage buildings are estimated to be at risk of serious decay, and 37 per cent of the UK population are living in communities blighted by poverty, unemployment and a loss of pride.

“At The Prince’s Regeneration Trust we have seen how saving and reusing heritage sites can benefit a local economy and community.

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“We hope the BRICK conference will inspire private and public sector organisations to work with community groups to step out and save locally important buildings to effect a wider positive change.”

The conference is part of a three year programme to help community groups in deprived areas raise the money they need to rescue and reuse the 15,000 heritage buildings in the UK at serious risk of decay.

According to the Trust, public and private sector owners are transferring these buildings to community groups because of the difficulty in restoring them.

The number of heritage experts employed by local authorities has fallen by over 32 per cent since 2006. The Trust said community groups have lots of enthusiasm to transform the buildings, but often no capacity or skills to get the necessary funding and deliver a successful project.

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The conference will be held at The Carriageworks on September 23 and include speakers from Templeworks in Leeds, The Heritage Lottery Fund and RBS. For more information, visit www.princes-regeneration.org