Protecting built heritage: DCMS Committee publishes government response to report

The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee has published the government response to its report examining the state of the UK's built heritage. 

• Read the government's response
• Inquiry: Protecting built heritage

Among the report's key recommendations were for the government to adopt a reuse first' housing policy to give a new lease of life to vacant historic buildings to help meet nearly half of the 1.5million home building target. The committee also called on the government to learn lessons from international approaches such as Italy's 1 homes scheme. 

In its response, the government rejected the suggestion that re-use should always be prioritised over new build and rules out adopting a specific heritage to housing' scheme. 

Chair comment

DCMS Committee Chair Dame Caroline Dinenage MP said: 

We asked the government to show some ambition and imagination when it comes to protecting built heritage. Instead, we've got a load of wishy-washy words about the importance of our historic environment with very little tangible detail on what is being done to safeguard its future or unlock its full potential. 

It feels like an affront to the all the creative and hardworking people in the heritage sector who took the time to share their ideas with our inquiry. The government needs to wake up to their voices, learn from other approaches and show it has a serious plan to protect and make the most of built heritage in our communities. 

The report, which was published in July, followed a more than 18-month long inquiry which uncovered how listedbuildings, churches, old factories and monuments up and down the country were undersignificant and increasing strain from cost pressures, workforce shortages and a complex and inconsistent planning system.