CMS Committee opens inquiry into built heritage

The Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee will conduct a new inquiry into how to prevent the loss and decline of historic buildings and other heritage sites.

The inquiry’s scope will include determining whether current finance models are suitable and accessible and examining how funding is distributed from bodies such as the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England.

It will also explore how the government can tackle practical and regulatory challenges, including the availability of skilled workers in the sector, the managed decline of assets on publicly owned land, and policy issues arising from net zero targets and planning policy.

The inquiry is also expected to highlight the importance of built heritage for economic regeneration and community identities, according to a statement from the committee.

Chair of the CMS Committee, Dame Caroline Dinenage, added that the inquiry will “see what more can be done to break down the barriers to the preservation [of historic sites] and ensure they can continue to be enjoyed for generations to come”.

The committee has opened a call for evidence, inviting written responses to a series of questions available on its website.

The inquiry is the fourth the committee has opened since its reshuffle, following investigations into British film and high-end television, the future of the BBC World Service and community and school sport, which have all launched since the end of October.

Historic England published the latest edition of its annual Heritage at Risk register in November, which included 4,891 entries.