{"id":20680,"date":"2018-11-02T17:49:02","date_gmt":"2018-11-02T17:49:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ihbconline.co.uk\/newsachive\/?p=20680"},"modified":"2018-11-02T17:49:02","modified_gmt":"2018-11-02T17:49:02","slug":"ihbc-welcomes-55m-heritage-specific-funding-for-high-streets-but-highlights-how-holistic-benefits-merit-more-investment-as-healthy-high-streets-mean-healthy-and-happy-peo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=20680","title":{"rendered":"IHBC welcomes \u00a355M heritage-specific funding for high streets, but highlights how holistic benefits merit more investment as \u2018healthy high streets mean healthy \u2013 and happy \u2013 people\u2019!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"townscape<\/a>The IHBC has welcomed the suite of heritage-specific funding in the budget, notably \u00a355M for England\u2019s pressured High Streets, but cautions that the holistic benefits of heritage are not yet being fully recognised in these figures, especially when \u2018healthy high streets mean healthy \u2013 and happy – people\u2019!<\/h3>\n
image by Fiona Newton<\/em><\/h6>\n

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Andrew Shepherd said \u2018Any new money for the sector is always to be welcomed, and both these initiatives will undoubtedly be spent very quickly!\u00a0 And with these two leads, of Historic England (HE) and the Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF), I\u2019m sure the funds will be used as successfully as previous investment\u2019.<\/p>\n

IHBC Director Se\u00e1n O\u2019Reilly said: \u2018While the allocations are welcome and desperately needed, you have to wonder if we really are getting across the full message about the diverse and holistic benefits brought by the simple care, skilled conservation and informed management of our historic and traditional places and buildings\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u2018Healthy High Streets mean healthy \u2013 and happy \u2013 people, because everyone can benefit from this kind of investment!\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018This investment mitigates Climate Change through reducing building waste and the carbon inefficiencies inherent in so much new construction\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u2018That same money brings improvements in health, through the inherent pedestrian-friendliness of traditional building and urban layouts\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u2018As investment, it also underpins economic diversification and sustainability too, which inevitably leads to more secure – and happier – people\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u2018So \u2013 great though it all is – we must also ask if the dedication of the \u00a355M to these sectors really is offering proportionate recognition to the potential gains on offer from our unique, globally admired, but terribly threatened heritage resources.\u2019<\/p>\n

New funding and opportunities in the budget will be reported on separately in the IHBC\u2019s NewsBlogs, while the headline investments referred to here include:<\/p>\n