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Artists illustration of repaired and re-purposed Sheerness Dockyard Church. Heritage at Risk Grade II* listed building. Image provided courtesy of Hugh Broughton Architects with Martin Ashley Architects. |
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Newington archaeological site. Remains (in-situ) of a Romano-Celtic Temple and its 3D reconstruction. Persimmon Homes site off Newington High Street. Images provided courtesy of SWAT Archaeology.  |
People are being asked to comment on Swale Borough Council’s new heritage strategy and action plan. This outlines the council’s plan to protect and manage the borough’s vitally important heritage.
The council’s cabinet last night (18th December) gave the green light for the heritage strategy and action plan to be made available for public consultation from tomorrow, until the 31st January.
The strategy confirms the council’s position in seeking to positively manage the wide range of heritage assets in the borough. It also set out how the council will support amenity organisations in projects focussed on bringing the borough’s heritage to life. An example of this is the Sheerness Dockyard Preservation Trust’s plans for the sensitive partial re-building and remodelling of the grade II* listed Royal Naval Dockyard Church in Sheerness into a bustling enterprise centre and hub for start-up businesses.
A major focus of the strategy will be to effectively tackle the range of problems which have led to some buildings and areas within the borough being placed on the local and national heritage at risk registers. The council is aiming to work with a range of different parties to make positive strides in this challenging area.
The borough-wide strategy will work to make sure that both rural and urban heritage is given the protection and ongoing sensitive management it needs to allow current and future generations to enjoy and learn from it.
Improving the understanding and awareness of the borough’s heritage, and the benefits it brings are crucial to the success of the strategy in the long terms will be. The council is keen to work with others in making the maritime, aviation and defence heritage of the borough known to a wider audience, given that some of the heritage in question (notably the grade I listed Boat Store) is of national, if not international importance.
Cllr Mike Baldock, cabinet member for planning, said:
“We have a wide range of heritage assets across the borough including more than 1,400 statutory listed buildings, 4 registered parks and gardens, 22 scheduled monuments, 50 conservation areas, and an increasing range of archaeologically important sites.
The strategy outlines how we will review and analyse our heritage sites and areas, giving us a greater understanding of what’s needed to conserve its special character into the future. This important groundwork will also put us in a stronger position to apply for future heritage-focussed funding to achieve enhancements to parts of our historic environment”.
We successfully applied for £1.9 million heritage lottery funding last year to improve the buildings, facilities and green spaces at Faversham Rec, and through this strategy, the Council will continue to support the heritage-focussed projects of other parties which will bring about real and long-lasting public benefits.
This strategy helps us understand how we will protect and conserve the borough’s precious heritage assets up until 2032 and we want community groups, local residents, businesses and other stakeholders to have their say in how we do and prioritise this.”
The strategy and two supporting appendices (including the action plan) can be accessed online at www.swale.gov.uk/heritage-strategy
People can send their feedback by Email to HeritageStrategy@Swale.gov.uk or via post to Heritage Strategy Feedback, Planning Services, Swale Borough Council, Swale House, East Street, Sittingbourne, ME10 3HT.
Printed copies of the heritage strategy will be available to view at:
• Swale Borough Council Office in Sittingbourne
• Sheppey Gateway in Sheerness
• The Alexander Centre in Faversham
• Boughton-under-Blean Library
• Faversham Library
• Minster-on-Sea
• Queenborough Library
• Sheerness Library
• Sittingbourne Library
• Teynham Library
Swale Borough Council
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