The Government could meet nearly half of its target to build 1.5 million homes by bringing old buildings back into use, a cross-party group of MPs has said.
Using heritage buildings to meet Britain’s housing need is “no longer a niche or peripheral opportunity”, the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee said, “but a major and under-recognised means of addressing the country’s acute housing shortage”.
About 670,000 homes could be delivered through reviving unused and under-used old buildings, according to estimates from Historic England referred to by the committee, which would contribute towards Labour’s target of building 1.5 million homes by 2029.
A “heritage-to-housing” scheme, similar to Italy’s 1.0 euro house initiative, as well as tax incentives, could be used to help bring old buildings back into use, a report by the committee said, published on Monday after 18 months of work.
Elsewhere in the report, the group of MPs warned that funding to help maintain heritage buildings was fragmented.
A newly introduced scheme to help keep churches in good repair, the places of worship renewal fund, needs to be “at least as generous” as its predecessor, the committee said.
Ministers should also consider introducing targeted VAT relief for the maintenance of listed buildings, the MPs added.
This echoes calls from some church leaders worried that the places of worship renewal fund did not include an automatic VAT rebate for some repairs, as the old scheme did.
The committee also called on the Government to lead the way on looking after heritage buildings by renovating crumbling publicly-owned properties like prisons and military bases.
Heritage construction skills are in short supply, the MPs warned, adding this now poses “one of the most serious risks to the long-term protection of the UK’s built heritage”.
Training pathways are needed to ensure specialist heritage crafts and skills are kept alive, the committee said.
Dame Caroline Dinenage, the Conservative chair of the committee, said: “Old buildings and other pieces of our past play a vital economic, social and cultural role in our communities, but the sight of leaking roofs, crumbling brickwork and vacant premises illustrates how the current policy approach to heritage is failing miserably to support either its protection or potential.
“Historic England says that there is potential to create a whopping 670,000 new homes and yet the Government’s approach reveals a deep complacency, is devoid of ambition, and shows a complete lack of imagination.
“We heard compelling evidence that the best way of protecting a building is for it to be occupied, used, lived in and loved. Other countries with a similarly rich heritage have shown what can be achieved by thinking outside the box.
“Reuse first should be the guiding principle, with a heritage to housing scheme offering a clear win-win by preserving our historic buildings and helping to meet the pressing need for new homes.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport said: “We believe that our heritage is best protected when it’s in everyday use, from characterful housing to iconic visitor attractions.
“That’s why we’ve committed £230 million over the course of this Parliament to rejuvenate heritage buildings that make a difference in our villages, towns and cities, whether they’re churches at the heart of communities or faded gems on our high streets.
“We’re also working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to make it easier for heritage buildings to be adapted and reused through the National Planning Policy Framework.
“We will now carefully consider these recommendations and a formal response will follow in due course.”
