PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE
Listed Building Status: Community Groups - 28 November 2024 (Commons/Commons Chamber)
Debate Detail
Contributions from Ben Goldsborough, are highlighted with a yellow border.
Ben Goldsborough
South Norfolk
09:59:09
Chris Bryant
The Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism
Historic England assesses applications for listing. I want that process to be as simple as possible for community groups up and down the land, so they can steer a balance between preserving what is truly valuable and leaving communities with decaying, listed eyesores.
09:59:09
Ben Goldsborough
In Long Stratton, there is a beloved former local authority building called South Norfolk House. It has won numerous awards for its innovative architecture and its ahead-of-its-time design focus on energy efficiency, but it has been refused listed status. This could be a fantastic community asset for the town; it could be an arts hub. Will the Minister meet me to discuss its future?
Chris Bryant
I am very happy to meet my hon. Friend. I always have to be a little bit careful about decisions that might end up coming to me, in case I have queered the pitch. I pay tribute to Councillor Race, who has spent a great deal of time on this matter. Many community groups up and down the land have tried to do precisely the same thing: bring a historical building back into community use. Obviously, we want to support that wherever possible, where it is sustainable in the long term.
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