from Jonathan Davies MP for Mid Derbyshire https://ift.tt/mTW7A32
Today is Good Friday, a solemn day in the Christian calendar. This year it is also World Heritage Day.
One of my biggest priorities as MP for Mid Derbyshire is to make progress on the protection and development of our local heritage – including the amazing Belper Mills – but also to raise the profile and priority given to heritage across the country.
To understand our history is to understand ourselves. I would like us to begin to think about our heritage in a more dynamic way. It’s not just about preserving buildings, and definitely not about being a blocker.
Instead, it’s about understanding where we came from, building economic development in a way that enhances what is special about our local areas, and improving social cohesion through cultivating better awareness of all the different and amazing communities here and across the world.
Three quick updates from me on work I’m doing around heritage:
1. I’m excited to announce that I am forming a new all-party parliamentary group (APPG) which will have World Heritage Sites as its main focus. I’ve reached out to parliamentarians whose constituencies include these sites, as well as speaking to experts from different organisations operating in this space. Details to follow!
2. The government has confirmed it will open submissions for Living Heritage later this year, after ratifying the UNESCO 2003 Convention on the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage last year – you can see the latest update here. I will be on the lookout for local folklore, performance, customs or crafts that fit the bill. One that is on my radar is Well Dressings, the creation of artworks made out of natural materials, and left at the bases of wells. The custom is thought to be a Roman or a Celtic inheritance, expressing thanks for the county’s water springs. A lot of work goes into these artworks, and during spring and summer you can see them across much of Derbyshire and the Peak District. If you can think of any unique local culture that we can celebrate, please tell me about it.
3. I am monitoring the progress of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which is currently in committee stage. I will be thinking particularly about the difficulties we have had in Mid Derbyshire in making progress with the development of Belper Mills. I would like to see the Bill adopt language that doesn’t simply remove ‘blocker’ heritage safeguards, but instead promotes a more dynamic model of development which respects and enhances the heritage value of these sites, as described above. Many of these sites could provide opportunities in terms of housing and spaces for small businesses, as well as the obvious benefits of cultural memory and increased tourism etc.
Wishing you all a happy and peaceful bank holiday.