Heritage Action Zone

Heritage Action Zones are Historic England initiatives intended to ‘…unleash the power in England's historic environment to create economic growth and improve quality of life in villages, towns and cities.’

Historic England work with local people and partners (including local authorities) through joint-working, grant funding and sharing skills to help:

• Restore historic buildings and put them back into use
• Improve conservation areas to kick-start regeneration
• Recognise ‘unsung’ places for their unique character and heritage.

Heritage Action Zones need to meet the following criteria:

• They should be delivered through a partnership that could consist of public, private and third sector organisations.
• They should include at least one local authority partner.
• They should deliver opportunities for sustainable long term growth in historic places.
• They must be based around local heritage assets, either designated or undesignated.
• They should be capable of delivery within three to five years .

Services Historic England can provide include:

• Research into historic sites or buildings.
• Funding.
• Advice on repairing and finding new uses for buildings.
• Advice on planning policy.
• Condition surveys.
• Historic Area Assessments.
• Help with updating entries on the National Heritage List for England.
• Training in how to assess the significance of historic places.
• Help with identifying places that could be listed.
• Help with engaging local communities.
• Networks and contacts that may bring other key players to the table.

Ten Heritage Action Zones were announced in March 2017, in; Appleby, Coventry, Elsecar, Hull, King's Lynn, Nottingham, Ramsgate, Sunderland, Sutton and Weston-super-Mare.

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[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Capacity-building grants support management of the historic environment.
• Conservation area.
• Designated areas.
• English Heritage.
• Heritage asset.
• Heritage definition.
• Historic England's charged-for services for listing certainty and pre-application planning conversations.
• Historic England.
• Listed buildings.
• Principles of conservation.
• Scheduled monuments.
• What makes a heritage-at-risk officer.