Sunderland achieves Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) status from Historic England

The city’s historic Fawcett Street and Old Sunderland is one of only 10 in the country to secure special status from Historic England, which aims to unlock the potential of historic areas to help them achieve economic growth.

The area, which also takes in High Street East and West is the first in the north east to secure Heritage Action Zone status.

Sunderland hopes to use its new status to address Heritage at Risk in the area through building conservation projects. It also plans to link this heritage-led regeneration to other strategic regeneration schemes in the area and use it to strengthen the area’s links with cultural initiatives, such as the Tall Ships’ 2018 and the city’s City of Culture bid.

The area covered by the Zone includes Fawcett Street, High Street West (east of Fawcett Street) and High Street East.

The Zone also includes all of Old Sunderland’s two conservation areas, which are currently on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register. And the council is hoping the status will unlock funds that could be used to restore these areas to the point where they are no longer at risk. It will also provide activities, events and accessible publications to promote the heritage of Old Sunderland.

The Zone will be led by the City Council in partnership with Historic England, the Tyne and Wear Building Preservation Trust, Churches Conservation Trust and Sunderland Heritage Forum.

Other private sector and third party sector partners and stakeholders will also be closely involved in its delivery. Following the development of a delivery plan over the next few months, the Zone is expected to begin in April and to run for five years.

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Read more about Heritage Action Zones

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