In an important step forward for after IHBC@COP26, MP James Grundy has been elected as the new chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on ‘Conservation, Places and People’ (CPP APPG), succeeding Layla Moran MP who now serves as the APPG co-vice chair, as plans to conclude the inaugural inquiry with November and December meetings are in place.
…Mr Grundy is keenly aware of the importance of heritage in areas like his own constituency, which face acute challenges maintaining and regenerating their historic buildings….
The CPP APPG writes:
James Grundy MP has been elected as the new chair of an all-party parliamentary group (APPG), which champions the heritage-led regeneration of historic communities.
Mr Grundy, the MP for the Greater Manchester constituency of Leigh, took over from Layla Moran, the founding chair of the APPG on Conservation, Places and People, at its recent annual general meeting.
Elected as MP at the 2019 general election, 42-year old Mr Grundy is keenly aware of the importance of heritage in areas like his own constituency, which face acute challenges maintaining and regenerating their historic buildings.
Top of Mr Grundy’s immediate agenda as new chair of the Conservation, Places and People APPG will be completing its inaugural inquiry, which is probing the value of heritage and how it can be used to promote growth and regeneration.
The inquiry is exploring the key measures for preserving and revitalising what are often our most treasured neighbourhoods and high streets.
The inquiry’s concluding two oral evidence sessions are scheduled to take place before the end of this year. They will focus respectively on the social and environmental aspects of heritage and how the historic environment can contribute to wider regenerate and levelling up initiatives.
Mr Grundy said: ‘I’m honoured to have been elected chair of the Conservation, Places and People APPG. My own constituency of Leigh, a ‘red wall’ town, faces the challenge of brownfield and town centre regeneration, whilst at the same time ensuring the proper conservation of our local heritage, both in terms of the wider built environment as well as individual sites.
‘I hope to use this new role to help shape the agenda on these important issues as the ‘Levelling Up’ agenda moves forward during this Parliament.’
Mr Grundy’s election was welcomed by David McDonald, Chair of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation, which supports the APPG.
He said: ‘I am very pleased to welcome James Grundy as the new Chair of the Conservation, Places and People APPG.
‘As the MP for Leigh in the north-west of England [James] is well placed to take over from and build on the pioneering work of Layla Moran. I look forward to working with him and developing the APPG’s developing agenda.’
Notes to Editors
Mr Grundy was elected as Member of Parliament for Leigh in 2019 after serving as a councillor on Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council for 12 years. Born and educated locally in the village of Lowton, he is the first Conservative MP to win the seat of Leigh, a former mining town, in 140 years.
The terms of reference for the ‘Value of Heritage’ inquiry are available on the website of the APPG on Conservation, Places and People – download here
Responses to the inquiry’s call for evidence can still be submitted by emailing contact@appg.info
For further information, please contact David Blackman at the APPG’s secretariat on 07748 165862.
See more on the CPP APPG in its first Newsletter and Sign up for the Newsletter
See more on the CPP APPG Membership
Why is IHBC@COP26? Because ‘Conserving our Places Conserves our Planet’
Join IHBC’s globally accessible virtual built and historic environment ‘Conservation Helpdesk+’, #IHBCHelpdesk #CultureCOP26 – open 31/10 to 12/11)
Listen the IHBC@COP26 ‘Climate and Conservation’ Podcasts anytime, or from the ‘Conservation Helpdesk+’
