The IHBC has some distinctive takes on Michael Gove’s flagship Levelling Up White Paper, which sets out a plan to ‘transform the UK by spreading opportunity and prosperity to all parts of it’.
… some positive messages for the historic environment [but] the devil will certainly be in the detail…
IHBC Chair David McDonald said: ‘For the conservation professional, the Executive Summary of the Levelling Up White Paper makes for especially interesting reading.
‘Its recognition of geographical inequality is to be welcomed, but what catches the eye is the reference to Renaissance Italian city states and its proposals for a ‘Medici model, our twenty-first century recipe for a new Industrial Revolution’.
‘Whatever this might mean politically or economically, there are certainly some positive messages for the historic environment, from more local decision-making to proposals for the regeneration of 20 towns and cities and reviving high streets. But as with all new government initiatives, the devil will certainly be in the detail.’
… recognising the importance of community engagement and supporting brownfield development outside of the southeast…
IHBC past-Chair and Communications Committee Chair Dave Chetwyn said: ‘IHBC welcomes many of the proposals in the levelling up white paper, including recognising the importance of community engagement and supporting brownfield development outside of the southeast, which creates a greater emphasis on tackling viability.’
GOV.UK writes:
Levelling up is a moral, social and economic programme for the whole of government. The Levelling Up White Paper is a flagship document that sets out how we will spread opportunity more equally across the UK. It comprises a bold programme of systems change, including 12 UK-wide missions to anchor the agenda to 2030, alongside specific policy interventions that build on the 2021 Spending Review to deliver change now….
- Twelve bold national levelling up missions, given status in law, will shift government focus and resources to Britain’s forgotten communities throughout 2020s
- Biggest shift of power from Whitehall to local leaders in modern times announced – every part of England to get ‘London style’ powers and mayor if they wish to
- Starting gun fired on decade-long project to level up Britain, with radical new policies announced across the board
- Domestic public investment in Research & Development to increase by at least 40% across the North, Midlands, South West, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland…
Radical new policy to level up announced
The White Paper represents a long term plan to transform the UK, but it also sets out the first steps the government is taking to achieve this.
- Boosting pay and productivity, especially in places where they are lagging…
- Spreading opportunities and improving public services, especially where they are weakest…
- Restoring local pride…
- Empowering local leaders…
For more background see Gov.UK Publications
