Protecting our Heritage

If we stop to think about it, most of us can guess what a ‘conservation area’ is, but how many people who live in the area know that Millom has had one since 2003?

To put this into context, there are approximately 10,000 conservation areas in England, 115 of which are in Cumbria. Nine of these are in Copeland. Eight are administered by the Borough Council, while the ninth (Ravenglass) is administered by the Lake District National Park Authority. The oldest in Copeland BC is Whitehaven (1969) and the newest is Millom.

In the meantime, there is another way of protecting our built heritage. Again, everyone knows about Listed buildings and that special permission is needed for most alterations. Local Planning Authorities are also expected to produce a ‘Local Heritage List’, consisting of buildings and features which are valued by the community but which are not eligible for Statutory Listing. In anticipation of a “Local List” for Copeland, MHCS will be preparing nominations and is keen to receive your suggestions. Please contact Jonathan Powell via the MHCS email:  – we look forward to hearing from you!