Stoke-on-Trent has become the first city in the UK to declare a heritage emergency, warning that deteriorating historic buildings are holding back regeneration and economic growth.
The move is set out in a new prospectus, The Potteries: A National Heritage Emergency, which calls for £325 million of public and private investment over 10 years to safeguard historic assets and unlock development opportunities.
The document says failing heritage sites are a direct economic barrier, depressing land values, weakening town centres and making regeneration schemes harder to deliver. It states that restoring key buildings could create more than 1,000 new homes, alongside workplaces and visitor attractions.
The prospectus warns: “The state of these buildings creates a ripple effect, impacting the condition and perceptions of wider areas, including neighbourhoods and town centres, which in turn depresses local economies.
“There is a direct and undeniable relationship between the state of the city’s heritage and the delivery of the Government’s core mission to deliver economic growth.”
Stoke-on-Trent has more than 275 listed buildings, 22 conservation areas, five scheduled monuments, five registered parks and over 1,500 locally important sites, many in poor condition.
Sixteen sites are formally listed as being at risk, but the prospectus warns this significantly understates the scale of the challenge. It states there is now ‘a very real prospect that several of the city’s most important assets will be lost entirely’ if they are not prioritised for funding and returned to sustainable economic use.
High-profile examples include Chatterley Whitfield, described as one of the UK’s most endangered heritage sites, which could require £150 million to secure its future.
The prospectus is set to launch today (23 January) at Claybody Theatre’s Dipping House on the former Spode Works site, which is highlighted as an example of successful heritage-led regeneration supporting studios, creative businesses and hospitality use.
The document calls on government, national agencies, funders and private owners to commit to long-term partnerships to safeguard the city’s heritage and unlock growth.
Daily Focus recently reported that Stoke-on-Trent City Council had agreed to invest more than £6.5 million to safeguard three buildings – Burslem Indoor Market, the Wedgwood Institute and Hanley’s Falcon Works – so they can be stabilised and prepared for future use.
The former Spode Works site shows the potential of heritage-led regeneration, now supporting studios, creative businesses and hospitality use.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council leader Councillor Jane Ashworth said: “These buildings are an important part of our identity in Stoke-on-Trent. They’re tangible links to our history, creativity and the story of our city. But they aren’t just part of our past – they can and should be part of our future, too.
“Revitalising our historic buildings could be a major economic driver, creating new venues for work and leisure and boosting tourism in the wake of a hugely successful Centenary year. We are getting on with playing our part. But the task is enormous and we need others to step up, too.”
Work is under way with partners including The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic England, Homes England, Arts Council England, Re-Form Heritage, Capital&Centric and Dog & Bone.
A new memorandum of understanding with IFK Legacy CIC will explore future options for the Queen’s Theatre in Burslem, while plans are progressing to bring Hanley Town Hall back into use as an aparthotel, café and co-working space.
