Keynsham's High Street deteriorating say experts

Keynsham’s High Street is at “high risk” of deteriorating according to nationwide research by conservation experts.

English Heritage has named High Street and the Dapps Hill area of the town in its new Heritage At Risk register.

The register, drawn up in consultation with local authorities all over the country including Bath and North East Somerset, describes both of the Keynsham areas as: Condition: at risk; Trend: deteriorating; Vulnerability: Unknown. 

A planning officer at B&NES Council told me “it means the character of the area, particularly the High Street, was deteriorating, rather than inspiring in character.

“Its whole picture was of degeneration with poor grade shop fronts, poor space between buildings, scruffy car parks and traffic congestion adds to the deterioration of the High Street.

“The register has always recorded buildings at risk, now it is saying what about other things like the surroundings and conservation areas and the whole picture is of Keynsham High Street going backwards.”

The English Heritage report says that etween 1999 and 2007 the number of Grade I and II* buildings on the Heritage at Risk Register fell by 17% but since then there has been no percentage change in the number coming off the Register after being rescued.  In 1999, one in six buildings on the "at risk" register was fully economic to repair. Now, 11 years on, it is just one in eight. The "conservation deficit", the difference between the cost of repair and the end value of the 1,218 buildings and structural scheduled monuments on the Register, is now estimated at £465 million, a 10% rise from 2009.

Dr Simon Thurley, Chief Executive of English Heritage, said: "In the current uncertain climate, English Heritage has two vital contributions to make. First is our Heritage at Risk programme itself. It gives communities – local people, local authorities and the larger community of both official and voluntary heritage groups – accurate information about the condition of local neighbourhoods. It encourages them to become actively involved in restoring what is precious to them, and it reassures them that any public funding goes to the most needy and urgent cases.

"Second is our grants and expertise. Where private investors won't venture, where developers have walked away and where public bodies have other priorities, it is often only an English Heritage grant, coupled with our world-leading expertise, which can save a building from being lost. Our budgets too will be under pressure but we will do all we can to continue to provide a life-line for the nation's past. The Heritage Lottery Fund is also of enormous benefit to buildings and other heritage sites which are open to the public and we are delighted the Government intends to restore its share of Lottery income."

Will this make you become more actively involved in saving our town Centre?

What can we do to raise the standard of Keynsham’s High Street?