Heritage and Our Local Economy

We support the idea that old market towns like Bridgnorth, Much Wenlock and Ludlow need to embrace growth but it also needs to be remembered that the reason so many businesses and entrepreneurs are relocating to Shropshire, and innovative towns like Telford, is that many people choose to live in surrounding villages, market towns and landscapes that retain their unique historic character. This 'unspoilt' quality of life enjoyed by the rural community - with the beautiful Shropshire scenery and skyline regarded as a community asset that is not owned by developers - makes an important contribution itself to the thriving local economy.

This is endorsed by the English Heritage report, ‘Putting the Historic Environment to Work: A Strategy for the West Midlands, 2010-2015’, which states clearly that preserving the integrity and authenticity of the historic environment is crucial in meeting the modern challenges of economic growth today. The report cites how Solihull, for example, is one of the fastest growing local economies in the UK. Many of those who work in Solihull chose to live in scenic villages with historic landscapes in the surrounding area. In short, one of the reasons that talented and skilled workers are contributing to the local economy is that they cherish and enjoy the unspoilt countryside and historic villages that they cannot find elsewhere in the country where urban sprawl and lack of respect for the historic environment has blighted local landscapes. The document states:

4.19 ‘For economic prosperity historic buildings, landscapes and monuments combine to provide a high quality and distinctive environment. This provides a competitive edge to attract enterprises and qualified workers to the region and bring in much needed tourism business. Valued buildings, landscapes, familiar features and spaces promote strong cohesive communities with a sense of pride.

4.2 ‘The historic environment can assist and stimulate the achievement of wider social and economic outcomes. To help realize these opportunities the historic environment needs to be promoted as a positive force in regional and local strategies, policies and plans’.

In conclusion, the report states that ‘policies and plans for the West Midlands reflect the needs of the historic environment and recognize, promote and use the positive contribution that it can make to health, well being and culture’.

Blighting the prosperous Bridgnorth area in South Shropshire by turning the Bridgnorth hills into a potential wind turbine landscape would have a deeply negative effect on community health, well-being, heritage, culture and a community sense of pride in a shared identity.

Photo: The Severn Valley Railway