It was a pleasure to meet with the minister for heritage and museums, Baroness Twycross, this week.
This was an opportunity to discuss the situation of the Belper Mills, at the heart of my constituency, as well as discussing my priorities as the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Unesco World Heritage Sites.
Baroness Twycross and I want to see progress on the Belper Mills – it has been in disrepair for far too long. Restoring the site to its former glory will bring enormous cultural and economic benefit to communities across Mid Derbyshire and assist in safeguarding our Unesco World Heritage designation.
She is keen to help us navigate the complex protections in place so that we finally do justice to the potential of our precious Belper Mills. I’m delighted that she has agreed to come and see the site in-person in the new year, and I’m looking forward to welcoming her.
I also discussed my plans to use the APPG to build evidence for a national strategy for world heritage sites, which I look forward to discussing with her once again in the new year.
British world heritage is a sleeping giant of cultural and economic potential. A national strategy would help ensure that sites across the country are empowered to maximise their potential for their local communities and contribute to the important work of promoting peace through building understanding between communities, in line with the founding principles of Unesco.