6 CONSERVATIONFUNDING An entrepreneurial pproach Peter de Figueiredo begins this feature with a look at alternative and innovative sources of funding. For local authorities squeezed by ever declining budgets and rigid spending controls, conservation funding has rarely been a priority. Only in major historic towns has the vital link between conservation and economic development been fully recognised. Yet the Government's recent conversion to planning for sustainability encourages regeneration, and here the Conservation Officer can play a significant funding role. For over 25 years, Chester has sought to conserve and enhance the built heritage as a means of strengthening the City's economy. An expanding tourism and retail market followed a programme of public investment in the City's historic fabric. The trend continues today, providing vital job opportunities in the retail and commercial sectors. THECHANGINGNATUREOF THECONSERVATION In the early years of Chester's Conservation Programme, English Heritage (and its governmental predecessor) provided generous funding. This is no longer the case. From 1971 to 1988 under the Chester Town Scheme, English Heritage matched, pound for pound, the Council's own revenue contribution: the combined average spend was £400,000 annually. The current Chester Conservation Area Partnership Scheme receives a mere £20,000 per annum from English Heritage. The Council's Other Se1vices (i.e. non-housing) Capital Programme also had a strong conservation/environmental bias, part financed in the 1980s and early 1990s from the European Regional Development Fund. Projects managed by the Conservation Section included pedestrianisation and surface treatment of City Centre streets; a riverside promenade; major repairs to the City Walls; heritage interpretation schemes; and tourism signage. But in 1995 Chester District lost its Objective 2 status, and the Council's ability to fund major conservation projects was severely affected. OTHERFUNDING Since then, a more entrepreneurial approach to funding has been adopted to ensure that the City maintains its competitive edge as a tourism and heritage destination. Competition between local authorities has increasingly become the Government's method of allocating resources, in the belief that this achieves better value for money and more innovative solutions. Whatever the arguments, the development of a competitive culture is an advantage if the opportunities are to be seized. Chester's success rate for regeneration and conse1vation projects has so far been encouraging. Eastgate: "Capital Challenge funding secured improvement of city centre streets". 1 Single Regeneration The objectives of SRB are not specifically conse1vation related, but in a historic area, regeneration must involve enhancement of heritage assets. Chester's successful SRBI and SRBIII bids have built on a conservation-led strategy for development of the Old Port area of the city. SRBIIIprovides £7 million over seven years towards a total package of £35 million, and includes reclaiming the historic waterfront and improving the setting of the Chester canal and the medieval Water Tower which is a part of the City Walls. 2 Capital Challenge A successful Capital Challenge bid focuses on access and transportation solutions for a sustainable economy. The programme contains a range of projects aimed at improving City Centre living, making the City more accessible, developing public transport and providing alternatives to car travel. Conservation led capital schemes include: • resurfacing pedestrianised streets and squares • improving city centre security • Living Over the Shop • lighting improvements • enhancement of the inner ring road. All these projects improve the setting of historic buildings and enhance the environmental quality of the city. Capital Challenge loan approvals provide £7 million towards a total package of £31 mil1ion. The programme is also funding two temporary posts in the Council's Conservation and Design Section. 3 European The loss of assisted status reduces the potential for access to mainstream European funds, but there is the opportunity under community and interregional co-operation initiates to tap Context 54 June 1997
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