GOVERNMENT IS FAILING NORTH EAST'S HERITAGE

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 31st Jul 2007

Responding to the release of English Heritage's 'Buildings at Risk Register'

for 2007 which states that over one hundred of the North East's historical buildings are at serious risk of decay due to a lack of funding for repairs, Liberal Democrat Member of European Parliament, Fiona Hall said:

"There are an alarming amount of buildings at risk across the North East from Gibside Hall, the Journal Tyne Theatre in Newcastle, Tynemouth station to the Iron Bridge at Cragside and Kirkleatham Hall Stables in Redcar.

"The North East has a unique heritage which must be preserved but the under funding of the English Heritage, combined with raids on heritage lottery funds, is putting the preservation of our buildings under severe pressure.

"The cost of repairs continues to rise and yet Government funding for English Heritage has been cut in real terms by £19.6 million over the past six years.

"Simple measures such as reducing the amount of VAT on repairs would encourage investment in these properties."

For a full list of the 119 buildings at risk in the North East please click here.