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Heritage 'at risk' worry over village
RIDDINGS is one of 18 conservation areas in Derbyshire that have been put on an 'at risk' register by English Heritage.
Being put on the list means the area has deteriorated over the past three years, or is expected to over the next three years.
Residents, groups and councils are now being asked to work together to improve the village.
Cllr Paul Smith, who represents Riddings and Ironville on Amber Valley Borough Council, said his main concern was the Newlands pub at Golden Valley.
He said the listed building, which had stood derelict for some time, blighted the area and had been left to go to rack and ruin.
Cllr Smith says he has raised the issue of the pub with Amber Valley Borough Council a number of times and a conservation officer has now met with the owner of the pub to try and resolve the issue.
Despite Riddings being put on the ‘at risk’ register, Cllr Smith explained that efforts were being made to regenerate the village.
He said: “Other parts of Riddings are being regenerated with new projects such as a new cycle route and work to Riddings Wood.”
English Heritage will now give councils more control over small changes in conservation areas.
This will see council departments working together to take better care of the public areas so that they are not just the responsibility of the council’s conservation officer.
A spokesperson said: “We also want local people to get involved.
“Conservation areas with community support are more than twice as likely to have improved over the last three years as those without.”
Other areas on the ‘at risk’ register include Horsley Castle, in Horsley.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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