A Heritage Strategy for Crewe Draft Consultation Crewe Town Council , July 2019 Crewe Town Council A Heritage Strategy for Crewe Draft Consultation Document version 1.4 Prepared for Crewe Town Council by the Heritage Working Group, July 2019 All images © PictureThis except where indicated. Crewe Town Council Chantry Court 1, Forge Street Crewe CW1 2DL Tel: 01270 756975 Email: [email protected] Web: www.crewetowncouncil.gov.uk Crewe Town Council A Heritage Strategy for Crewe Draft Consultation When people think of heritage they often think us of our past and the journey we have made. It Foreword of old buildings. defines and connects our communities, supports well-being, helps drive growth and nurtures our But heritage is much more. It is about the sense-of-place. broader history of the place, its people, their cultures, traditions, skills and beliefs. The Heritage, then, is what makes us while we are architecture, and the green spaces between and busy making everything else. around it, helps pull all this together into some This draft consultation strategy is a fundamental intangible sense of home and belonging. step forward to unlocking the benefits that The modern town of Crewe, as we understand it heritage can provide for Crewe and its people. today, only came into existence in 1837 when, On behalf of Crewe Town Council I look forward on July 4, the first train to call at the Grand to working with our community and our key Junction Railway’s station on Nantwich Road did partners in helping to make it a reality. so. In the next few decades, Crewe grew meteorically until it was a household name throughout the country and beyond. With that growth came people from near and far, just as they do today. The railway continues to be a major factor in the town, though in very different ways to those of a century and more ago. The prospect of HS2 provides new opportunities and challenges and, whatever happens, Crewe continues to evolve and change with the times. It always has done. Cllr. Heritage can bridge that evolution, providing an Benn Minshall anchor for new development whilst reminding Mayor, 2019-20 1 Crewe Town Council A Heritage Strategy for Crewe Draft Consultation © Adeline Foreman Market Street, 1934 and 2017 2 Crewe Town Council A Heritage Strategy for Crewe Draft Consultation 1 Introduction .................................................... 5 5.3 Opportunities .......................................... 23 Contents 1.0 About this document ................................. 5 5.4 Threats .................................................... 23 2 What is Heritage? ............................................ 6 6 Key priorities .................................................24 2.0 National context ....................................... 6 6.0 Key Priorities ........................................... 24 2.1 Local context ............................................. 8 6.1 Record ..................................................... 24 3 Objectives ..................................................... 10 6.2 Engage .................................................... 24 3.0 Why a Heritage Strategy? ....................... 10 6.3 Partner .................................................... 25 3.1 Identification of Heritage Assets ............. 10 6.4 Promote .................................................. 25 3.2 Protection of Heritage Assets ................. 11 7 The way forward............................................26 3.3 Celebration and Promotion ..................... 14 7.0 Conclusions ............................................. 26 4 Themes ......................................................... 16 7.1 Implementation ...................................... 27 4.0 Context .................................................... 16 7.2 Monitoring and review ........................... 27 4.1 Multiculturalism ...................................... 16 Appendices ............................................................28 4.2 Places of worship and religion ................ 17 Appendix A: Cultural Strategy Action Plan ........... 29 4.3 Railway influence .................................... 17 Appendix B: Relevant Local Strategies / other 4.4 Industry ................................................... 17 documents ........................................................... 32 4.5 Local transport ........................................ 18 4.6 Business diversification ........................... 18 4.7 Health and education .............................. 18 4.8 Sport ........................................................ 19 4.9 Politics ..................................................... 19 4.10 Social organisation .................................. 20 4.11 The arts ................................................... 20 4.12 War and conflict ...................................... 21 5 SWOT analysis ............................................... 22 5.0 Purpose ................................................... 22 5.1 Strengths ................................................. 22 5.2 Weaknesses ............................................ 22 3 Crewe Town Council A Heritage Strategy for Crewe Draft Consultation 4 Memorial Square Crewe Town Council A Heritage Strategy for Crewe Draft Consultation 1.0 About this document 1.0.3 This draft strategy and its outcomes will 1 Introduction be incorporated into the wider Cultural 1.0.1 This draft strategy has been produced by Strategy for Crewe. the Heritage Working Group of Crewe Town Council, which has the following 1.0.4 Furthermore, this strategy complements purpose: and enables the achievement of the outcomes defined in the Cultural “To support Crewe Town Council in the Strategy Action Plan (see Appendix A). development and implementation of Together, these support the strategies, policies and programmes related development of greater civic pride, the to: creation of a town “brand” and The conservation of heritage contribute to the regeneration The promotion of heritage to the wider objectives for Crewe Town Centre. public, residents of and visitors to 1.0.5 A critical objective is the identification of Crewe Crewe’s key heritage assets, enabling The enhancement of the health and further consideration of how these well-being of the people of Crewe might be conserved and promoted to through wider understanding of the produce a more vibrant and attractive history and heritage of the town for its town whilst maintaining and enhancing residents”1 the sense-of-place for residents – 1.0.2 The intention of this draft strategy is to “…the lens through which people experience provide a basis for further discussion and make meaning of their experiences in and and consultation with stakeholders, with with place”2 the aim of enlisting their support to help deliver the aims defined within it. 2 Jennifer D Adams, Theorising a Sense of Place in a Transnational 1 Heritage Working Group Remit, 2018 Community, 2013 5 Crewe Town Council A Heritage Strategy for Crewe Draft Consultation 2.0 National context 2.0.2 The importance of recognising heritage 2 What is Heritage? is also formally defined within the 2.0.1 Heritage can often mean different things National Planning Policy Framework to different people. Historic England (NPPF), which states: defines it in the following way: “...local authorities should set out in their Local “Our heritage is all that has been passed to us Plan a positive strategy for the conservation by previous generations. It is all around us. It is and enjoyment of the historic environment. in the houses we live in, our places of work, Such a strategy should recognise that the transport we use, our places of worship, conservation is not a passive exercise. In our parks and gardens, the places we go to for developing their strategy, local planning our sport and social life, in the ground beneath authorities should identify specific our feet, in the shape of our landscape and in opportunities within their area for the the placing and arrangement of our fields, conservation and enhancement of heritage villages, towns and cities. Heritage is also assets. This could include, where appropriate, found in our moveable possessions, from our the delivery of development within their national treasures in our museums, to our own settings that will make a positive contribution family heirlooms, and in the intangible such as to, or better reveal the significance of, the our history, traditions, legends and language. heritage asset.”4 … the term has become synonymous with the places, objects, knowledge and skills we 2.0.3 It has long been recognised that inherit that are valued for reasons beyond heritage, when considered as part of their mere utility. In other words, they have a regeneration, can bring additional value value to us that is over and above their to that activity: 3 functional use.” 3 Historic England, Heritage Protection Guide, Section A1 4 National Planning Policy Framework , Plan Making paragraph 004 and Section 16, paragraph 185 6 Crewe Town Council A Heritage Strategy for Crewe Draft Consultation “The inclusion of heritage assets in regeneration schemes provides a focus and catalyst for sustainable change. The impact of successful Understand schemes is felt beyond the boundaries of the By understanding heritage heritage asset itself and can boost the economy of and the historic 5 environment, people value it the whole area.” 2.0.4 There are also economic benefits linked to tourism and the development of heritage assets. An understanding