Heritage grant to ensure Blaenavon’s
landscape
will never be forgotten.
Press Release - 27 Oct 08
An innovative partnership scheme to conserve red
grouse, restore historic wetlands and return Welsh mountain
ponies to the outstanding landscape around Blaenavon’s World
Heritage Site has received a grant pledge of more than £1.6
million by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), it was announced
today (27 October 2008). The announcement of the grant was made
by Jenny Abramsky during her first visit to Wales as the
newly appointed Chair of the Heritage Lottery Fund. Awarded
to the Forgotten Landscapes Partnership the grant will help
to protect and promote what is seen as one of the finest
examples of heritage led regeneration projects in Britain,
breathing new life into the historical and industrial
landscape in Blaenavon.
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Regeneration projects include the
restoration of buildings, post-industrial features
and ancient monuments that form the distinct
historic character of the landscape, conservation of
the natural landscape habitat and wildlife, improved
access to the wider landscape and educational
projects to encourage the community to get involved.
Seen by many as a derelict and
neglected wasteland the Partnership aims to engage
local people to conserve the distinct heritage of
the landscape, provide training in countryside
skills, boost the local economy and tourism, and
highlight the connection between industry, society
and the natural environment. |
Recognised globally and designated by
UNESCO in 2000 as a World Heritage Site of rare and historic
industrial heritage, the Forgotten Landscapes Partnership
scheme is the one of the final pieces in the jigsaw of
Blaenavon’s regeneration and will enhance further promotion
of the Site. The 70 sq km area is a significantly
transformed post-industrial landscape shaped by the iron and
coal industry that dominated the area for more than 150
years. The whole area is covered by early coal opencasts and
it survives as probably the only sizeable, abandoned,
multi-period, opencast mineral working in South Wales. The
area is also rich in natural heritage and contains five
sites of special scientific interest and one special area
for conservation.
Amongst the many and diverse natural
heritage projects will be the restoration of wetlands,
grasslands and heather moorlands to provide valuable
habitats for the rich variety of wildlife in the area, to
help conserve the Nationally important red grouse population
and return Welsh mountain ponies and traditional breeds of
cattle to the common land. The project also aims to recruit
a team of volunteers to act as guides on trails and walks
and undertake land management to reinstate a sense of pride
in the area. Educational projects will see school children
participate in photography projects and oral history
activities to celebrate and learn more about the area’s
cultural associations linked to the national curriculum.
Training opportunities will also be provided for local
people in traditional and countryside skills to encourage
better understanding of the heritage value of the area and
provide the skills to maintain and enhance it.
Dan Clayton Jones, Chair of the Committee
for Wales, Heritage Lottery Fund, said: "The grant will
enable the Forgotten Landscape Partnership to move forward
with their plans to conserve the historic character of this
amazing and diverse landscape, its culture, important
industrial archaeology and wildlife, which would otherwise
be lost forever. “By adopting a joined up approach the
project is seen as the next natural step in the regeneration
of Blaenavon bringing prosperity and significant long term
benefits to the area, by encouraging people to get involved
in their local heritage landscape, to learn more about it
and to appreciate it.”
The Partnership has received a Stage One
pass, meaning that HLF has earmarked the money whilst more
detailed plans are put together. Included in the award is a
development grant of £136,500 from HLF to enable the
Partnership, led by Torfaen County Borough Council, to
progress its planned Landscape Partnership Scheme. In
preparation for this application the partnership was awarded
a £50,000 grant from HLF in 2006 to develop the project and
consult widely with local community representatives and
groups.
Forgotten Landscapes is a partnership
between 130 agencies which inculde Monmouthshire County
Council, Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, Blaenavon
Landscape World Heritage Site, Gwent Wildlife Trust,
Forestry Commission, Countryside Council for Wales,
Environment Agency, WDA, Local Commoners Association, Cadw
and the Royal Commission. HLF has made a number of awards
in the area including Big Pit, the National Mining Museum of
Wales (two grants totalling £5.4m), St Peter’s Church
(£104,500) and St Peter’s School, World Heritage Centre
(£1.3m).
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