Yorkshire treasures at risk as VAT relief scrapped
YORKSHIRE’S rich built heritage is at risk as the scrapping of VAT relief on listed property alterations deters would-be developers from taking on vital restoration projects.
A stark warning has been issued by heritage experts and listed property owners who fear historic buildings may fall into disrepair and even face demolition as the price of already costly projects soars by 20 per cent.
Kevin Trickett, chairman of the Yorkshire and Humber Association of Civic Societies, said the added cost of VAT could make already costly restoration projects prohibitively expensive.
“Unless there is a change of heart, we run the risk of more listed buildings lying empty and falling into dereliction,” he said.
The move will hit practically the whole village of Saltaire, where nearly all the Unesco World Heritage Site’s buildings are listed, as well as other historically important places with a high concentration of listed properties, such as Haworth and Huddersfield.
Read the full story here