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Lord Street in Southport. Photo by Colin Lane.
A prominent campaigner for the heritage of Southport, Merseyside has outlined a chronology of the work he has undertaken to secure funding for a portfolio of privately owned historical landmarks across the Victorian seaside town.
He is seeking a continuation of the work which he started with the intention
of expanding upon the inward investment he has already achieved in tandem with incumbent investors through evidencing his endeavors with the Private Sector to date.
David Barton, former Councillor for the Dukes Ward covering the Town Centre and West Birkdale, who has previous experience working alongside both the public and private sectors to secure funding for restoring civic heritage, maintains that following on from his original Town Audit, after the first piece of serious investment secured from the Local Authority- the cleaning of the stone
balustrades on Lord Street, this has served as a major catalyst in attracting private investment towards projects that were previously deemed too ambitious.
The community campaigner, whose ultimate focus has been and remains the restoration of Southport and its reclamation of its “Classic Resort” status, has chosen to highlight the positive progress made so far by means of incentivizing further momentum from as many key players as possible through his self-penned “Community Conservation Campaign” which predominantly focused on the full restoration of the Victorian Verandahs and associated fascia frontages on Lord
Street. He believes this will have a multiplier effect for further such economic growth projects across the seaside town.
Mr Barton says: “Through a carefully crafted campaign combining hands on support, which has entailed navigating a wide variety of aspects ranging from guidance for contractors to reinstating lost details unseen for, alongside a positive media progression showcasing the advancement at varying checkpoints, this has borne a definitive roadmap of action for private property and land owners. Ever since the very first complete Verandah restoration including its respective fascia
frontage back in 2015, which materialized soon after the balustrades’ cleaning, this has led to a cascade of units following suit and in some cases the successful re adoption of long vacant sections of the high street.
By creating a proper platform from which to achieve literal and figurative mass-scale change, this has opened dialogue channels with scores of key stakeholders- both local and afar which has
facilitated their full cooperation. In many first hand cases this has also garnered the welcome pledging of neighboring properties that have recognized the multifold benefits of playing their part in physically restructuring the landscape for the better.”
He says: “At all times I have always advocated for the best diplomatic solution that combines the Council’s own conservation duties yet fully recognizes the needs and faith of the landowners. I have always endeavored to remove the threat of enforcement action which in some cases has actually impeded progress being made by some key players from undertaking further regenerative works
beyond the minimum required threshold. One fine example of the benefits of working professionally and positively is the Britannia Scarisbrick Hotel which has undergone a spectacular full restoration of its unique stars and wonders design canopies through affirmative and meaningful support being provided. ”
“The elegance of the Community Conservation Campaign is that six years on in 2020, so much has already been achieved by both public and private sectors, that there is now an iterative effect whereby one feat may directly impact on another and vice versa. Again it should be stated quite categorically that this could not have happened without enlisting a simple yet logical outlook where compassion and consideration for others form the basic facets of the framework.”
Examples of past successful projects Mr Barton has secured private investor support across Southport include, but not exclusively:-
- Over 90% full or thorough complete restorations of Lord Street Victorian Verandahs.
- Restoration of all 101 Royal Mail owned Post Boxes in 2016.
- Regeneration of high street alleyways in 2018.
- Over 80% full or thorough complete restoration of Lord Street fascia frontages in 2020.
- Full restoration of prominent privately owned local landmark entrances, such as Promenade/ Scarisbrick Avenue in 2017.
- Revised Planning applications within and outside designated Conservation Areas that properly respect civic heritage across the Town Centre in 2018.
- Acceptance and incorporation by Central Government of civic heritage research into National Policy Framework and Building Brighter Building Better Commission in 2018.
- Acceptance and incorporation by Local Authority of civic heritage research into Lord Street & Promenade Official Consultations in 2017.
- Regeneration of Terra Nova site at Lancaster Road in 2020 (subject to Pandemic)
- Entire internal Building refurbishment reoccupying long vacant units beyond Conservation Area minimum threshold requirements by supportive investors across Lord Street & Promenade
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