Policy Exchange invited me to contribute to a fringe event at the Conservative Party Conference this year, alongside Michael Gove and others, to discuss how to unlock levelling up through placemaking

I began by painting a word picture of a typical northern mill town; a magnificent nineteenth century town hall surrounded by a conservation area formed of a fine network of streets, lined with stone buildings. The conservation area is however designated as ‘at risk’ and marked ‘no significant change’ on the register.

A majestic stone viaduct marches across the valley in which this post-industrial town sits and terraces of workers cottages radiate towards surrounding hills, affording long views of beautiful countryside. Ironically, economic decline has saved much of the built fabric, only partially disrupted by a now-failing mid-century shopping mall. The centre has since been strangled - cut off from its hinterland by encircling dual carriageways. More than a third of shops and a greater proportion of the flats above are vacant. Overall the number of empty homes is more than twice the national average.