Draft Black Country Plan

Comment

Representation ID: 17745

Received: 07/10/2021

Respondent: The Black Country Society

The Black Country Society (BCS) is dedicated to promoting the history, heritage, culture, arts, including literature and identity of the Black Country and its four metropolitan boroughs and individual towns and townships: see: https://www.blackcountrysociety.com/ It has a membership of 1,200 individuals within the Black Country and beyond, including overseas. The BCS and its members work with other organisations, including the Black Country Living Museum to promote the area. We strongly welcome and support the attention paid in the Plan to protect, preserve and enhance the historic environment (in all its different dimensions), as well as the identities and special characteristics of individual localities, several of which are specifically named in the Plan. For many years the area has been home to a rich artistic tradition, including poetry and novel writing as well as the better-known entrepreneurial and technological achievements and high-level skills of its people. We affirm the importance of history, heritage, culture and the arts in enhancing and promoting a dynamic, resilient and confident Black Country and its diverse citizenry in the future.

We therefore support the aims of the plan and welcome the opportunity alongside other community organisations, such as local history and arts societies, museums, libraries and archives, to comment on specific schemes in the future and engage in joint activities to promote the wellbeing of the area and its people. Protecting and enhancing the language, traditions and cultures of communities and their expression in landscapes, buildings, objects, events and different media are central to identity and future progress. We are delighted that this is recognised by the Plan.

Comment

Representation ID: 17746

Received: 07/10/2021

Respondent: The Black Country Society

The Black Country Society (BCS) is dedicated to promoting the history, heritage, culture, arts, including literature and identity of the Black Country and its four metropolitan boroughs and individual towns and townships: see: https://www.blackcountrysociety.com/ It has a membership of 1,200 individuals within the Black Country and beyond, including overseas. The BCS and its members work with other organisations, including the Black Country Living Museum to promote the area. We strongly welcome and support the attention paid in the Plan to protect, preserve and enhance the historic environment (in all its different dimensions), as well as the identities and special characteristics of individual localities, several of which are specifically named in the Plan. For many years the area has been home to a rich artistic tradition, including poetry and novel writing as well as the better-known entrepreneurial and technological achievements and high-level skills of its people. We affirm the importance of history, heritage, culture and the arts in enhancing and promoting a dynamic, resilient and confident Black Country and its diverse citizenry in the future.

We also note the importance of history, heritage, culture and the arts in promoting tourism in the region. Tourism contributes not only to the economy but also helps to raise the profile of an area which has frequently been neglected or subject to prejudice or ignored by those outside.

We therefore support the aims of the plan and welcome the opportunity alongside other community organisations, such as local history and arts societies, museums, libraries and archives, to comment on specific schemes in the future and engage in joint activities to promote the wellbeing of the area and its people. Protecting and enhancing the language, traditions and cultures of communities and their expression in landscapes, buildings, objects, events and different media are central to identity and future progress. We are delighted that this is recognised by the Plan.