Heritage at Risk Register 2022: List of buildings saved and at risk in Liverpool - including Christ Church

Historic England has published its annual Heritage at Risk Register for 2022 which highlights all the buildings that have been saved and are at risk across the country. This includes a total of 410 across the North West of England alone, as well as a number in Liverpool.

The results give a snapshot of the critical health of England’s most valued historic places. Over the course of the year, a number of iconic buildings have seen conditions deteriorate to such an extent that they have been put on the list. This means the buildings could be deemed unsafe and need to be demolished.

In the past, some at-risk buildings in and around Liverpool have been saved. These buildings were significantly restored which ultimately secured their places as local assets to the region.

This has been achieved through a number of significant factors collaborating together. The likes of heritage partners, dedicated teams of volunteers, community groups, owners, charities and councils have worked with Historic England to secure the buildings.

Duncan Wilson, who is the Chief Executive of Historic England, explains: “As the threat of climate change grows, the reuse and sensitive upgrading of historic buildings and places becomes ever more important. Finding new uses for buildings and sites rescued from the register avoids the high carbon emissions associated with demolishing structures and building new.”

The buildings that have been saved in Liverpool

There have been several buildings saved in and around Liverpool City Region, as revealed by the Heritage at Risk Register for 2022. The highlight are as follows:

Church of Saints Peter and Paul and St Philomena

• Where: 7 Atherton Street, New Brighton, Wallasey, Wirral

A landmark feature on the Wirral peninsula since construction finished in 1935, the church’s distinctive dome signposts the entrance to the River Mersey and became historically important during the Second World War. Returning sailors would seek it out in the skyline as a sign that they had survived, as it was also referred to as the ‘Dome of Home’. Following decades of water penetration since 2008, a dedicated team of church volunteers, as well as those from the local community, galvanised in nine years of restoration work to save the structure.

There are a number of other buildings that have been saved in and around the North West, as well as the rest of England. To view a full list, visit the Historic England website to access the interactive map.

The buildings that are now at risk in Liverpool

There have been several buildings that are at risk and have been added to the Heritage at Risk Register for 2022 in Liverpool City Region. The highlights are as follows:

Christ Church, now known as Christian Gold House Ministry

• Where: 170 Kensington, Liverpool

This Grade II listed church, built in an Italian Romanesque style with an elegant tower, was once used as a furniture warehouse. It has since returned to its original purpose as a church, which provides a use to its local community. It has been added to the register of at risk buildings because of extensive roof deterioration, as well as the interior suffering water damage and loss of plaster.

The Tank House, World of Glass

• Where: St Helens

Not only is The Tank House in St Helens a listed building and a scheduled monument, but it is a lasting example of a surviving 19th century glass furnace. Popular with visitors as it provides lessons in glassmaking, it has been added to the register because of extensive cracking that has been caused by the movement of the structure. Historic England has started working with the Museum, as well as St Helens Council, to have a better understanding of the building’s condition and to secure its long-term preservation.

Other buildings at risk in Liverpool include:

• Stanley Dock, Liverpool
• Hartley’s Village, Liverpool
• Church of St George, Heyworth Street, Liverpool
• Ogden Close, Liverpool
• Newsham Park, Liverpool
• Church of St Paul, Derby Lane, Liverpool
• Derwent Square, Liverpool
• All Saints Church, Irvine Street, Liverpool
• Wellington Rooms, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool
• Duke Street, Liverpool
• St Bride’s Church, Percy Street, Liverpool
• Princes Road, Liverpool
• Mossley Hill Baptist Church, Dovedale Road, Liverpool
• St Michael’s Church, St Michael’s Church Road, Liverpool

To view a full list of all the buildings in and around the North West and the rest of the entire country, visit the Historic England website. This can be found via an interactive map.