| Administrative History | The Wirksworth Project was a town regeneration exercise using urban conservation as an engine for economic and social benefits. It was initiated by one of the Sainsbury family charitable trusts - The Monument Trust, the Chairman of which was Simon Sainsbury. The Monument Trust invited the national Civic Trust to identify a small town in England suffering from economic decline suitable for such an experiment and to operate a three year programme there.
This began in Wirksworth in 1978. It was to be very much a ‘grass roots up’ approach with some seed-corn money, plus on the spot advice, helping local groups and property owners to help themselves. A five point plan was agreed to encourage:-
1. Everyone to have an increased sense of pride in Wirksworth, with an increased awareness of its attractive qualities.
2. More people to live in and make better use of the older properties, thereby taking better care of them.
3. The provision of more job opportunities
4. Greater investment in the town’s shops
5. The development of the town’s tourism potential.
Phase 1 (from Jan 1979) ran until Dec 1981 and at the conclusion of the Monument Trust’s three year funding it was decided the momentum which had been built up should be continued, under the leadership of the Wirksworth Town Council, with support from Derbyshire County Council (Phase 2 Jan 1982-Dec 1985). Phase 3 then ran from Jan 1986 until Nov 1989 in a much lower key manner.
The success of the experimental project was recognised nationally and internationally by: A royal visit, A Europa Nostra Gold Medal, The Royal Town Planning Institute’s Annual Award for Planning Achievement and honours for the two successive project leaders, Gordon Michell OBE and Barry Joyce MBE. |
| Custodial History | These records were deposited at Derbyshire Record Office in 1991 |