FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VICTORIAN SOCIETY

That this House notes that 2008 marks the 50th anniversary of The Victorian Society, the national charity campaigning for Victorian and Edwardian architecture and related arts; recognises the key role played by The Victorian Society in preventing the demolition of St Pancras station hotel in London in the 1960s which would hopefully be unthinkable today; records its thanks to the Society for the work it has done in saving from demolition other masterpieces of Victorian architecture such as the Albert Dock in Liverpool and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London; further notes the positive contribution that Victorian and Edwardian buildings make to the character of our towns and cities; and urges owners and local authorities to recognise that conserving our historic environment makes good sense on cultural, economic and ecological grounds.