Historic buildings 'at risk of demolition due to unfair tax'

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Historic buildings 'at risk of demolition due to unfair tax'

Archiseek / UK / Scotland / News / 2007 / February 2

Heritage and conservation groups say dozens of historic buildings in Edinburgh are at risk of demolition and decay because of unfair tax rules. The Edinburgh World Heritage Trust is urging Chancellor Gordon Brown to change the rules which act as an incentive to demolish older buildings and build new ones. Under the present system, no VAT is paid on new buildings, while repairs and restorations on existing buildings carry the 17.5 per cent tax. The Trust says a large amount of the £1.1 million they give away in restoration grants each year goes straight to the Treasury and removing this anomaly could save tens of thousands of pounds, and mean dozens more buildings could be saved. Zoe Clark, the trust's director, said reform was badly needed to protect the World Heritage Site.

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