Chester’s new MP Samantha Dixon has called for greater protection of the city’s historic Rows.
Mrs Dixon has written a letter to the Michael Gove to request the introduction of a legal ownership register for heritage assets.
The Rows in Chester are home to a wide range of businesses, covering Chester’s four main retail streets and they are also home to the oldest shopfront in the country.
However, the large timber structure that gives The Rows their unique character also makes them vulnerable to the risk of fire.
A partnership between Cheshire West and Chester Council and Cheshire Fire and Rescue is in place to reduce the risk of a fire outbreak on The Rows.
This has provided a locally-funded early detection scheme incase fire breaks out, and it has also led to emergency planning exercises and policies to reduce the likelihood of a large-scale fire.
Nevertheless, Mrs Dixon believes more work with property owners is needed.
Chester’s Rows were recorded as having 309 different types of ownership in 2014, and not all of them are known to the council or readily available through public records.
The council and fire service say they face barriers to arranging safety measures in the public shared spaces of The Rows, as they require express permission from all owners.
For example, plans to install additional CCTV cameras took six months because written permission was required from 18 landowners – and even then the scheme had to be scaled back because approval wasn’t received from all the landowners required to give the go-ahead.
Mrs Dixon said: “The Rows are a defining aspect of Chester city centre and have been part of our identity for more than 700 years.
“The rich mix of historic buildings and retail offerings is what draws people to visit our beautiful city.
“However, what also makes The Rows special is their greatest vulnerability.
“They are a largely timber structure and the fear is that, once a fire takes hold within the interlinked wooden structures, a large part of the structure could be lost.
“A strong partnership between the council, fire service and business owners is crucial for the ongoing safety of The Rows.
“For this to happen we need to see a special registration regime, with clear responsibilities reflecting the custodianship of our heritage.
“I have called for the secretary of state to work with me to introduce a statutory register of ownership and maintenance responsibilities for heritage assets.”
Mrs Dixon has also announced her ambitions to achieve World Heritage status for The Rows.