Parts of Sheerness have been put on English Heritage’s ‘at risk’ register but it is hoped a substantial cash injection could turn things around.

For the first time, conservation areas are included in its list, which is usually made up of listed building and monuments, parks and gardens.

Marine Town and Mile Town in Sheerness have both been added and are described as deteriorating and in a medium state of vulnerability.

The two sites are among 50 conversation areas in the borough.

Marine Town takes in some of the houses in Marine Parade, including Shrimp Terrace, as well as parts of Alma Street while Mile Town is made up of about half of the High Street, Broadway and some of Trinity Road.

Swale council’s conservation officer Peter Bell says they are perceived to be at risk because of developments which have taken place, including alterations to properties, such as inappropriate windows, poor maintenance and vacant properties.

Some changes have been permitted, but others have been done without approval.

“It all impacts on the character of a place,” he said.

“These are all things which are threatening that, so it’s at risk.”

The Sheerness Dockyard conservation area is also on the register, including a number of buildings which The Spitalfields Trust has taken on to restore and others which are still under the ownership of Peel Ports.

Mr Bell says there’s no point identifying the borough’s heritage is at risk if there’s no strategy in place, so as well as working with the trust on the dockyard restoration, the council has applied to the Heritage Lottery Fund for a Townscape bid.

The scheme offers up to £2 million to help communities improve conservation areas in need of investment, and the council will find out in January if it has been successful.

He said it’s too early to be precise about what the cash would be used for, but it will help deal with a lot of the problems and a consultation will take place with the public and the Heritage Lottery Fund about what action to take.

“It’s a meaningful amount of money which will get to grips with some of those major heritage issues,” he added.

“Swale council for its part is spending a lot of time, trouble and resources trying to deal with these problems and we are optimistic that with commercial owners Peel Ports, the people of Sheerness and the owners of the buildings we can make a real difference together.”