Three Victorian towns are among the coastal communities have been granted a share of £4.7million from the Heritage Lottery Fund under the Townscape Heritage Initiative Scheme (THI), with £14m in total being shared among applicant towns in the UK.
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) writes:
Three Victorian towns have joined an ever-growing tally of coastal communities refurbished with money from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). Cleethorpes, Rothesay and St Austell will share £4.7million to renovate buildings, create jobs and training and help secure their long-term future as thriving tourist destinations.
The money for these coastal towns is part of a £14m pot announced today for nine Townscape Heritage projects spread across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, creating 14 jobs, more than 2,000 training places and hundreds of volunteering opportunities.
HLF Chair, Sir Peter Luff, said: ’Historic town centres are the beating heart of communities, so where they fall into disrepair, the community pays a heavy price. Research* shows that this can be changed and that even small changes – improving shop fronts or restoring architectural features – can make a real difference. That’s what the Townscape Heritage scheme does so successfully, providing a boost for local economies, with vital employment and training opportunities, start-up spaces for small businesses and enhanced public places for residents and visitors. Townscape Heritage funding has made a huge difference to communities across the UK and this is only possible thanks to National Lottery players.’
HLF’s Townscape Heritage programme has awarded £274m to 300 townscape-focused projects over the past 20 years, funding partnerships between local authorities, businesses and community groups and helping to halt and reverse the decline of some of our best-loved historic townscapes.
In Cleethorpes the funding will be used to ensure that the distinctive architecture is preserved on two important streets connecting the town and the seafront. In Rothesay, the grant will help revitalise some of the properties which visitors first see when arriving by ferry, including the historic Winter Gardens, buildings on the main seafront road and the Victorian public conveniences on the West Pier.
Meanwhile, the St Austell project will rejuvenate the town centre by improving historic buildings and public areas, creating opportunities to deliver skills training to local people.
The full list of projects to be funded
- Worksop – the regeneration of the historic commercial street and forgotten spaces: £1.35m, including £67,800 development funding
- Hartlepool Church Street Conservation Area Revival: £1.1m, including £40,100 development funding
- Padiham – Crafting the Future: £1.4m, including £48,200 development funding
- Pontmorlais Townscape Heritage Quarter – Continuing the Renaissance: £1.2m, including £33,300 development funding
- Rothesay Townscape Heritage, Argyll and Bute: £1.9m, including £109,700 development funding
- St Austell Townscape Heritage Scheme: £934,000, including £34,400 development funding
- Central Cleethorpes Seafront Townscape Heritage Project: £1.9m, including £39,000 development funding
- The Burges Quarter Townscape Initiative in Coventry: £1.9m, including £172,000 development funding
- Armagh City Townscape Heritage Project: £1.9m, including £58,800 development funding
View the press release
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