The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) has issued its 2015-16 annual report and highlights progress on its projects and its reform programme, which aims to reduce costs and strengthen its governance.
The AHF promotes the conservation and sustainable re-use of historic buildings for the benefit of communities across the UK (particularly in economically disadvantaged areas). Its annual report contains 16 completed project case studies, including those for Hastings Pier, Belleisle Conservatory and Old Park Carnegie Library.
Report highlights include:
- the grants of £375,033 is broken down into £210,200 for projects in Scotland, £155,433 for projects in England, £6,400 for projects in Wales and £3,000 for projects in Northern Ireland
- 23 grant offers were for buildings listed at the highest grades – Grade I and II* in England and Wales; Category A in Scotland
- it had £13,283,970 managed capital funds for lending in the UK.
In her Chairman’s report, Liz Peace CBE said ‘Over the last year we have implemented a comprehensive reform programme, reducing our costs and strengthening our governance, to ensure the AHF is in the best possible shape to respond to the opportunities presented and the demands imposed by an ever-changing external environment. We have expanded our front-line services by substantially increasing the amount of money we distribute in the form of grants and loans and by recruiting more support officers with the skills and experience that our clients need.
‘We have also listened to the requirements of our borrowers and introduced an equity investment strategy, whereby we can provide long-term finance to enterprises through the purchase of community shares. These developments have been made possible by the very generous donations received from our Government funders, particularly from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Historic England, Historic Environment Scotland and the Welsh Government.’
