New £15m fund to transform high streets

The Transforming Places Through Heritage fund has opened, focused on reinvigorating England’s high streets and town centres as once more thriving hubs of community, through the creative reuse of local historic buildings.

Run by the Architectural Heritage Fund, local groups across the country now have the opportunity to apply for financial support for projects that create alternative uses for underused or out of use historic buildings, from public buildings to old cinemas, shops or department stores.  

The fund is aimed at community businesses, social enterprises and charitable ventures, which are uniquely equipped to develop creative new ideas for bringing life back to old buildings, increasing the mix of uses and diversifying ownership.

Matthew Mckeague, chief executive of AHF, said: “Today we are starting to build a future where the unique historic buildings in our towns and cities will once again play a central role. With the right support, thriving social enterprises and charitable ventures can inject new life into our great but underused buildings, and begin to reimagine and re-establish our high streets as places of social and commercial prosperity, and common identity.

“Through initiatives like this fund, and the support AHF will provide, there is an opportunity for these streets to be much more than just retail spaces - to regain their role as the heartbeat of energy, inspiration and interaction at the centre of our local lives.”

Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright added: “Our Transforming Places through Heritage fund is an innovative approach to help high streets grow as cultural and economic hubs for our communities. I want to encourage organisations across England to apply for funding so that we can get more people out to enjoy these spaces."

The initiative is part of the High Street Heritage Action Zones and Future High Streets Fund, run by the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.