Empowering social enterprises and charities to breathe new life into disused and at risk heritage buildings is at the core of the Heritage Development Trust programme. Working together with The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF), we invited organisations to join the programme earlier this year.

Boosting capacity of built heritage organisations

The 12 organisations will receive funding to scale up their operations to repair, restore and re-use at-risk buildings in their local areas. Guidance from consultants and mentors will aid their skills and knowledge development, alongside peer-to-peer support to expand their networks.

This partnership with AHF supports communities, charities and heritage groups to develop plans to transform at-risk historic buildings – boosting pride in place, connection to the past and investing in the future.
Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund

UK-wide spread of funding

Organisations receiving support through the programme include Medway Council in Chatham, Kent, which plans to transform a Grade II listed former hospital mortuary into a new community space, and Inner City Trust in Derry/Londonderry which intends to restore the former home of one of the world’s oldest department stores.

The full list of successful organisations is:

• Medway Council in Chatham, Kent
• Inner City Trust in Derry, Londonderry
• Glasgow Building Preservation Trust in Glasgow
• Culture Trust Luton in Luton, Bedfordshire
• Haverfordwest Heritage Ltd in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire
• Heeley Trust in Heeley, South Yorkshire
• Fife Historic Buildings Trust in Kinghorn, Fife
• Galeri Caernarfon in Gwynedd, Caernarfon
• Leicester City Council in Leicester, Leicestershire
• North East Scotland PT in Portsoy, Aberdeenshire
• Redruth Revival CIC in Redruth, Cornwall
• Re-form Heritage in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire

Proven successes through pilot programme

The Heritage Development Trust programme is scaling up its work across the UK following a successful pilot programme, which demonstrated how local communities benefit from regenerating heritage buildings. 

Last year, not-for-profit Valley Heritage in Bacup, Lancashire restored an empty Victorian bank building into a new co-working space and housing for homeless young people. 

In Sunderland, Tyne & Wear Building Preservation Trust transformed a row of Georgian merchants’ houses once threatened with demolition into a vibrant music venue, coffee shop and bar.

Protecting architectural heritage and creating homes, workplaces and community spaces

Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “As the UK’s largest funder of heritage, we collaborate with organisations who share our vision for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future.

“This partnership with AHF supports communities, charities and heritage groups to develop plans for the transformation of at-risk historic buildings – boosting pride in place, connection to the past and investing in the future.”

Matthew Mckeague, Chief Executive of The Architectural Heritage Fund, said: “Bringing old buildings back into productive use will protect our country’s rich architectural past while creating important new homes, workplaces and community venues."

Get inspiration for your heritage project

Browse through summaries and case studies of built heritage projects we’ve supported on our areas, buildings and monuments page.