An initial development grant of £246,800 means Cornwall Council and Cornwall Heritage Trust can progress plans for extensive conservation and interpretation of the valley’s industrial and natural heritage.  This will be underpinned by an activity programme to engage new audiences, improve access and provide inspiring training and volunteering opportunities for the local community.

Luxulyan Valley, situated just outside the village of Luxulyan with the Eden Project nearby, is a key component of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site.  The valley contains a complex system of leats (a type of trench) and 19th-century industrial structures which connect the tin and copper mines of central Cornwall with the harbours of Par and Charlestown. 

[quote=Joyce Duffin, Cornwall Council cabinet member for housing and environment]"Luxulyan Valley is a hugely important part of Cornwall’s industrial and natural heritage..."[/quote]

The valley is steeped in natural beauty and loved for its tranquility.  This project will restore much of the industrial heritage within it, including the iconic Treffry Viaduct, a Scheduled Monument on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register and identified in a public survey for the BBC as one of the ‘Seven Man Made Wonders of South West England'.

Nerys Watts, Head of HLF South West, said: “Luxulyan Valley is a little-known but stunning part of the Cornish landscape.  We loved the ambition of this project, from conserving the Treffyn Viaduct and Velvet Path to getting the local community involved through volunteering and training opportunities.  There’s no doubt it has the potential to deliver real and lasting benefits to both the natural and industrial heritage of the area.”

Cornwall Council cabinet member for housing and environment Joyce Duffin said: “Luxulyan Valley is a hugely important part of Cornwall’s industrial and natural heritage and is of national and international significance. To be given the funding green light by HLF is a major boost.”