The funding will be used to restore the last block of millworkers’ houses in New Lanark largely completing the conservation of this World Heritage site and popular visitor attraction. In Glasgow, the final part of the historic 19th century fish market, the Briggait, will be transformed into a creative centre for dance, circus and street arts, and the UK’s last remaining  Second World War high security camp, near Comrie, is a step closer to securing its long-term future by converting Nissen huts into self-catering accommodation.

Colin McLean, Head of HLF Scotland, said: “These buildings are incredibly different. What they have in common is that they are part of Scotland’s history and that, sadly, they are all in a semi-derelict state. Thanks to players of the National Lottery, we are delighted to be able to help bring them back to life, not in the way that they were first intended, but in a way that is relevant to today. [quote=Colin McLean, Head of HLF Scotland]"Thanks to players of the National Lottery, we are delighted to be able to help bring them back to life..." [/quote] This will not only help secure their future, it will bring enjoyment and learning to very many people and a boost to their local economies.”

With thousands of adults and children from home and abroad visiting every year to learn about the Industrial Revolution and the lives of the people who lived in the 18th-century cotton mill village, New Lanark World Heritage Site has received a grant of £1.5million to restore Double Row (former millworkers’ housing) and conserve other significant buildings across the site.  Of the eight derelict tenements in Double Row, seven will become residential accommodation while the eighth, the ‘Museum Stair’, which was digitally scanned as part of the Scottish Ten will feature in an exciting new 3D virtual tour, taking visitors back to different dates in its history. The project will feature ‘discovery days’, ‘house history’ workshops and opportunities to learn traditional building skills. An interpretative mobile app will also be created to help visitors understand the historical development of this important village.

The Briggait is one of Glasgow’s architectural gems, housing Scotland’s most important collection of surviving market halls. It has received initial approval for a grant of £755,000 from HLF including a grant of £52,100 to develop a project which will see the final part of this cultural hub transformed into a training and activity centre for dance and physical performance. As well as installing a flying trapeze in the 1904 hall, there will be a dance studio for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities. The restoration of this category A listed heritage site will create a hub for artists, performers and people of all abilities to get more active while regenerating the Clyde Waterfront in Glasgow City Centre and connecting it to Glasgow’s Merchant City.

HLF has also given initial approval for a grant of £338,500 including a development grant of £43,800 to the internationally important Prisoner of War Camp, Cultybraggan. Known as ‘Camp 21’ or ‘Nazi 2’, the camp was built in 1941 and had the capacity to hold 4,500 inmates. It became an army training facility between 1947 and 2004 and is now owned by the local community and managed by volunteers. Ten of the camp’s nissen huts will be converted into self-catering accommodation bringing economic benefits to this rural community and securing a future for this important heritage site.

Lorna Davidson, New Lanark Trust Director, said: “We are thrilled to receive this significant grant award from the HLF which will enable us to realise our long-standing aspiration to complete the restoration of the former millworkers’ housing within this internationally important site.  Built in the 1790s, the Category A listed Double Row has been vacant since the last family moved out in the 1970s and is now in a poor and deteriorating condition.   This project will ensure the building’s survival and fulfill the Trust’s vision to maintain the historic village as a living, working community with a resident population.

“The virtual tour of the ‘Museum Stair’ tenement will combine archive material with new technology to showcase the history of the ‘ordinary’ domestic interior and will be the first visitor experience of its kind in Scotland.

“In addition, this large scale regeneration project of over £4m will safeguard the future of other buildings on the site provide unique opportunities to gain practical traditional building skills training at a World Heritage Site and offer a diverse learning and volunteering programme for the community of South Lanarkshire and beyond.”

Audrey Carlin, Wasps’ Senior Executive Director for Business Development, said: “The Briggait Creation Centre will be of significant value to the future of culture across Scotland, so we are delighted that HLF has allocated funding to support what will be one of Scotland’s largest facilities for physical performance.

“We will be breathing new life into a dilapidated Category A Listed building at the Briggait, providing professional, amateur and disabled artists and performers with an amazing new facility where they can come together to work, rehearse, learn, collaborate and perform.  The Centre will act as a catalyst in revitalising one of the most deprived communities in Scotland, by engaging people of all ages and abilities in an exciting range of physical activities from circus skills to street dance.

“At the same time the project will ensure that one of Glasgow’s most important historic buildings is sensitively redeveloped to give it a sustainable future and to contribute further to the regeneration of the Clyde Waterfront and Merchant City.”

Sharon Rice-Jones, Acting Chair of Comrie Development Trust, said: "The Comrie Development Trust welcomes the Historic Enterprise grant from HLF.  It now brings us closer to the prospect of securing the future of 10 category B listed building nissen huts within Cultybraggan Camp, the best preserved POW Camp in Scotland, for self-catering accommodation on behalf of the local community and those that were stationed there.  It enables us now to push for the final part of the complex funding package through our Community Shares offer for the remaining £35,000 which will, once complete, potentially increase visitor levels to over 15,000 after five years creating the equivalent of 20 full time jobs and boosting the local economy by up to £2m.”

Further information

Shiona Mackay, HLF, on tel: 07779 142890/017868701638

Jon Williams, HLF, on tel: 020 7591 6035, via email: Jonw@hlf.org.uk or via out of hours mobile: 07973 613820.

Melissa Reilly, Marketing and PR Officer at New Lanark, via email: Melissa.reilly@newlanark.org or tel: 01555 661345

Audrey Carlin, Senior Executive Director at Wasps Artists' Studios (For The Briggait), via email: Audrey@waspsstudios.org.uk or on tel: 0141 553 5897

Sharon Rice, Acting Chair at Cultybraggan, via email: sharonrj71@gmail.com