68 historic high streets across England are being offered a share of the £95m High Streets Heritage Action Zone fund.
The money is awarded by Historic England and is funded by central Government down to partners in the scheme, mainly local authorities.
The funding is designed to keep historic high streets’ identities by making use of historic buildings that have remained tenant-free for several years.
Up to 48% of England’s retail stock was built before 1919, meaning there is a significant amount of property that is being neglected, with fears that demolishing these buildings also erases the history and culture of the high streets they stand on.
The High Streets Heritage Action Zone initiative is funded with £40 million from the Department for Digital, Culture Media and Sport’s Heritage High Street Fund and £52 million from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Future High Street Fund.
Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, said:
“High streets sit at the heart of our communities and every part of the country deserves to have one they can be proud of.
“This fund will help breathe new life into high streets in towns and cities across the country - restoring them to their full glory so that they are beautiful places for people to shop, work and enjoy.”
