Tewkesbury’s High Streets Heritage Action Zone goes live
Tewkesbury town centre is benefitting from a new multi-million pound fund that will regenerate historic high streets through Historic England’s High Streets Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) scheme.
It is one of a number of high streets across England selected to receive a share of the £95m fund. Tewkesbury has been awarded just over £1m, which will contribute towards:
- A grant programme for the restoration of traditional shopfronts and facades.
- A grant programme to enable vacant upper floor units to be changed to residential use.
- A public consultation on Tewkesbury’s public spaces followed by a schedule of improvements.
- Initiatives to encourage the regeneration of the Healing’s Mill site.
- Events promoting the use of traditional skills and materials.
In addition, Tewkesbury HSHAZ has been awarded £80,000 for a programme of cultural events celebrating the town’s rich heritage. A cultural consortium, Tewkesbury Culture, which comprises a number of cultural and heritage organisations, groups and schools, has been established to promote this programme, aiming to bring new and bigger audiences to the town.
This week marks the start of the HSHAZ with the appointment of a programme manager to help local businesses get the support they need from the scheme. In addition, all the information about the Tewkesbury HSHAZ – from grant funding to cultural events – is now available online at www.tewkesbury.gov.uk/hshaz
Councillor Mel Gore, Tewkesbury Borough Council’s Lead Member for Built Environment, said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for Tewkesbury, which will bring about positive improvements to the town centre and encourage increases in business investment and tourism, and we are really excited to see it move forward.
“The new webpages will be a place where anyone can find out the latest information about our programme of initiatives and what it has to offer. They will be regularly updated and, in time, will provide such information as how to apply for the grants or find out what events are happening in the town.”
Ross Simmonds, regional director at Historic England in the southwest, said: “Tewkesbury’s high street has a distinct character that will be enhanced to make it an even more special place. Grants to improve historic building frontages and to bring upper floors into use, combined with better public spaces, will provide an even more pleasant place for shoppers, visitors, residents and businesses to be.
“There will be opportunities to learn more about Tewkesbury’s history and how to care for its heritage, as well as an exciting programme of cultural and creative events to attract people back to the high street. We look forward to seeing how this investment in Tewkesbury’s heritage and celebration of its past will combine to deliver a successful future for the town centre and the community.”
For more information about Tewkesbury’s High Streets Heritage Action Zone, visit: www.tewkesbury.gov.uk/hshaz
Notes:
About High Streets Heritage Action Zones
The High Streets Heritage Action Zones is a £95 million government-funded programme led by Historic England and designed to secure lasting improvements to our historic high streets for the communities who use them. Historic England is working with local people and partners through grant funding and sharing our skills to help breathe new life into high streets that are rich in heritage and full of promise – unlocking their potential and making them more attractive to residents, businesses, tourists and investors. The High Streets Heritage Action Zones scheme, backed by government funding, aims to help with the recovery of local high streets from regenerating historic buildings to helping to engage local communities through art and cultural projects. https://historicengland.org.uk/services-skills/heritage-action-zones/regenerating-historic-high-streets/
About Historic England
Historic England is the public body that helps people care for, enjoy and celebrate England’s spectacular historic environment, from beaches and battlefields to parks and pie shops. They protect, champion and save the places that define who we are and where we’ve come from as a nation. They care passionately about the stories these places tell, the ideas they represent and the people who live, work and play among them. Working with communities and specialists, they share their passion, knowledge and skills to inspire interest, care and conservation, so everyone can keep enjoying and looking after the history that surrounds us all. https://historicengland.org.uk/
