Town hall bids for £1.1m heritage cash
ROSSENDALE council has submitted another bid to boost the culture, trade and the visual appeal of one of its major towns.
Councillors have agreed to submit a bid for £1.1m from Historic England’s High Street Heritage Action Zone fund for Bacup.
Following the £2m Bacup Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) scheme, council chiefs say they have taken the opportunity to try and build on the growing ‘buzz’ in the town.
In a statement, a council spokesperson said: “If awarded, the money would be spent on restoring and repurposing buildings, making public realm enhancements and establishing a core cultural experience in the town centre.
“It will focus mainly on areas that did not benefit from the THI project, which includes the Regal Bingo Hall.
“It also will improve the frontages of 30 buildings and find alternative modern uses.
“Historic England has made £44m available via its High Street Heritage Action Zone initiative – a four-year programme of physical improvements, community engagement and cultural activities to regenerate historic high streets and town centres around the country. The fund is likely to be oversubscribed and only the best bids nationally will be successful.”
The application will run alongside a bid - developed in partnership with local stakeholders and residents’ comments - to the Future High Street Fund.
Earlier this month we reported that ‘Bacup 2040’ had not been named among 50 successful bids to the fund, although High Streets Minister and Valley MP Jake Berry later clarified it was one of ‘a handful’ of applications to be ‘passported’ through to a second round of bidding.
Coun Jackie Oakes, cabinet member for regeneration and economic development, said they are ‘very excited’ about the latest bid process.
She said: “I am delighted we have made this decision to submit a bid. Bacup has seen six new businesses establish themselves in the town centre, either as a direct result of the THI or due to the ongoing restoration works there, and so the time is right to build on that success. We are very excited about the opportunities that the Heritage Action Zone could bring to Bacup and the positive social and economic impact it could have.”
A decision is expected to be made on the bid around Autumn.