Regeneration and conservation
Wolverhampton City Council recognises that the historic environment can make an important contribution to quality of life. The sensitive restoration of historic buildings can provide attractive homes, stimulate economic regeneration and inspire high quality new design and development.
Wolverhampton has an excellent track record in attracting public and private investment into the historic regeneration of the City including conservation areas, individual listed buildings and historic parks and gardens.
Current conservation based regeneration schemes include:
Bilston Townscape Heritage Initiative
Since receiving approval from the Heritage Lottery Fund in October 2002 to grant aid of £913,000, the Bilston Townscape Initiative (THI) has gone from strength to strength. Match funding enabled a common fund of £1,826,000 to be put in place and this has allowed the Initiative to be progressed with energy and determination.
The historic core of Bilston Town Centre is enjoying tremendous economic revival as buildings are restored to their former glory and previously empty floor spaces are brought back into productive use under this grant-giving initiative. At its centrepiece is the long awaited restoration of the Town Hall - the much loved symbol of the Town's identity and independence.
The proof of the success of the Initiative which is in its final year, can be exhibited in an number of ways. Examples of this success include the confidence to commence the restoration of the Town Hall, the fine terrace of buildings that has been refurbished on Mount Pleasant, the stylish work at the Robin 2 Club - a fine entertainments venue bringing visitors to the Town - and the improvement of a number of key buildings on the A41 Wellington Road/Lichfield Street corridor.
For more information about the Bilston THI use the contact details below or use the following link http://www.bilstonregeneration.co.uk/ :
Address:
Karen Holyoake
THI Project Officer
Conservation & Urban Design Section
Wolverhampton City Council
Regeneration & Transportation
Civic Centre
St Peter’s Square
Wolverhampton
WV1 1RP
Telephone: 01902 555625
Fax: 01902 555637
E-mail: karen.holyoake@wolverhampton.go.uk
Broad Street/Stafford Street Townscape Heritage Initiative
In May 2005 the Heritage Lottery Fund awarded a grant of £960,000 to Wolverhampton City Council for a Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) scheme in the Broad Street/Stafford Street area of the City Centre Conservation Area.
The aim of the THI is to enhance the physical environment by providing financial assistance to owners to undertake building repairs, the reinstatement of architectural details and bringing vacant historic properties back into use. It is hoped that the scheme will also assist in replacing many of the shop fronts, within the THI area, in a more traditional style.
The initiative, which is to run for 3-5 years, will hopefully act as a catalyst for further private sector investment in local businesses to promote the loner-term sustainability of the Conservation Area.
For more information about the Broad Street/Stafford Street THI contact the THI Project Officer using the contact details provided above.
All Saints & Blakenhall Community Development Programme - Heritage Grants
Generous grants are available to assist with sympathetic repairs and the reinstatement of 'lost' architectural features at older buildings (pre-1945) in the ABCD Area. Buildings outside the ABCD Area regrettably are not eligible. However eligibility depends upon a number of factors that are specific to each building. Buildings do not need to be in a conservation area or nationally or locally listed in order to qualify but they must have some heritage asset value to the ABCD Area.
Funding is available until March 2011. The proposed works must be to a heritage-conservation standard and full Wolverhampton City Council permission for the proposed works must be obtained by the grant applicant before a grant funding decision can be made. Only exterior works can be supported by the grant programme and in general the building, as seen from the street, should be fully restored; proposed schemes that aim to tackle only some parts of or elements of a building are not usually supportable.
Grant Application Forms are provided at a site meeting between the freeholder and/or their agent and the ABCD Heritage Project Officer is the property and the works proposals are suitable and the freeholder wishes to apply for assistance. Application Forms are not available via the Council's website or by post in order to best match the funding available in each year to the most promising cases. Full support is available to help applicants maximise their grant funding opportunities and to complete the Grant Application Form/assemble the required supporting documentation. The final decision on grant funding is made solely by the ABCD New Deal for Communities Programme.
For more information about ABCD Heritage Grants use the contact details below:
Address:
Martin Rispin
ABCD Heritage Project Officer
Conservation & Urban Design Section
Wolverhampton City Council
Regeneration & Transportation
Civic Centre
St Peter’s Square
Wolverhampton
WV1 1RP
Telephone: 01902 554036
Fax: 01902 555637
E-mail: martin.rispin@wolverhampton.go.uk
Website: http://www.abcd-ndc.org.uk
Molineux Hotel
The Molineux Hotel, a grade II* listed building, is also undergoing a major refurbishment at the moment with the aid of grant assistance from English Heritage and Advantage West Midlands. For more information visit the regeneration pages of this website.
Council grants
At the moment the Council is unable to offer grants for repairs to historic buildings unless they are located within one of the areas covered by the above schemes.