Streets which form the gateway to the city centre from the south are set to be restored to former glories through a £1.4m Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) bid by the City Council.
Historic buildings in Carrington Street, Arkwright Street and Station Street are in line for the transformation, after the council was awarded £35,600 in development funding from the HLF, to work up its proposals under the Townscape Heritage programme.
The proposals would complement the transformation of the southern approach to the city, by improving the look, feel and functionality of
streets between the recently-redeveloped Nottingham Station and the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre, due to undergo a £150m transformation.
If the bid is successful, just under £700,000 of the £1.4m total would be provided by the HLF. The funding would finance grants covering up to 75 per cent of the cost of building works to restore eligible properties, uncovering or reinstating original Victorian or Edwardian features, faithfully restoring shop fronts and allowing unused upper floors to be brought back into use.
City Council Leader and Portfolio Holder for Strategic Regeneration, Councillor Jon Collins, said: “The southern side of the city is in the process of a major transformation and part of this is improving some of the busy pedestrian routes in the area.
“We want to see the Carrington Street area transformed, following on from the heritage award-winning redevelopment of Nottingham Station. Most of the station’s seven million annual visitors and commuters come through Carrington Street, making this scheme another important step in the regeneration of the southern side of the city centre.”
Restoration work would use appropriate materials and techniques and show the potential to be a catalyst for change, providing an example to others while providing value for money and evidence of sustainability.
Heritage-inspired activities to engage the community are under discussion and could involve discovery days for schools, programmes for colleges, providing training in traditional skills such as joinery and metalwork, attracting visitors and enabling everyone in Nottingham to gain a greater understanding of the historic architecture that surrounds them.
Members of the public are being asked to help shape the ideas for these activities, as well as volunteering and discovering more about the area’s heritage and architectural significance at consultation events, or by completing questionnaires on the council’s website (www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/CarringtonStreetTH).
The first drop-in sessions take place on Tuesday June 2 (2-7pm) and Wednesday June 3 (8am-2pm) at 38 Carrington Street, next to the Citizens Advice Bureau, and will also provide an opportunity for local property owners to find out more about conservation grants.
To find out more about which buildings might be eligible for funding, please go to www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/CarringtonStreetTH