Nottingham City Council’s Townscape Heritage Scheme is celebrating the start of works to its largest grant-funded project to date.
Just over £212,000 has been awarded by Nottingham City Council from the Townscape Heritage Scheme fund, which will go towards repairs to the frontage of Gordon House on Carrington Street.
Image: Cllr Linda Woodings with some project representatives viewing the beginning of works at Gordon House.
The award is part of the National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported scheme, which helps owners to restore historic buildings in the area with up to 67% of the costs of building repair or other heritage works, such as the reinstatement of traditional shop-fronts.
This project will see the outside upper floors repaired and cleaned, with a glass frontage reinstated across the whole of the ground floor. Two new retail units will also be created, helping to bring jobs to the area.
Image: Cllr Linda Woodings with a project representative viewing the beginning of works at Gordon House.
In 1927, the site was home to Shipsides car showroom and featured an impressive glass frontage on the ground floor with fashionable oversized columns to upper floors. A recent Historic England report suggests that the building’s frontage may have been inspired by the landmark Selfridges store in London.
Over time the building has been changed and, along with many others in the area, started to fall into decline from the late 1960s.
The City Council has been working in partnership with Bhatia Best Solicitors, their architects, Rayner Davies and managing agents Bruton Knowles to develop the project and take it forward.
Ash Bhatia, of Bhatia Best Solicitors, commented: “We are a local business who have called this building home for more than 20 years. We’re proud to be investing a significant amount of our own money, alongside the grant funding, to give our premises a new lease of life and help regenerate this part of the city.”
Cllr Linda Woodings, Nottingham City Council’s Portfolio Holder for Planning, Housing and Heritage and Chair of the Townscape Heritage Grants Panel, said: “The Townscape Heritage scheme is helping to transform this part of Nottingham into the impressive gateway it once was by preserving and restoring some important historical features, which might have been lost otherwise.
“This is our largest investment in a single building in the area to date and we’re delighted to be working with a longstanding local business and supporting their ambitious plans. We’re excited to see the restoration of this key landmark building and for it to once again take its place as one of the most impressive in the area.”
Anne Jenkins, Director: England: Midlands & East, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, added: “We are delighted that money raised by National Lottery players is helping Nottingham’s Townscape Heritage scheme go from strength to strength.
“Repair of this building has been a high priority for funding from the outset and we’re delighted to mark this milestone and see works begin.”
Since the scheme started, a number of buildings have already benefited from grant funding. These include The Barley Twist, The Gresham Hotel, and No’s.18, 20, 22-26 and the Urban Rooms at 38 Carrington Street.
On Station Street, Hopkinsons and a former Police Station have also received grants.
The scheme is still open to expression of interests for grant funding. More information can be found by visiting www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/CarringtonStreetTH
About Carrington Street Area Townscape Heritage Scheme
£682,400 has been awarded for a Townscape Heritage scheme in the Carrington Street area of Nottingham by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The scheme will run from 2016 to March 2021.
The scheme provides grants to eligible owners or tenants of a historic buildings on Carrington Street or Station Street, of up to 67% of the costs of building repair or other townscape heritage works, such as the reinstatement of a traditional shop-fronts.
About The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Using money raised by the National Lottery, we Inspire, lead and resource the UK’s heritage to create positive and lasting change for people and communities, now and in the future. www.heritagefund.org.uk.
Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLotteryHeritageFund
