The £5 million Heritage Revival Fund, which is available for applications now England-wide and will be awarded before 31st March 2026, is set to help communities across the East and West Midlands by rescuing and repurposing neglected heritage buildings. It will allow community organisations to take ownership of the Midlands’ historic buildings (such as old water mills and factories once at the heart of the Industrial Revolution) and transform them into vibrant spaces that meet modern needs.
The Architectural Heritage Fund is delivering the Heritage Revival Fund on behalf of DCMS and this fund was announced by the Culture Secretary as part of the government’s wider £270 million investment in arts and culture, alongside support from Historic England.
Since opening for grant applications in April, the Heritage Revival Fund has already awarded two grants to early-stage projects in the Midlands. In Stoke-on-Trent, a local trust has plans to conserve a surviving flint mill on the banks of the Trent and Mersey Canal and adapt the space as a hub for the creative industries, with some educational and events spaces. A grant has also been awarded to the Walsall Community Association to bring the derelict wing of a former late 19th-century school building in Walsall town centre into community use.
For nearly fifty years, the Architectural Heritage Fund has been working tirelessly to breathe new life into unused buildings on the UK’s high streets and town centres. In the Midlands, many heritage buildings that were once the beating heart of their communities have already been transformed, giving them a renewed – and much needed – purpose. These include:
People’s Old Print Works in Balsall Heath
The People's Old Print Works, formerly the JH Butcher & Co Print Works, is a rare survival of a print making factory. The Grade II-listed building remained in its original use and ownership from its construction (1904-24) until its closure in 2009.
Currently leased and run by Make it Sustainable, The Old Print Works has been operating as a thriving community arts space for over 10 years now, providing studio, meeting, exhibition, event and co-working spaces for a diverse creative community - including designer makers, artists, and community-facing organisations. It also welcomes 1,600 visitors every year to its Balsall Heath Second Saturday festival, café and gallery.
Through a Project Development Grant – made possible with support from the West Midlands Combined Authority - the Architectural Heritage Fund enabled Make it Sustainable to draw up plans to secure The Old Print Works in community ownership with a sustainable business model, and to reimagine and redevelop the site as an inclusive, welcoming, vibrant and more environmentally friendly community resource.
3-6 Priory Row, or Lychgate Cottages, in Coventry
Lychgate Cottages are some of Coventry’s oldest buildings, dating from 1415. Incredibly, they’re the only buildings from St Mary’s Priory to survive the destruction of Godiva’s Cathedral during the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539 but in more recent years had fallen out of use.
These unique relics of the past have been transformed into income-generating assets that help to support local charity Historic Coventry Trust conserve and maintain many of Coventry’s most unique heritage buildings. This project was funded by DCMS and made possible thanks to the Architectural Heritage Fund’s Transforming Places programme.
The Golden Lion, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham
The Grade II-listed Golden Lion – a unique 16th-century, timber-framed building – started life as a city centre guildhall, which later became a public house. In 1911, it was saved from demolition and relocated to Cannon Hill Park, where it was used as a cricket pavilion and refreshment room. Having been out of use for two decades, it is now in urgent need of repair.
Through a Project Viability Grant, the Architectural Heritage Fund has enabled the Birmingham Conservation Trust to carry out much-needed viability work (business planning, community engagement and fundraising) to determine what the Golden Lion’s next chapter will hold. The hope is to revive this special building as a flexible community space focusing on heritage, cultural and wellbeing activities.
This grant was made possible by the Historic Assets into Community Ownership programme, funded by Historic England and the Pilgrim Trust, with additional support from the West Midlands Combined Authority.
Matthew Mckeague, CEO, the Architectural Heritage Fund, said: “The Midlands is home to many incredible heritage buildings, all full of character and history. Sadly, some are no longer fit for purpose, but the new Heritage Revival Fund will unlock their potential and enable local charities and social enterprises to transform them into thriving spaces once more. It will also allow us to support more projects in the Midlands and beyond, which not only will bring back purpose to these special places but will also restore a sense of pride and local identity.”
Hannah Greenwood, Interim CEO, Make it Sustainable said: "The People’s Old Print Works project has been about serving the whole community and safeguarding The Old Print Works for future generations. The support, advice and funding from the Architectural Heritage Fund was key to improving the accessibility of our building and taking major steps towards being able to purchase the building. I would encourage local charities or social enterprises to consider applying for the Heritage Revival Fund and help bring the Midlands’ currently unused or underused buildings back into use."
Heritage Minister, Baroness Twycross said: "Our historic buildings represent the rich history of our communities right across the country. The Heritage Revival Fund is empowering local people to transform neglected treasures and bring them back to life once more, celebrating our past while serving community needs for many generations to come."
Louise Brennan, Midlands Regional Director, Historic England, said: “It’s brilliant to see that this crucial funding is already helping communities in the Midlands to enjoy and reconnect to their local heritage through these special buildings.”
To find out more about the Architectural Heritage Fund visit www.ahfund.org.uk and to apply for the Heritage Revival Fund, visit www.ahfund.org.uk/grants/england