The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has awarded initial development funding to Fife Council to help progress its plans for repairs and improvements to the town's historic streetscape and buildings.

It is understood that following the initial development, more detailed proposals will be submitted to apply for a full National Lottery grant of up to £1.2 million early next year.

Made possible by National Lottery players, the funding, which is distributed through HLF's Townscape Heritage (TH) programme, could form part of a £3 million investment in the Town. A complementary bid will be made to Historic Environment Scotland for a Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) in Inverkeithing. If both bids are successful, this would be combined with Fife Council money and other funding contributions, to deliver a five year heritage-led regeneration programme, starting in June 2019.

-- Advertisement --

Inverkeithing is competing for this TH funding with other towns across the UK – and is the only place in Scotland to receive a First Round pass this year.

Gordon Mole, Senior Manager, Business & Employability, Fife Council, said: "This announcement is great news for Inverkeithing and is another step forward in its regeneration. It will build on the town's housing-led regeneration at Fraser Avenue and would realize some of the improvements local people have called for through the current "Imagine Inverkeithing" community-led planning process. With the Heritage Lottery Funding award this year, we can now work with local partners and Fife Historic Buildings Trust and to develop our second round application, and hopefully see the combined Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme /Towns Heritage programme begin in 2019."

The heritage-led plans for Inverkeithing would enable:

• The repair and development of the Grade A Listed Town House into a fully accessible Community use hub.

• A Building Repair Grant Scheme to be established to deliver targeted repairs & improvements to other buildings.

• A major uplift of the streetscape at the heart of the town, enhancing and restoring historic features.

• A wide range of heritage themed training & educational activities to benefit local people and aid heritage conservation in the longer term.

Historic Environment Scotland's Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) provides financial assistance, over a five year period, for Conservation Area based regeneration and conservation initiatives undertaken by Local and National Park Authorities, community groups and other third sector organisations experienced in delivering multi-funded projects.