Thirty-seven much-loved historic buildings and sites across England, including two in London, will be saved for future generations through £15 million in repair grants announced today (Thursday 7 August).
The Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, led by Historic England and funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, will rescue listed buildings and sites facing dereliction or demolition. Projects range from Victorian market halls to medieval churches, creating new jobs and community spaces.
The one-year fund prioritises heritage sites serving disadvantaged communities and which demonstrate strong local benefits, from job creation to cultural events.
Two historic buildings in London will benefit from a total of £1.3million. Grants will fund urgent repairs to St Mary’s Church in Somers Town (Camden) and aid the reopening of the Greenhouse Centre (Westminster). Details below.
This funding prevents irreversible loss of England’s built heritage whilst delivering the Government’s commitment to break down barriers to opportunity and deliver growth.
Historic buildings are at the heart of local communities, providing spaces for education, arts and local enterprise.
The fund operates alongside Historic England’s existing Heritage at Risk programme, targeting sites requiring immediate action to prevent further deterioration.
St Mary’s, Somers Town, NW1 – £639,064
St Mary’s on Eversholt Street in the London Borough of Camden is a Grade II listed church which requires urgent repairs so it can continue to serve the local community. St Mary’s has been at the heart of Somers Town for 200 years, providing a place of worship and developing deep connections with people locally to offer much-needed community space and a place of sanctuary for those in need.
The poor condition of the Gothic-style building has meant St Mary’s has faced threats of closure and even demolition. This funding will address the most immediate work needed to the West Front, which is already under protective scaffolding. This will cover repairs to failing masonry, brickwork and joinery as well as repointing, cleaning and improved drainage. This vital work will enable the church to develop further phases of restoration to ultimately bring the whole building back to its former glory for the benefit of the community.
The Greenhouse Centre, NW1 – £663,100
The Greenhouse Centre on Cosway Street, in the London Borough of Westminster, is a Grade II* listed converted church belonging to Greenhouse Sports – a charity delivering sports coaching and mentoring to young people facing poverty. The 200-year-old building stands proud in the Church Street Ward and has been closed for several years as extensive repairs have taken place.
This funding covers the final phase of work so the Centre can safely reopen as a thriving hub for a community that needs support. Essential upgrades include structurally reinforcing the main floor and installing new fire protection systems. Run by Coach-Mentors, in collaboration with the local community and wider partners, all sessions will be free-to-access and designed to create belonging, build life skills, and improve confidence, resilience, and wellbeing – giving young people and the community the tools to shape brighter futures, all in a beautiful historic setting.
