In 2020 Redruth received a share of the £95 million High Streets Heritage Action Zones (HSHAZ) fund, one of only 10 places in the South West to benefit from this national scheme.
The grant of £1.6m, awarded by Historic England, will attract a further £3m of investment from the private and public sectors to invest in the regeneration of Redruth town centre.
The scheme concluded in 2024 although its legacy continues to work to regenerate Redruth’s historic town centre.
Exciting projects as part of the Redruth HSHAZ scheme
Redevelopment of five key sites in the town centre:
- The London Inn has been brought back into use offering affordable commercial units at street level and town centre residential accommodation above and behind
- The Buttermarket cluster of historic buildings have been refurbished, creating a vibrant space for independent businesses including an innovative food offer to boost the night time economy as well as enhancing its use as a venue for regular markets and wide-ranging events programmes.
- The Ladder is a new creative and community hub in the former Passmore Edwards Library. The building has been repaired and restored and is now owned by a CIC so it is preserved for community use going forward.
- 81 Fore Street was the former HSBC Bank which had been empty for a number of years and was purchased by Redruth Revival CIC using HSHAZ funding as a new location for Mining Exchange Studios – a collective of artists and makers.
- Redruth Civic Centre & Library and Information Service moved to new premises on Alma Place so the Library offering could be enhanced as it was devolved to Redruth Town Council.
- Key Buildings Property Improvement Grant Scheme (closed)
- Public realm and access improvements
- Redruth Unlimited – an innovative and creative 3-year cultural grant scheme (closed)
- Redruth Town Centre Masterplan and Values
- Community and business engagement and participation
Working in collaboration with the community and local businesses, the Redruth HSHAZ scheme has had a far-reaching positive social and economic impact, delivering heritage-led regeneration and cultural programming that has breathed new life into the town centre and established a vision and a set of values that will guide future decision-making.
You can read the Redruth HSHAZ Social Impact Assessment Report here: letstalkcornwall.gov.uk
The London Inn Redevelopment
The London Inn redevelopment saw Nos. 33 and 34 Fore Street, the former historic Coaching Inn, brought back into economic life. Standing derelict for over a decade, these two important Grade II Listed buildings have been transformed into affordable commercial units at street level and residential accommodation above and to the rear. A new frontage based on historic photographs was created for No. 33 and the Grade II Listed telephone kiosk, now adopted by Redruth Town Council, was refurbished and transformed into a community book swap.
The Buttermarket
Redruth Revival CIC was formed in 2014 by a group of local businesspeople who wanted to create a better town centre offer in Redruth. The dilapidated Buttermarket complex of buildings, that included the Mining Exchange, Wheal Peevor Purser’s Office and Auction House, was identified as a key site with great potential. In 2017, Redruth Revival raised sufficient funds to purchase the site which quickly attracted tenants and regular market days were reestablished.
As part of the Redruth HSHAZ scheme, the Buttermarket has been awarded a grant of £735,000 towards the estimated total cost of around £4m
The Ladder
The Grade II Listed Passmore Edwards Building was the home of Redruth Library until it moved to new premises in Alma Place in 2020. Having fallen into disrepair with some significant structural issues, the building was acquired by Redruth Former Library CIC and received £168,000 from HSHAZ for emergency repairs to make the building wind and watertight before more extensive refurbishment work could be undertaken. The Ladder is now home to The Writers’ Block, a brand new nursery, a café and performance spaces.
Redruth HSHAZ Legacy
Redruth Town Team
The Redruth HSHAZ was managed and guided by a Board and it has now been agreed that will transition into the Redruth Town Team in order to continue to drive regeneration projects in the town. There is still much to do and the Town Team will be able to identify opportunities, bid for funding or offer support for individual organisations seeking funding, and share resources. The establishment of the Town Team means the strength of cooperation and expertise that has been built up over the HSHAZ scheme will not be lost and will become a significant legacy.
Redruth Masterplan & Values
Lavigne Lonsdale was commissioned to undertake a masterplanning exercise as part of the HSHAZ project to help to realise Redruth Town Centre’s potential. As part of this exercise, Hemingway Design was briefed to run a creative consultation to create a set of ‘values’ that have become the quality and design standard for all projects and developments in the town centre. The core values that emerged are:
- Distinctly Cornish
- Resourceful & regenerative
- Sparking ideas
Read the full Masterplan report
Redruth Unlimited
Whilst the Redruth Unlimited grant scheme has now closed, the Cultural Consortium will continue as a legacy project of the HSHAZ, bringing together creative practitioners across the town to develop projects, share resources and bid for funding.
Agents 4 Change
A project designed by the young people of Redruth to have their say in the future development of the town centre. Delivered in partnership with Trifle Gathering Productions, young people were recruited to become Agents 4 Change. Researching and discovering the rich history of the town, speaking with agencies and businesses combined with their own experiences, thoughts and ideas the Agents worked with rap artists Hedluv & Passman to express this through an excellent music video and documentary style interview film.
Agents 4 Change “The Next Chapter” begins in 2022.
triflegatheringproductions.co.uk
Stay in Touch
Although the Redruth HSHAZ project has now finished, you can still keep up to date with regeneration projects in Redruth by contacting Redruth Town Council.
For information on events and festivals in Redruth, Visit Discover Redruth
Revitalising Historic High Streets | Historic England
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