Published September 30, 2020 at 11:33
Rossendale Borough Council is working closely with derelict and vacant buildings owners across the Valley to provide help, advice and support in restoring and repurposing these buildings. The Council have recently supported Valley Heritage, Rossendale’s building preservation trust, in their mission to secure ownership of and funding for the purchase and redevelopment of the Grade 2 Listed former Lancashire & Yorkshire Bank in Bacup.
A building unique to Bacup, the former Lancashire & Yorkshire Bank has had a number of purposes, most recently as a number of small, self-contained bedsits. However, the building has been sitting vacant for several months. Valley Heritage have successfully secured funding from the Architectural Heritage Fund, to purchase the building and have secured additional funding from the Architectural Heritage Fund’s Transforming Places grant programme, to restore the building into a business hot desk and networking facility on the ground floor and the develop the upper floors into spacious apartments for both the M3 Project and for private rent.
The Council have been pleased to support Valley Heritage in their mission through dedicated Officer support, financial support for professional fees and also through allocated Section 106 funds for the affordable housing element of the restoration scheme.
The Council are committed to working with our building owners across Rossendale and welcome opportunities to support restoration and repurposing schemes that will benefit not only the building owner but also the local community through re-activating buildings and making them active features of the town centre.
Councillor Jackie Oakes said “Working with local building owners has been a long-standing commitment of the Council and we are constantly exploring new ways to help and support our building owners in restoring their properties back into viable commercial or residential spaces.
“The recent successes of Valley Heritage, with the support of the Council, are testament to that and I would encourage building owners from across the Valley to contact the Council to see how we can help”
Stephen Anderson, Chair of Valley Heritage said “We are very grateful for Rossendale Borough Council’s support with the project.
“Without their assistance at the outset, it is doubtful we would have been able to purchase the building in the first place. Their ongoing support has helped us to develop an exciting future for this local landmark and we are looking forward to collaborating further with the Council on other projects to bring disused properties back into use”
Any building owners who would like to get in touch with the dedicated Rossendale Councils Derelict Buildings Officer please email economicdevelopment@rossendalebc.gov.uk.