PRESS RELEASES

The Prince’s Regeneration Trust and Portaferry Regeneration Limited are delighted to announce their joint Stage 1 application, of £1.28 million to the Heritage Lottery Fund for the heritage-led regeneration of Portaferry, County Down, has been successful.

The funding will be used to help the former harbour town of Portaferry fulfil its potential as a visitor destination; building upon its importance as a maritime centre; and as a place to live and work.

Portaferry is a town of considerable character and charm with its beautiful setting on the shores of Strangford Lough, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a Site of Special Scientific Interest on the southern tip of the Ards Peninsula. Unfortunately, following a steady decline in its economic prosperity over the past 30 years, many small, family-run businesses have had to cease trading, leaving a large number of vacant, derelict and underused late 18th and early 19th century buildings in the town’s historic centre.

The Townscape Heritage Initiative funding awarded by The Heritage Lottery Fund will attract match funding and private investment that will a programme of heritage-led economic regeneration with the aim of re-establishing Portaferry as a vibrant, attractive and prosperous town for residents, businesses and visitors.

Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive of The Prince’s Regeneration Trust said:
"We're extremely pleased to have been asked to assist with the Stage 1 THI application to the Heritage Lottery Fund. The success of the application means that next year work will start in earnest to bring back into sustainable use, a large number of underused or vacant buildings in the town centre.

We hope to continue our close association with Portaferry Regeneration Limited, by working with the group to develop the programme of heritage-led economic regeneration through to implementation of the initiative,”

HRH The Prince of Wales is President of The Prince's Regeneration Trust and earlier this month visited the Queen's University Marine Laboratory to see first-hand the important and essential research being carried out in Portaferry in generating renewable energy.

Commenting on the successful bid, Doug Edmondson, Chairman of Portaferry Regeneration Limited, said:

“Being awarded £1.28m from the Heritage Lottery Fund is great news for Portaferry and will bring great benefits to the local community. This success was made possible by the skill and expertise of The Prince’s Regeneration Trust working closely with Portaferry Regeneration Limited in putting together a winning application.

We are confident that the THI will act as a catalyst for future investment in Portaferry from both the public and private sectors both within the conservation area and its wider environs."

Ards Borough Council very kindly made a financial contribution towards the cost of putting together the Stage 1 application.

With guidance from the Trust, Portaferry Regeneration Limited is in the process of setting up The Portaferry Building Preservation Trust in response to the large number of potentially suitable BPT properties within the proposed Portaferry THI area, including a total of four listed buildings which are included on the Built Heritage at Risk Register.

The total cost of the Portaferry THI is estimated to be some £3 million so additional match funding is now being sought. A Stage 2 application to the Heritage Lottery Fund is due to be submitted by spring 2011.

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Notes to editors:
A Building Preservation Trust is a charity whose main aims include the preservation and regeneration of historic buildings.

The Prince’s Regeneration Trust

The Prince’s Regeneration Trust is one of The Prince's Charities and has HRH The Prince of Wales as its President. There are 20 charities in the group, which is the largest multi-cause charitable enterprise in the UK.

The Prince’s Regeneration Trust is a separate charity from The Prince’s Trust.

The Prince’s Regeneration Trust is acknowledged as the UK's leading heritage regeneration specialist, delivering successful projects to communities across the UK. The Trust works to help underused or redundant historic buildings perform a new function, unlocking a regeneration of the wider community, particularly in areas of social or economic deprivation.

The Trust works in partnership with communities, developers, local authorities and other public bodies throughout the UK. Redundant buildings are given a viable, new function which keeps them at the heart of their communities and assists with the wider economic regeneration of their local area. The Trust encourages sharing learning and experience through its projects.

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