High Street Heritage Action Zone

What is the High Street Heritage Action Zone?

The national High Street Heritage Action Zone programme is a grant giving scheme that aims to breathe new life into high streets across England, fuelling economic, social and cultural recovery and give them a new lease of life for future generations to enjoy.

We have been awarded £2million from Historic England as part of the national programme to help support a four-year scheme that will involved repairing and restoring some of the most important historic shopfronts and buildings in Granby Street and Church Gate.

Our project team is being supported by a range of partners including De Montfort University, University of Leicester and Leicester Civic Society.

Find out more about Historic England’s High Street Heritage Action Zone programme.

What are our aims?

There are seven main aims for the scheme, which is to:

• Restore shopfronts and other architectural features.
• Repair and improve historic buildings.
• Bring vacant spaces back in to use.
• Improve the public realm.
• Make the area, core facilities and businesses more accessible to all.
• Facilitate training and education opportunities.
• Celebrate our high streets and give local communities a key role in deciding what work they want to see happening.

What are we hoping to achieve?

There are four main outcomes for the scheme, which is to:

• Increase awareness and learning about the history of the Granby Street and Church gate conservation areas.
• Improve the physical appearance of these streets through reinstatement, repair and restoration of shopfronts and key historical buildings.
• Engage local communities to develop arts and cultural activities.
• Create a healthier, more positive and long-term sustainable environment by supporting efforts to improve air quality, increase use of sustainable transport, encourage greater well-being and address low level crime.

What areas are included in the High Street Heritage Action Zone?

The HSHAZ targeted the conservation of key historic buildings within Granby Street and Church Gate conservation areas.

You can view these maps at the bottom of this page.

What was funded?

Businesses, property owners and leaseholders in the area were able to apply for grants of at least 75% towards:

• Reinstating lost architectural features such as windows.
• Improving shopfronts and repair architectural features.
• Bringing empty floor space back into use.

Eligible works include property repairs using traditional materials and methods, the reinstatement of traditional details, and shop front improvements.

How can I find out more?

You can get in touch with us by email at LeicesterHAZ@leicester.gov.uk or call 0116 454 3034.

We're building #LeicesterRoots! Do you have a story?

Can you help us to join the dots between the people that have lived, played and worked in these areas? Perhaps you have your own story or know of a tale that’s been passed down through family generations?

Find out how you can share your story with us.

Subsidised training opportunity for architects

Eight local architects were selected for subsidised training with the view to them becoming conservation accredited architects. Applications have now closed, but please contact us if this would be of interest to you and we will notify you of future opportunities.

Contact us

Send us an email at LeicesterHAZ@leicester.gov.uk or call 0116 454 3034.