Funds of £1.6m secured to preserve historic buildings

Funding has been secured for a £1.6m heritage and conservation project to regenerate a Worcestershire town.

Bromsgrove District Council has pledged £16,700 to match £50,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The money will be used to work up an application to access a further £1.2m for Bromsgrove from the lottery fund.

An additional £400,000 for the scheme from Worcestershire County Council brings the total fund to £1.6m to be spent on conserving the town.

The heritage project will undertake work to the town centre's conservation area where a number of "distinctive" 18th and 19th Century buildings are located.

'Over the moon'

There will also be a series of events to highlight Bromsgrove's heritage and work to improve paving, landscaping and street furniture in the High Street.

Rex Carson, casework manager for the Heritage Lottery Fund in the West Midlands, said: "City and town centres form a large part of our urban landscape and are the backdrop to millions of people's daily lives.

"We're determined to help regenerate areas that are currently struggling and in need of additional encouragement and an injection of much-needed cash."

Leader of Bromsgrove District Council, Roger Hollingworth, said: "We are over the moon that the Heritage Lottery Fund supported our proposals and made this decision.

"Bromsgrove's heritage needs our support to ensure future generations can continue to enjoy it."