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Grimsby, Stoke and Rochdale among Heritage Action Zones

Mat Fascicone/Geograph Grimsby docksMat Fascicone/Geograph
The plan in Grimsby is to conserve its fishing heritage following the demolition of buildings on Fish Dock Road

A fishing port, the home of the pottery industry and the birthplace of the modern co-operative movement are to be "revived" in a heritage project.

Grimsby, Stoke-on-Trent and Rochdale are among the latest eight areas to be announced as Heritage Action Zones.

Historic England will fund regeneration and conservation works once costs have been finalised in the spring.

Revealing the sites, heritage minister John Glen said the zones would create "great places to live, work and visit".

Bottle kilns in Stoke-on-Trent
In Stoke-on-Trent, the focus will be on regenerating Longton High Street and protecting surviving bottle kilns

The eight locations are:

  • Bishop Auckland, North East
  • Stockton and Darlington railway, North East
  • Dewsbury living market town, Yorkshire
  • Rochdale town centre, North West
  • Great Grimsby, East Midlands
  • Stoke-on-Trent Ceramic, West Midlands
  • North Lowestoft Heritage Quarter, East of England
  • Walworth, London

In March, Historic England announced 10 places including Hull, Coventry and Ramsgate would receive a share of £6m in the first wave of funding.

The organisation's chief executive Duncan Wilson said: "Through the Heritage Action Zone scheme we want as many people as possible to feel good about the places where they live and work, and to use heritage as a catalyst to help interesting and beautiful towns and cities across England to thrive."

Work will be carried out over three to five years with local authorities and grants and training will be provided.

RBC Rochdale town centreRBC
In Rochdale, the plan is to raise awareness of its co-operative heritage

The scheme is part of the Culture White Paper, a government plan which aims to build tourism, reinvigorate local areas and grow local economies.

Mr Glen, minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism, said: "Our heritage not only tells the story of our past, it creates great places to live, work and visit.

He said the project "is designed to make the most out of the historic environment to kick-start regeneration, increase tourism and boost investment in our towns and cities".

Google Bishop Auckland town centreGoogle
In Bishop Auckland, neglected buildings will be brought back into use
Hugh Mortimer/Geograph Witton Park Viaduct on the Stockton and Darlington Railway Hugh Mortimer/Geograph
Bridges and old railway buildings will be restored on the 26-mile long Stockton and Darlington Railway
Google Dewsbury town centreGoogle
In Dewsbury, the aim is to help revamp "at risk" buildings within the conservation area
Google Lowestoft High StreetGoogle
The North Lowestoft Heritage Action Zone includes restoring the old High Street
Google Walworth Road, LondonGoogle
The aim in Walworth is to revamp it as a "historic urban village"