Southport Townscape Heritage Project
You’ll find plenty of information about the project, the target buildings and streets, and downloadable activities on the Southport Townscape project website. You can also find out about events and the latest project news on the website, or following us on our social media platforms Twitter @SouthportTHP, public Facebook group SouthportTHP, also Instagram@southportthp1 and YouTube - Southport Townscape Heritage Project - YouTube
Bringing Southport’s built heritage back to life
At the end of 2019, the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) awarded £1.6 million towards a £2.5 million investment in Southport Townscape Heritage Project, a heritage-led initiative to regenerate Southport’s historic town centre over five years. Sefton Council and Southport BID, with support from partners such as Southport Civic Society and The Atkinson, led the successful funding bid and are now – after understandable delays in 2020 – overseeing a programme of property grants for historic buildings, skills training and community activities.
The project focuses on the four key streets linking Southport town centre and the Marine Lake attractions – Coronation Walk, Scarisbrick Avenue, Nevill Street and Bold Street – which sit within the Lord Street and Promenade Conservation Areas. The regeneration work will complement the NLHF-funded restoration of Kings Gardens and Coastal Communities-funded refurbishment of the Pier and the further improvements proposed as part of the Southport Town Deal.
The funded activities include:
Building works
- Structural and external repair of historic buildings, restoring and reinstating features such as traditional shopfronts and windows;
- Works to bring vacant floor space back into use.
Heritage and community activities
- Training for building owners and construction professionals or students in the correct methods for the repair and maintenance of historic buildings;
- Community events and activities to engage people with Southport’s built heritage, including family trails, schools’ resources, Heritage Open Days events, an exhibition at The Atkinson and a strong social media presence.
The aims of the project are to enhance the links between the town centre and the seafront, increase footfall and economic activity within the target area and reduce the number of vacant and poorly maintained properties.
What’s happening?
The National Lottery Heritage Fund has approved a target list (see below) of over 40 buildings clustered around the four streets. This followed extensive initial surveys carried out at the first round of the project, and further selection against the strict criteria of conservation deficit, vacancy, townscape impact, heritage value, which were then matched against owner interest. Each target building has been allocated a priority and discussions are underway with owners and occupiers to progress and approve plans for grant-aided work.
This will enhance the quality and strength of the linkages between the town centre and the Seafront so that the two become better integrated, increasing the levels of economic activity within the target area to reduce the number of vacant and underused properties.
Alongside the investment in buildings, a programme of activities is being developed. The initial focus is on engaging people digitally with Southport’s historic buildings and seaside heritage, via social media and the development of a website. Downloadable trails and activities are being developed and communities and building owners are being invited to get involved in the national Heritage Open Days festival each September. Resources and workshops for schools and colleges are also planned.
For more information about the project see the dedicated website Southport Townscape project website and downloads below:
| Townscape Heritage Activity Sheet |  (pdf 1.82MB) |
| Southport Townscape Heritage Booklet 2022 | (pdf 3.83MB) |
| Southport Townscape Heritage Project – Target Buildings | (pdf 166KB) |
If you have any queries about the project please contact us at SouthportTHI@sefton.gov.uk