New Life for City Buildings: Grants to Help Truro Landlords Transform Empty Buildings into Housing

Truro City Council has appointed Len Smith, former Head of Project Development at Cornwall Enterprise, as a facilitator for the New Life for City Buildings project. Len will support landlords and property owners seeking funding to convert empty spaces in Truro’s city centre into high-quality housing.

The New Life for City Buildings project, led by Truro City Council, is part of the broader Truro Town Deal programme. This initiative aims to revitalise the city centre by refurbishing, renovating, and repurposing vacant buildings, including unused upper floors.

Truro Town Deal Funding

In 2021, the Truro Town Deal Board, in partnership with Cornwall Council, successfully secured £23.6 million in funding from the UK Government’s Towns Fund to boost the city’s regeneration efforts. The New Life for City Buildings project was awarded £3.3 million of this funding, which must be allocated by March 2026. Property owners applying for grants are expected to contribute at least 50% of the project costs and are responsible for overseeing the construction work.

Detailed guidance notes have been created to help applicants through the process. Len Smith’s appointment is intended to ensure that applications are completed efficiently, helping landlords and property owners navigate the complex application process.

Assessing Applications

The Truro Regeneration Company (TRC), established by Truro City Council, is tasked with reviewing applications and distributing grants to landlords and owners. If needed, the TRC will also purchase and regenerate unused buildings to prevent them from remaining empty.

So far, 11 grant applications are under review, with properties located on River Street, Pydar Street, Old Bridge Street, Victoria Square, St Mary’s Street, and High Cross. The TRC board expects to award the first set of grants by the end of September.

Rupert Hume-Kendall, Chair of the Truro Regeneration Company, expressed optimism about the progress, stating, “We are looking forward to awarding these grants and seeing the first people moving into new living spaces in the centre of the city.” Rupert also encouraged landlords with empty or dilapidated properties in the outskirts of the city to apply for the funding.

Revitalising Truro’s Economy

Truro is home to approximately 1,600 private sector businesses, many of which operate in the retail and professional services sectors. The city centre currently has around 25,000 square metres of empty or redundant space. The New Life for City Buildings project will help make better use of this space, while also improving energy efficiency, creating job opportunities, and offering apprenticeships within the construction industry.

The project aims to revitalise the city centre, preserve historical buildings, and provide sustainable employment opportunities. Landlords and property owners interested in applying for funding can request an application form by emailing the Truro Regeneration Company at regenco@truro.gov.uk.

What Is the UK Government Town Deal Programme?

The Town Deal programme is a UK Government initiative designed to regenerate towns and drive long-term economic growth. Investments from the programme focus on areas such as urban regeneration, digital infrastructure, and skills development. As of July 2021, the government had committed over £2.35 billion across nearly 700 projects nationwide.