Truro’s City Centre Transformation Begins: First Grant Awarded for New Life for City Buildings Project

Photo: Grant recipient Tony Martin shaking hands with Truro City Town Clerk David Rodda

Truro Council’s Vision to Revitalise the City Centre Takes First Step

Truro’s ambitious project, New Life for City Buildings, has taken its first significant step towards revitalising the city centre by awarding its inaugural grant. Supported by £3.3 million in Town Deal funding, the project, led by Truro City Council, aims to transform unused upper floors and unoccupied buildings into modern living and working spaces.

This initial grant, awarded to Truro Development Company Ltd, is part of a broader initiative to boost the city’s economy by increasing residential and commercial spaces. The grant scheme allows property owners to apply for funding to support refurbishment, with recipients generally expected to contribute at least 50% of project costs. In exceptional cases, however, a lower business contribution is possible.

New Development in New Bridge Street

The first grant of £147,679.97 has been awarded to local couple Tony and Cynthia Martin for their project on New Bridge Street. Their goal is to convert a vacant three-storey building, previously used as a restaurant, into high-quality residential and retail spaces. Once completed, the renovated building will offer two-bedroom apartments on the first and second floors, accommodating up to eight residents, while a new retail unit will occupy the ground floor.

Expressing his satisfaction with the award, Rupert Hume-Kendall, Chair of the Truro Regeneration Company CIC (TRC), said, “We are delighted to have awarded our first grant and look forward to seeing people moving into these new living spaces in the centre of the city.” Hume-Kendall highlighted the project’s potential to transform “a redundant space” into a “sustainable use,” which aligns with Truro’s goal to increase city-centre living.

A Historic Building with New Purpose

The Martins, who purchased the building approximately a year ago, discovered that the property was once used by the well-known Furniss biscuit company in the 1880s. Reflecting on their decision to undertake a full renovation, Tony shared, “We were originally planning to just tidy the building up but when we heard about the possibility of applying for a grant from the New Life for City Buildings project, we thought we might be able to do something much more special.”

Tony added that the grant has enabled them to deliver a more “ambitious, high-quality scheme” than initially planned. The Martins hope to complete the project by May 2025, with plans to hand over keys to new tenants shortly after.

Boosting Truro’s Economy and Community Life

The New Life for City Buildings project is one of seven initiatives in Truro funded by the £23.6 million Town Deal, in collaboration with Cornwall Council. Truro Mayor Carol Swain emphasised the importance of increasing city-centre living, stating, “One of our key aims is to support sustainable growth within the city centre. Enabling more people to live in the city will help support local traders and encourage the night-time economy, improving the prosperity and vitality of Truro.”

Louis Gardner, Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for the economy, also praised the project, noting that it will “play a key role in boosting the economy of Truro at the same time as providing much-needed accommodation.”

Property owners and landlords interested in applying for future grants can contact the Truro Regeneration Company at regenco@truro.gov.uk for more information.

Photo: Grant recipient Tony Martin shaking hands with Truro City Town Clerk David Rodda