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Townscape Heritage Initiative
- a
Heritage Lottery Fund
initiative first floated in April 1988, "to support strategic
action by partnerships of public (and other) bodies to address problems of disrepair, erosion of quality, and undreuse
of buildings in historic areas". The HLF will contribute 50% of the costs to a fund from which projects are
supported. Eligible works include, virtually anything which will preserve and enhance the distinctive character of
a historic area form restoring authentic details to supporting suitable standards of design in gap sites.
Approval involves the submission of an initial Stage 1 bid which, if successful will be followed by a more
detailed Stage 2 submission. Once approved a scheme will run for a period of five years. The initiative is
planned to run for at least three years, and the HLF has stated a desire to encourage schemes from Northern
Ireland, Scotland and Wales, where less resources have been targeted on areas than has been the case in
England. It is planned that The Townscape Heritage Initiative will replace the
Conservation Area Partnership
(CAP) schemes, currently in operation through English Heritage, and already supported by the HLF.