Electric Avenue, the Brixton street immortalised in song by Eddie Grant, has received a massive boost thanks to lottery funding.
The Victorian road, the first shopping area in London to enjoy electric lighting, has been awarded nearly £2million by the Heritage Lottery Fund, and Lambeth council will add an extra £650,000 to the restoration pot.
Lambeth says the cash will be spent on restoring the terraced buildings “to their former glory” and to support community heritage projects.
Cllr Jack Hopkins, Cabinet member for Jobs & Growth, said: “I’m delighted that we have been successful in our bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund for £1.95million.
“It would not have been possible without the support of the community, Brixton businesses and the hard work of the Brixton Heritage Regeneration Partnership.
“The backing of the Heritage Lottery Fund, combined with a council cash commitment, will boost businesses, improve the look of the area and have knock-on social benefits.”
Sue Bowers, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund London, said: “This project makes possible the restoration of a number of buildings in the heart of Brixton town centre.
“This not only strengthens and enhances the historic character of the area but it also helps to reinvigorate the local economy by bringing buildings back into productive use.”
Victorian properties in the street will be restored and empty upper floor space will be brought back into use as new homes.
Grants of up to 85 per cent will be available to property and business owners in the area for relevant building work.
The scheme will also see £105,000 put towards community and training activities to broaden engagement with Brixton’s heritage including children and young people’s workshops, a temporary Brixton Museum and guided heritage walks.
For more on the plans go to futurebrixton.org
Does anyone know who owns these properties? I can’t find anything online. I’m all for restoring Electric Avenue to it’s former glory, but whoever turns the upper stories into flats stands to make a fortune. Do they really need council money on top?
With the Railway Hotel/Brady’s, the council sold the building to a property developer for £750k, and then a year later got them a restoration grant for £1 million, effectively gifting them the building.
Hopefully the same thing isn’t happening again.
It is frustrating that this isn’t clear. I assumed the council own the shops and flats-to-be above. Surely they wouldn’t be using Lottery money to pay to maintain and redevelop buildings belonging to private freeholders and landlords – would they? Or would they?