Healthy Living on Gravesend High Street

The AHF is delighted to announce that it has awarded a Project Viability Grant of £5,000 to Gravesham Network Development CIC towards scoping proposals for the renovation of a historic high street building in Gravesend for community use.

Located on King Street, the Grade II listed former courthouse was built in 1870, designed by Thomas Charles Sorby, the architect of a number of courts across England. The courthouse closed in 2006 and remained empty for eight years until after renovations, the CIC opened the Grand in 2013. From here the CIC has run a wide range of programmes, some under contract with the health service and local authorities, to encourage healthy living and social engagement, with a particular emphasis on young people. With such demand, the CIC wishes to expand and improve its income by bringing the vacant court room into use. This will enable the Grand to expand the services they offer to local people as well as enabling the space to be used for hire by other organisations.  The AHF grant will help fund an architect’s appraisal of the scheme which will scope out the cost of the work needed fully to restore the whole historic building and increase its use by the community. 

Editor’s notes

The Architectural Heritage Fund is a registered charity, working since 1976 to promote the conservation and sustainable re-use of historic buildings for the benefit of communities across the UK, particularly in economically disadvantaged areas. We are the leading heritage social investor and the only specialist heritage lender operating in the UK. We provide advice, development grants and loans. For press enquiries please contact Ollie Brodrick Ward, on 020 79250199 / oliver.brodrick-ward@ahfund.org.uk