What We Do
The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) is excited to announce that it has awarded a Project Development Grant to Callington Youth Project Group to advance plans to convert the disused upper floors of a former bank building in Callington, Cornwall, into affordable housing.
This was one of 13 awards made at the AHF’s grants meeting in February, where projects across England, Scotland and Wales were awarded funding totalling £233,554.
It is also among the latest batch of grants to be awarded through the AHF’s Heritage Revival Fund in England. Delivered in partnership with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and Historic England, this programme has been created to help communities rescue and repurpose neglected historic buildings (particularly in town centre locations) and transform them into vibrant new spaces that meet modern needs - ranging from affordable housing to arts centres and food halls.
Within the conservation area on Callington’s Fore Street sits a three-storey building dating back to circa 1900. Typical of buildings seen throughout town centres, the ground floor had served as a retail shop for most of its life, while the upper floors provided accommodation. In more recent years, Lloyds Bank operated from the ground floor, but this use ceased in late 2023. During the bank’s tenancy, the upper floors of the building were left vacant, falling into disrepair.
Callington Youth Project Group (CYPG) provides youth services for young people (aged 13-21) in Callington and the surrounding areas, especially catering to those who tend to shun more organised activities such as scouts or sports clubs. Due to the semi-rural location of this small town, the activities and services that CYPG offers would otherwise be hard to access.
Having previously been running youth-led activities without a formal base, in April 2024, CYPG set up a youth centre in the former bank on Fore Street. In a clever nod to the building’s previous use, the youth centre is named ‘The Vault’, chosen by one of the young people using CYPG’s services. The original bank vault remains open as a chill-out room, and retains the heavy security grill and 8 inch thick door, luckily no longer lockable. No money was left inside by the bank!
In June 2025, CYPG secured sufficient funding from Callington Town Council and Cornwall Council to purchase the freehold of the building, providing a permanent base from which to develop its youth work in the town. Now, with an aim to create a sustainable business model for the charity, CYPG plans to refurbish the upper floors of the building to provide four affordable housing units, including 2 bedsits and 2 one-bedroomed flats. These would be rented to young adults in their first jobs that are unable to escape the nest from their parents/carers. The rental income from these flats would be sufficient to allow the charity to continue its present youth provision and activities indefinitely.
Additionally, there is potential to bring two outbuildings at the rear of the main building back into use. The two-storey barn and connecting flat roof store could serve as a studio/workshop and general storage respectively.
The AHF Heritage Revival Fund grant will support CYPG to finalise plans for the building and submit Planning Permission, putting the organisation in a strong position to raise capital funding for the project. Alongside this, the charity will also seek external professional support to finalise the cost plan, prepare the tender pack, and oversee the tendering process for the lead contractor.
More Details About the Heritage Revival Fund
The Heritage Revival Fund helps communities take control of and find sustainable new uses for derelict or neglected historic buildings in their local areas, particularly in areas of high deprivation. The Fund focuses on regenerating historic buildings in town centre locations for a range of uses: arts, culture, workspace and affordable housing, to name just a few.
Grants are available to support projects from the earliest stages through to capital works. In particular, Project Development Grants are designed to help organisations develop detailed plans to restore and re-use a building. These grants of up to £100,000 can contribute towards the costs of appointing a professional team, including architects, surveyors, and engineers; build capacity by employing or contracting a project manager; and support business planning, community engagement and fundraising.
For more information, please visit the Fund page on our website.
