17 May 2010

£1.28million Lottery Boost to Restore Portaferry’s Built Heritage

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has today announced its support for plans to regenerate the Portaferry Conservation Area.  The first-round pass decision has earmarked over £1.28million through the Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) programme for Portaferry Regeneration Limited’s proposals to restore the town’s historic centre.  The award includes development funding of £49,100 to enable more detailed proposals to be developed and the organisation now has 12 months to submit the fully developed plans in order to secure the full award.

The THI scheme is focussed on the commercial heart of the town which contains a significant number of historic buildings and structures that contribute to Portaferry’s special townscape character.  It offers the opportunity to bring back into sustainable use some of the currently redundant or underused historic buildings on High St, in the Square, on Ferry St and on the shore front.  A programme of activities will be developed to encourage local people to learn about and become involved in the heritage of their area. It will provide opportunities for employment, education and learning, and for training in traditional building skills.   

The scheme will act as a catalyst for further regeneration within the area, benefiting the local community, property owners, traders and visitors to the town, through various community initiatives.

 

30 April 2010

PRL launches newsletter.  Click here: April Newsletter

Jan 2009

Portaferry Regeneration Ltd has recently appointed Will Brown as its Project Manager. Initially this is a 1 year position, made possible with assistance from Invest NI. The main responsibility is to oversee the day to day running of the company’s projects and to improve their performance in an effort to enable new projects to be identified and developed. It is hoped that the post can be sustained to enable the company to implement a development strategy over the longer term.

The Board of Directors meets on the last Monday of every month and the AGM is held at the end of August. All members can attend the AGM and their input throughout the year is also most welcome. If you are interested in becoming a member, please contact the office.

PRL has recently been engaged in discussions regarding the future of Exploris, the Northern Ireland Aquarium and Seal Sanctuary in Portaferry. This exceptional visitor attraction enjoys a throughput of over 100,000 visitors each year making an invaluable contribution to the local economy. Efforts are being made to raise its profile and involve a range of strategic partners in what could become a unique Coastal Centre for the study, management and enjoyment of Strangford Lough.