'Heritage Recycled’ – CCT and Suffolk Mind partner in new European project on the re-use of heritage assets

The project responds to the pressing need to look at new ways of securing Europe’s rich tradition of cultural heritage buildings. All three organisations are committed to developing sustainable new uses for heritage buildings as the best way of securing their future. The completed projects will ensure buildings are made relevant to their communities for today and will help to reach the new audiences vital to supporting our heritage in the future. 

The project partners will come together to share their experience and knowledge of creating sustainable new uses for heritage buildings and in working with new audiences. The Churches Conservation Trust will share its existing experience in developing projects such as St Paul’s, Bristol where they have created a circus school and All Souls, Bolton where they are in the process of creating a community and conference centre.

The focus of CCT’s work in the project will be:

• Developing an options appraisal for the magnificent medieval church of St Laurence Norwich.
• Supporting Suffolk Mind as they look to conserve and adapt St Mary at Quay into a well being centre.
• Developing a best practice business planning toolkit for heritage buildings, working with the Friends of St Nicholas King’s Lynn. With the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Friends are developing community cultural venue at St Nicholas’, the country’s largest chapel of ease. The toolkit will use their experiences and that of others to help develop a learning resource that assists other community groups with running their heritage assets.
• Organising a number of events that will investigate the critical success factors for sustaining a new use in a heritage building.
• Contributing to the creation of a methodology for the re-use of heritage buildings.

Crispin Truman, Chief Executive of The Churches Conservation Trust and Chair of Future for Religious Heritage, commented:

“This is excellent news, not only for the buildings directly involved in this project but because of the learning it will provide for other European partners on the reuse of cultural heritage buildings.”

Kempens Landschap’s Philippe De Backer welcomed the decision and its potential for trans-national cooperation on the re-use of heritage buildings:

“It is great that three organisations with shared priorities have been able to come together to learn from each other. We truly believe that a trans-national partnership with the Churches Conservation Trust and Suffolk Mind will make the difference for the regeneration of valuable heritage buildings.”

 Jo Searle, Chief Executive of Suffolk Mind commented:

“Heritage is not our core business and it is excellent that we have the support of two conservation partners across Europe. This grant is a real help to our vision of creating a well being centre in a medieval church in Ipswich on the historic waterfront.”