Hull Strives For £2.5m Lotto Cash

Two areas of Hull could be in line for lottery grants totalling £2.5m if a full application to the Heritage Lottery Fund is successful.

So far grants of £25,000 have been made to both projects at Hull Fruit Market and the St Andrews area of the port.

The cash is designed to enable the city to bid for the cash from the Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) fund.

If successful the fruit market will get £1.5m and the St Andrews project is to be allocated close to £1m.

The £25,000 grants are designed as "pump-primers" to allow both schemes to build up their application to the Heritage Lottery Fund, which will make a final decision on whether to award the full amounts.

The St Andrews scheme will focus on three nearby conservation areas of Victorian properties on Hessle Road, Coltman Street and the Boulevard, which have fallen into decline.

If this bid is successful the work will be part of a project to regenerate the whole of west Hull.

The fruit market scheme will focus on properties in and around Humber Street.

If this bid is successful in unlocking the lottery cash work will start on attracting new businesses and investment into the area.

Work is already under way on a current THI scheme in the port's historic Old Town area.

Alan Johnson, the MP for Hull West and Hessle, said: "This investment will contribute towards the renaissance of Hull which is already under well under way."

Councillor Kath Lavery, who is responsible for the city's regeneration added: "Our built heritage makes an important economic and cultural contribution to our city and we are keen to see our historic buildings and streets at the heart of Hull's regeneration."