An ambitious £15 million project to create a state of the art new archive centre in Redruth has taken a major step forward.
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has announced that Cornwall Council has been awarded £386.8k to fund the development plans for Kresen Kernow (meaning Cornwall Centre in Cornish) to be created at the former brewery site in Redruth.
The funding will be used to develop the scheme over the next 18 months with the aim of securing second round funding of over £9 million at the end of 2014.
The grant follows a visit to Redruth in April when the HLF trustees saw for themselves the site of the proposed project. They heard how the new archive centre will bring together collections that document Cornwall’s heritage in the heart of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site, conserving the historic brewery buildings in Redruth and providing improved storage, collections care and access, as well as new exhibition spaces and a learning studio for schools and community groups.
Mayor of Redruth, Judy Davidson, said: “This is a wonderful day for the town. The project gives us all hope for Redruth’s future and we owe a huge vote of thanks to the funders for supporting the plans.
“This is a great day for Cornwall and a great day for Redruth in particular”
“The derelict Brewery site is an eyesore at the entrance to this wonderful historic town and the proposals will transform the area for local residents, as well as create a welcoming gateway for the many visitors we receive.”
Cornwall Council has committed £4 million towards the scheme and a further £1 million towards the acquisition and development of the site.
The Council’s chief executive, Paul Masters, said: “This is a great day for Cornwall and a great day for Redruth in particular. Culture and heritage are at the heart of the Council’s economic strategy. By locating Kresen Kernow on the brewery site, our investment will not only provide a sustainable home for these collections but also act as a catalyst for regeneration.
“The town includes some of the most deprived areas in the country and, if successful, this project has the potential to unlock wider development on the site bringing additional private sector investment of over £30 million into the town.”
Kresen Kernow will bring together the collections of Cornwall Record Office, the Cornish Studies Library and Cornwall Historic Environment Record, creating the largest body of material for the study of Cornish archaeology, landscape, history, culture and identity.
Download the latest edition of Business Cornwall magazine to your iPad
