Doncaster set to receive £3m Government funding to transform derelict buildings

This forms part of Hope on the High Street, a new strategy for Britain’s high streets, to support local communities in England to reimagine and revive struggling high streets and build important neighbourhood anchors.

For parish and town councils, community organisations and local partnerships, the most encouraging aspect of the scheme is the explicit recognition that buildings may be transferred into community ownership and reused for community purposes. The guidance highlights the potential to support community assets, former public buildings, pubs, theatres, cinemas, places of worship, and other landmark properties where restoration would strengthen local confidence and support wider regeneration.

The Derelict Buildings Fund will give local authorities funding and support, whether through acquiring long-neglected buildings, addressing barriers to redevelopment, closing viability gaps, or supporting the transfer of valued local assets into sustainable community or commercial ownership. By unlocking projects that might otherwise stall, the Fund will help attract investment and turn visible signs of decline into opportunities for renewal.

Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones said, "This is great news for Doncaster, town and city centre high streets across the country continue to face significant challenges due to the continued rise of supermarkets and online shopping, meaning our town and city centres must adapt and overcome this challenge.

"This £3m funding for Doncaster will support our ambitions to breathe new life into our high streets."