Historic England has announced funding for three key projects in the Swindon Heritage Action Zone to support ongoing regeneration in the town centre.
The funding will support the repair and restoration of the Health Hydro, the Carriage Works and improvements across the Railway Conservation Area.
A grant of £400,000 has been pledged to the Health Hydro to fund repairs to failing roof ironwork and to sections of the stonework and windows. This work is part of the planned £6.5 million redevelopment of the pioneering Victorian health facility.
A grant of £100,000 will fund masonry and window repairs to the London Road side of Units 3 and 5 of the Carriage Works, following the successful completion of similar repairs to Units 7, 9 and 11 with a Historic England grant awarded last year.
A further £185,000 will be invested in a range of improvements to public spaces in the Swindon Railway Conservation Area, including new signage to tell the interesting stories of the area and help people find their way around.
All three projects are vitally important elements of the Swindon Heritage Action Zone, a £7.6 million investment by Swindon Borough Council and Historic England to breathe new life into the Railway Village.
Cllr Marina Strinkovsky, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Heritage, Art and Culture, said: “I’m very pleased we’ve received additional funding for these important heritage projects.
“While we’ve already done a lot of work to make sure our heritage is preserved for future generations to enjoy, we still have a long way to go.
“If anyone is interested in finding out more about the current state and future of our heritage sites, I’d like to invite them to attend our Swindon heritage event at the UTC on Monday, 27 November at 6pm.
“We’ll be discussing all things Swindon heritage and asking residents to share their views on what they want to see happen so it informs a new Swindon Heritage Action Plan for the borough.”
South Swindon MP Sir Robert Buckland said: "I am delighted that Historic England has recognised and supported the important work that is taking place in our town after the Conservative Government awarded Swindon £4 million in 2020 from the Get Building Fund and a further £19.5 million of Levelling Up Funding in 2021.
“This additional £685,000 will help to support important ongoing work at the Health Hydro, the Carriage Works, and improvements in the Railway Conservation Area, as part of the Swindon Heritage Action Zone, and that is very welcome news.”
Andrea Christmas of the Friends of the Swindon Health Hydro, said: “The Friends of Swindon Health Hydro are delighted that Historic England has awarded £400,000 towards the renovation of the Health Hydro.
"The funds will be used to provide some much-needed improvements to the frontage of this important building which has served the health and well-being needs of the communities of Swindon for 130 years, and by supporting the renovation Historic England will be helping to ensure that it can serve the people of Swindon for many more years to come.”
Rebecca Barrett, South West Regional Director at Historic England, said: “We’re really proud to be working in partnership with Swindon Borough Council on the Railway Village Heritage Action Zone.
"It’s a place that’s rich in history, and we’re delighted that our investment will help repair two key buildings – the Health Hydro and the Carriageworks - supporting their continued revitalisation.”
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