Heritage Works

Welcome to Heritage Works

Heritage Works is a registered charity that regenerates historic buildings whose cost of repair is uneconomic for the private sector. Working with a range of partners, Heritage Works, formerly Ancoats Buildings Preservation Trust (ABPT), is able to acquire, refurbish and resell (or lease) property, operating as a 'developer motivated by heritage rather than profit'.

The Trust was established in 1995 to rescue buildings at risk in the Ancoats area of Manchester, reputedly the world's first industrial suburb. In 2006, the Trust completed the restoration of two significant buildings as part of the regeneration of Ancoats: the former St Peter's Church and Murrays' Mills, Manchester's oldest surviving cotton spinning mill. In parallel with the Murrays' Mills project, the Trust implemented an innovative education and outreach project, Skills Schools and Stories, to involve the community in the regeneration of the Ancoats area. Grants of over £14m were secured for these projects from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Northwest Regional Development Agency.

Old Hall, Sandbach,
Cheshire

In January 2007, with the consent of the Charity Commission and the support of English Heritage, the Trust was renamed Heritage Works and extended its geographical remit to England and Wales, although its focus is on projects within 50 miles of Manchester and on schemes that contribute to local regeneration initiatives.

Current activities include:

Development work for a Stage 2 bid for Heritage Lottery Funds for Deane Road Cemetery, Liverpool.
Options appraisal study for Winstanley Hall, Wigan.
Phase 2 development of Causey Hall, Halifax, which will refurbish areas of the ground floor, making it suitable for rental as office space.
a feasibility study for the Old Hall in Sandbach.
an options appraisal for Winstanley Hall, Wigan.
a commission from the The Northern Way, Regeneration Momentum, looking at the experience of public agencies and third sector organisations working in partnership in heritage-led regeneration projects. More information

Winstanley Hall

The Trust is always on the lookout for potential new projects, and is currently exploring possibilities in Liverpool, Leeds and Wigan.

Heritage Works receives revenue funding to support its office and staff costs from charitable trusts, although this is difficult to secure. Heritage Works can also generate income from its projects, consultancy commissions and private sponsorship.

See our News page for the latest on Heritage Works' activities.