The Green Townscape Heritage Initiative

The Green Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) is a major, conservation led programme that has been set up to tackle the problems of run down historic buildings and streetscape where longstanding economic and structural decline has undermined the character of this historic and architecturally rich area.

The Green THI will concentrate on a central but underused area of Aberdeen that links the harbour and railway station to the main shopping centre of the city. The area is of national importance as it evidences the development of Aberdeen from its earliest origins. It's a place that has long been recognised as being of strategic importance and gives the first impression of our City and Shire to visitors arriving by bus, rail or sea. The aim of the THI is to drive and support the regeneration of the area: in short, to give The Green back not just the best of its historic buildings but also to rekindle its historic sense of adventure, enterprise and confidence.

The Green THI will operate for 5 years from 2009 and will make available to owners of eligible buildings grants to undertake high quality repair, restoration and refurbishment of buildings. Grant funding will also be provided to Aberdeen City Council, as the statutory authority, to undertake improvements to the streetscape of the central area of the THI, while preserving and enhancing the historic street patterns and traditional granite setts and paving.

• The Green THI boundary map  

The Grant Schemes

New Applications for grant funding are no longer being considered, as all available funding under The Grant Schemes has been allocated.

The Grant Schemes are available to nearly all property owners within the area who wish to undertake high quality repair and restoration of buildings with architectural or group merit. Click on the links for details of the scheme, including which buildings are eligible for grant and where you can access a downloadable comprehensive guide to applying for a grant and the applications forms.

• The Grant Schemes

Public Realm Works

In addition to the grants available to make improvements to historic buildings within The Green THI, grant funding is also being made to Aberdeen City Council to make major improvements to the streetscape of the central area of the THI. The work consists of removing the existing granite pavement, relaying and augmenting with new granite and the reshaping of same to modern standards together with some soft landscaping and revised drainage.

The improvements to the streetscape were completed in 2010. Click on THI Photos link in the right-hand column of this page for visual images of the streetscape before, during and after completion of the works.

Who we are

The Green THI is a partnership composed of  four funders - The Heritage Lottery Fund, who have established the THI programme throughout the UK, Aberdeen City Council, Historic Scotland and Scottish Enterprise. Aberdeen City Heritage Trust is also a partner and the local business and residential communities are represented on The Green THI Project Board. The funding partners have together committed £2.8m over the years 2009 to 2014. 

The Project Board meets every two months to consider decisions and approvals on grants. The day to day running of the THI is undertaken by a Project Manager who's contact details are below if you wish to apply for a grant or have any other enquiry about the work of The Green THI.

Leafing the Green

This project brings together a range of partners in the areas of culture, education and heritage conservation; it forms the focal point of public engagement for The Green THI.

• Leafing the Green

Contacts

• Graham Young
  Project Manager
  The Green THI
  Business Hub 4
  Marischal College
  Broad Street
  Aberdeen
  AB10 1AB
  Phone: 01224 523318
  Fax: 01224 523180
  Email: gryoung@aberdeencity.gov.uk