Delight at Ramsgate’s successful bid for High Street Heritage Action Zone scheme

The council has been successful in its bid for Ramsgate to be selected as a High Streets Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ), a scheme funded by Historic England. 

The application which was submitted by Thanet District Council with support from local partners including the Coastal Community Team and Ramsgate Town Council will see them working with Historic England. Together these organisations will develop, and then deliver a four-year programme of physical improvements, community engagement and cultural activities. Their specific aim is to help regenerate Ramsgate High Street. 

The proposal included a plan for dealing with some of the larger vacant units in Harbour Street and the lower High Street, working with the owners of the buildings in the town to improve their facades, reviewing the public spaces and identifying opportunities to improve it, as well as engaging with the town’s communities to support the regeneration of Ramsgate.

Cllr Reece Pugh, Thanet District Council’s Cabinet Member for Corporate Governance and Coastal Development said: “We are delighted to hear that Ramsgate has been successful in its bid to the ‘High Street Heritage Action Zone’ scheme.  The scheme will help us to restore the unique character of Harbour Street and the High Street improving the area for those that live in the town, and to attract businesses and footfall.  We look forward to working with Historic England to develop the programme design and to build on the good work of the existing Heritage Action Zone.

“We would like to thank the Coastal Community Team and Ramsgate Town Council who continue to work with us to bring new opportunities and positive progress to Ramsgate.”

High streets are shown to bring value to a location, acting as a centre for local commerce and also the local community. They often reflect the unique character of a place and contribute to how connected people feel to where they live and to each other. This project will focus on restoring the unique character of the high street, whilst celebrating its history.

Ramsgate was also recently confirmed as going through to the second stage of the Future High Streets Fund which if we are successful, will complement this scheme, focusing on access to the area, movement of traffic, and occupancy and use of buildings.