Lottery win for Ancoats Dispensary
Ancoats Dispensary Trust, alongside development partner Igloo Regeneration, has secured support from the Heritage Lottery Fund to save the Ancoats Dispensary in Old Mill Street in Manchester from demolition.
In a two-round application process, HLF awarded an initial development grant of £770,000 as part of its Heritage Enterprise programme for immediate stabilisation works to the building. The funding will also support the trust as it develops detailed plans for restoration, in order to bid for a full £4.5m grant.
Designed by architect Daniel Lewis, the Ancoats and Ardwick Hospital was built in 1874 and provided out-patient and home-patient care to industrial workers and their families. The hospital closed in 1989, and fell into decline, and owner Urban Splash applied to demolish the building in 2011. However, campaigns from the local community meant that Urban Splash withdrew its demolition application in 2013, and agreed to hand over the building to the Ancoats Dispensary Trust should enough funds be raised.
Urban Splash bought the building in 2001 and planned to convert it into flats, designed by Ian Simpson Architects.
Igloo's plans for the building include the provision of health and wellbeing facilities, workspace for creative businesses, photography studios and fashion workshops.
Linda Carver, co-ordinator of ADT, said: "This success has been the result of massive commitment from all concerned and I would also like to thank all those who have sponsored, responded to our social media on both Twitter and Facebook, national and local heritage groups, local businesses, community groups but last but not least to the local community for their massive faith in us."
Sara Hilton, head of HLF North West, said: "Our trustees were inspired by the passion and commitment demonstrated by the local community to secure Ancoats Dispensary and felt it was important that HLF support them. The Heritage Enterprise grant programme was designed to enable local people to revive these types of much loved buildings so that rather than being an eyesore, they can play a positive role in the economic and cultural landscape of their local communities once again."
