Derelict high street buildings will be transformed into shared workspaces, cafes and community hubs, to bring people back into town centres as part of a £210m package announced today (25 September).

People are proud of where they live, but too many have watched their high streets be hollowed out, with shops shuttered, buildings boarded up and once-busy hubs left empty.

Now the government is putting that right, by revamping vacant shopping centres, disused cinemas and abandoned local eyesores.

Through the new £125m Derelict Buildings Fund, government will support local authorities to transform these buildings into what their communities need, from health centres to civic spaces.

An additional £65m will be invested in helping communities right across England rescue and revamp beloved buildings and businesses at risk of closure, like pubs and sports clubs. This builds on existing schemes like the Pride in Place programme, which has helped locals take over the youth centre in Ramsgate and redevelop the former Brunswick Shopping Centre in Scarborough.