What is the Penicuik TH/CARS Scheme?
A Townscape Heritage (TH) and Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) is a jointly funded grant programme that provides assistance for regenerating historic towns that are Conservation Areas and that have suffered from economic decline. The Penicuik scheme is funded by The Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Environment Scotland and Midlothian Council with support from Penicuik Development Trust and Penicuik First and other community organisations. Funding has been made available over a 5 year period to assist with a programme of repair and restoration to the historic fabric of the Conservation Area and a training and community engagement around the history and heritage of the town.
The aims of the scheme are to:
• Provide financial support for the repair and restoration of historic buildings in the town centre;
• Improve the attractiveness through shopfront restoration and improvement, and public realm improvements;
• Offer traditional construction skills training opportunities to local young people;
• Work with the local community and schools to raise awareness of Penicuik’s rich and unique history; and
• Support businesses, homeowners and tenants in maintaining the long term benefits of the regeneration scheme.
What is special about Penicuik Conservation Area?
The historic centre of Penicuik is focussed on the High Street, Bridge Street, The Square, John Street, West Street and Croft Street. It is a Conservation Area with a number of listed buildings in recognition of their historic and architectural importance. A map showing the core of the Conservation Area with the boundary of the scheme and the grant eligible buildings is shown overleaf. Penicuik has a unique history. It was originally founded on mining but expanded with the development of the paper making industry. Agnes Campbell established paper making in 1709 and in the middle of the 18th century Charles Cowan set up the Cowan Valleyfield Mills. The industry flourished and the town was developed as a planned settlement in 1770 by Sir James clerk of Penicuik. The papermaking mills closed in 1960’s. In recent years the town has expanded to the north and with nearby out of town shopping centres the commercial centre of Penicuik has declined. There remains however a distinctive and attractive historic core with traditional local sandstone buildings, some dating from the late Georgian and Victorian eras. The aim of the scheme is to enhance the character of the historic core of the town to ensure that the historic buildings are repaired and restored for future generations to enjoy.
