The Heritage Lottery Fund is making a significant contribution towards conserving and opening up our industrial, maritime and transport heritage for everyone to learn about and enjoy. Industrial, maritime and transport heritage includes buildings, structures and machinery associated with such industries as coal and metal mining, the manufacture of such things as textiles, pottery, food and drink, our maritime history and our transport systems. It also includes aircraft, locomotives, vehicles and vessels associated with various forms of transport.

We help societies and communities to buy, restore, conserve, operate and maintain the places and objects relating to this type of heritage.  We also fund projects which focus on participation and all projects must have a learning element to them. Participation means getting more people and people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, especially those in the local community, to take an active part in and make decisions about their heritage, while helping people to learn about their heritage can be achieved through effective interpretation, formal and informal learning opportunities.

Although we do not support major new developments or the building of replica vehicles and vessels we do want to ensure that industrial, maritime and transport heritage assets which are important locally, as well as those that are recognised as being of national significance, are conserved for present and future generations to learn about and enjoy. We particularly encourage projects associated with heritage which is at risk of being lost and the finding of new, sustainable uses for former industrial buildings.

We have already awarded over £740 million to over 1990 projects involving industrial, maritime and transport heritage.