Dewsbury and Tredegar also awarded money for first-round pass

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has announced £15.9 million of funding towards the regeneration of 12 city and town centres.

Peckham in south London is set for £1.7 million towards a project run by Southwark Council to repair and restore historic buildings on Rye Lane and Peckham High Street.

Tredegar in south Wales will receive £1.6 million towards works in its historic core, while Folkestone in Kent was awarded £1.3 million to restore buildings in the old part of the town.

Carole Souter, HLF chief executive, said: “By working closely with local authorities and their respective communities, our substantial investment will help bring vacant properties back into use as well as create new business and training opportunities that will be of benefit to many.”

All recipients must now make the final case for funding, with the deadline for first-round applications on October 3. Decisions will be made in March 2013.

Further money went to:

• Dewsbury Town Centre, Huddersfield – first-round pass of £2 million
• Derby Town Centre, Derbyshire – first-round pass of £736,500
• Whitehaven Old Town, Cumbria – first-round pass of £707,300
• Bacup Town Centre, Lancashire – first-round pass of £1.5 million
• Donaghadee, County Down – first-round pass of £1.043 million
• Southgate Street, Gloucestershire – first-round pass of £926,700
• Burslem Town Centre, Staffordshire – first-round pass of £1.013 million
• Falkirk Town Centre, Stirlingshire – first-round pass of £2 million
• Haverfordwest Town Centre, Pembrokeshire – first-round pass of £1.2 million