The sites are:

• Silverstone, home of British motor racing in Northamptonshire
• HMS Caroline, the last surviving warship of the First World War fleet, in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter
• Redruth’s old brewery transformed to celebrate Cornish heritage
• London’s Alexandra Palace - ‘The People’s Palace’ - with over 140 years worth of history
• 12th-century Auckland Castle in Durham, home to a spectacular collection of Zurbaran paintings
• Aberdeen Art Gallery and Cowdray Hall, the city’s public gallery with an impressive collection of early and contemporary works

Dame Jenny Abramsky, Chair of HLF, said: “In an extraordinarily competitive funding environment these six proposals stood out because of their strong focus on regeneration and importance to their local communities. From Cornish tin mining to the development of motor racing and the history of broadcasting, these projects all reflect a real desire to tell the stories of important aspects of the UK’s heritage, and as such we felt they were hugely deserving of the Heritage Lottery Fund’s support.”

Silverstone Heritage Live - initial support for a £9.1m HLF bid, including £446,000 development funding
The British Racing Drivers Club (BRDC) has put together exciting plans to showcase the world’s only race circuit that is owned by a not-for-profit organisation. Silverstone held its first race meeting in 1948 and has hosted the British Grand Prix 47 times, helping nurture excellence in British motor sport and engineering. Proposals include: housing the BRDC’s extensive and unique archive collection; recording oral histories from former competitors such as Sir Jackie Stewart, Sir Stirling Moss and Lady Christabel Watson; and redeveloping the site’s visitor entrance as a heritage ‘hub’.

Sir Jackie Stewart OBE said: “I am very pleased to hear that such an important initiative is underway. Silverstone holds a unique place in the history of motorsport; having hosted the first ever World Championship Grand Prix in 1950. Silverstone holds special memories for me as I am proud to have won the British Grand Prix in 1969 and 1971. This grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund is hugely important as a first step in helping the British Racing Drivers’ Club and Silverstone to ensure that the heritage of the site and that of British motor sport can reach a far wider audience than before and cements its importance for future generations.”

HMS Caroline - initial support for a £12.2m HLF bid, including £845,600 development funding
HMS Caroline will be transformed into a visitor attraction where people can learn more about 20th-century naval history through the perspective of this particular warship. With a focus on its relationship to the people of Northern Ireland, it is set to become a key part of the Titanic Quarter development. HMS Caroline, the last survivor of the Battle of Jutland, is perfectly placed to tell the story of life on board the ship as well as showcase multiple periods of history in both war and peace time. The National Museum of the Royal Navy plans to complete the project in time for the Battle of Jutland centenary in 2016.

Kresen Kernow: a New Home for the Stories of Cornwall - initial support for a £9.8m HLF bid, including £386,800 development funding
A new archive centre bringing together dispersed collections that document Cornwall’s heritage is to be created in the heart of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site, conserving historic brewery buildings in Redruth and providing improved storage, collections care and access, as well as exhibition spaces and a learning studio for schools and community groups. Kresen Kernow will be set within a new public square which will become a welcoming gateway to Redruth, contributing to the town’s wider regeneration plans.

Alexandra Palace: Reclaiming the People’s Place - initial support for a £16.8m HLF bid, including £844,800 development funding
Alexandra Palace’s most historically significant areas - the BBC Studios and the Victorian Theatre - will be restored and re-opened to the public, offering an insight into this much-loved North London landmark. Originally opened in 1873, the Grade II listed palace has over the years been a venue for an eclectic mix of live music, sporting events, exhibitions and weddings. It was also the birthplace of regular public high-definition television broadcasting in 1936. Urgent repair and restoration works will secure the building’s fabric and restore access to these spaces with digitised archives and collections enabling people to learn more about the site’s unique story. The project will also provide opportunities to develop new skills through apprenticeships and work placements.

Auckland Castle - initial support for a £10m HLF bid, including £1m development funding
Sitting on the banks of the River Wear, the 800 year-old Auckland Castle is home to an exceptional collection of paintings by 17th-century Spanish artist Francisco de Zurbaran. Thanks to the immense generosity of local philanthropist Jonathan Ruffer, the castle and paintings were both put in trust in 2011. This next phase of the project will see the building fully restored and open to the public for the first time whilst also contributing to much-needed social regeneration in the town of Bishop Auckland.

Aberdeen Art Gallery: Inspiring Art and Music - initial support for a £10m HLF bid, including £126,200 development funding
Three adjoining A-listed buildings will be redeveloped to create a world-class cultural centre in the heart of Aberdeen, adding an elegant new rooftop gallery. The city’s outstanding collection of fine and decorative art, including works by J M W Turner, Claude Monet, Francis Bacon and Tracey Emin, will be displayed with additional space dedicated to temporary and touring exhibitions.  An innovative range of activities will be undertaken by three new members of staff with the sole aim of attracting more visitors to the site.

Notes to editors

Initial support plus development funding means the project meets our criteria for funding and we believe it has potential to deliver high-quality benefits and value for Lottery money. The application was in competition with other supportable projects, so this is an endorsement of outline proposals. The project will submit fully developed proposals to secure a firm award at a later date.

An HLF major grant is £5m and over. The decisions are made once a year.

Further information

HLF press office: Katie Owen on 020 7591 6036, mobile: 07973 613 820.