Well done to all those from Historic Scotland who organised a great Doors Open Day event for The Engine Shed in Stirling.

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) awarded Historic Scotland a £3.8 million grant to create Scotland’s first building conservation centre at The Engine Shed in Stirling which completed the funding jigsaw for the £8.9 million project to go ahead, adding to funding  which has already been secured from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Scottish Government’s Young Scots Fund.

Confirmation of the funding followed on from full planning permission having been granted by Stirling Council. The Engine Shed will see the transformation of a derelict building into a world-leading education centre for building conservation in Scotland, creating and delivering educational resources and training on traditional buildings and materials.

As well as providing a centre of excellence for those already operating in the sector, it will also provide the opportunity for the sharing of knowledge and expertise through the creation of a ‘knowledge hub’ with events, exhibitions and activities for the general public.

Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop, said: “This announcement marks a significant milestone within The Engine Shed project, and signals the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Scotland’s heritage sector.

“Developing skills for the future  is a key focus and I’m pleased that the HLF and Stirling Council share our vision to establish a world-class facility at The Engine Shed – helping to preserve and protect our nation’s historic environment for future generations.

“The new centre will showcase cutting edge conservation technology, science and innovation practices as well as providing a central hub to help foster a creative and inspiring space for local residents and visitors from across the country to engage with conservation through activities, exhibitions and events.”

David Mitchell, Director of Conservation at Historic Scotland, said: “These achievements mark the next key step  for the project and will enable work to start on-site from April 2015.

“This is an exciting time for the sector with The Engine Shed set to become a leading hub for building conservation nationally and internationally. We want to celebrate traditional materials and skills that built them whilst raising technical standards. Our approach is to create a strong network of building conservation training and educators, and showcase our traditions and their future relevance.”

The Engine Shed is due to open in summer 2016 and the Doors Open Day event gave everyone a chance to try some traditional building skills and see some extremely exciting activities planned for when it opens.