A project aiming to revitalise Turo city centre has awarded its first grant.

Truro's New Life for City Buildings project has reached a significant milestone in its mission to refurbish, renovate and repurpose unoccupied spaces.

The project, led by Truro City Council, is being funded by £3.3m of Town Deal funding.

It was set up to help landowners and property owners transform empty floors within their buildings into quality living and working spaces.

In some cases, the project also seeks to acquire and regenerate unused buildings.

Over recent months, a number of applications were considered by the Truro Regeneration Company (Regenco), a body established by the city council to deliver the project.

The first grant has been awarded to Truro Development Company Ltd, owned by husband and wife Tony and Cynthia Martin.

The developers plan to convert a three-storey building in New Bridge Street, formerly a restaurant, into two-bedroom apartments on the first and second floors with a retail unit on the ground floor.

They were granted £147,679.97 towards the project costs and expect to complete the renovations by summer 2025.

Rupert Hume-Kendall, chairman of the Truro Regeneration Company CIC, said: "We are delighted to have awarded our first grant and look forward to seeing people moving into these new living spaces in the centre of the city.

"This scheme is a great example of bringing a redundant space back into sustainable use.

"By breathing new life into this historic building this scheme will provide high quality residential accommodation for up to eight people on the two upper floors, and a new retail space on the ground floor."

Mr Hume-Kendall said that the CIC is currently assessing another 10 applications for other buildings across the city.

Councillor Louis Gardner, Cornwall Council portfolio holder for economy, said: "This announcement is fantastic news for Truro.

"Converting empty or dilapidated buildings into places where people can live and work in the heart of the city will play a key role in boosting the economy of Truro at the same time as providing much needed accommodation."

Tony Martin said: "We love the idea of more people living in Truro and are excited at being able to give a new lease of life to this beautiful building at the same time as providing high-quality accommodation in the centre of the city.

"The grant funding is enabling us to deliver a more ambitious, high-quality scheme than we had first envisaged."

Truro Mayor Carol Swain has also welcomed the awarding of the first grant.