Boris Johnson's £60m plan to bring buildings back from the dead

London mayor Boris Johnson has pledged £60m to bring the city’s derelict historic buildings back from the dead.

He wants owners of listed buildings on English Heritage’s At Risk register to bid for the cash to bring long-term dilapidated buildings back into use.

The money will be available as part of the mayor’s £331m Targeted Funding Stream for Housing.

Announcing the plan at the launch of English Heritage’s Heritage at Risk register, he said there were 572 buildings at risk in London, 50% that could be brought back into use.

He said: “I believe, like English Heritage, that London’s heritage is possible its greatest asset after its people.

“Buildings like these must be made to live again, to serve as much needed housing and to give character and dignity to our streets.

“I am not prepared, as mayor, to stand by and see history, in the form of buildings like these, hit the skip.”