A NEW lease of life is being given to parts of an ageing Victorian terrace along Bethnal Green Road, as restoration works kicked off last week. Sections of the terrace, stretching from 125-159 Bethnal Green Road near its junction with Brick Lane, will be

A NEW lease of life is being given to parts of an ageing Victorian terrace along Bethnal Green Road, as restoration works kicked off last week.

Sections of the terrace, stretching from 125-159 Bethnal Green Road near its junction with Brick Lane, will be restored to their former glory by a skilled team of workers who will return the building facades to their original design and decoration.

Tower Hamlets council said that work on the historic terrace will include repairing facades and shopfronts and hopes the restored facades will set a benchmark for how shopfronts should look in the area.

The council's conservation team leaser Mark Hutton said: "This significant financial boost to restore the area's heritage is a big win for local businesses.

"The terrace has a lot of history behind it and we hope these works will inspire other business owners to improve their shopfronts and enhance their building's historical features."

Work on the terrace, which is in the Redchurch Street Conservation Area, is being paid for by section 106 planning contributions following the development of Bishop's Square at Spitalfields Market and with funding from English Heritage.

It will be carried out in three phases between April this year and March 2012. Scaffolding went up last week around the first four buildings, located close to the junction with Brick Lane.

The terrace frontage last had a major facelift in the mid-1880s in 'High Victorian' style, although much of the original 18th century fabric remains to the rear.