The government has announced plans to transfer ownership of dozens of historic buildings to local communities in a bid to protect them for the future.

Under the plans, traders will be able to take over the management of street markets, old fire stations will be transformed into community centres and listed buildings will be restored by the general public.

Assets will be up for grabs by local groups for as little as £1 each and communities secretary Hazel Blears claims that the move is a "major acceleration towards ensuring that communities in every part of the country get a chance to run their own assets".

The Department for Communities and Local Government has set a target of 80 areas within two years, with an extra 14 demonstration areas planned in addition to the 20 that already exist. A total of £2 million in funding, from £35 million worth of funding for empowerment initiatives, will be allocated to the new pilots.

"There's no better advocate for local people than local people themselves, no service that can't be improved by their active involvement," Ms Blears explained. "It's been my privilege to see struggling estates and neighbourhoods made safer and cleaner thanks to commitment and courage of local residents."

Ministers called six months ago for councils to maximise the transfer of public assets to the community and projects that have taken place since the announcement include the transfer of an old town centre court house, a station yard, a historic library, grade 2 listed cottages, former school buildings and Hastings Pier.