A Bridport landmark has reached an important milestone in its near 200-year history.

The project to rescue the Literary and Scientific Institute (LSi) in East Street has been signed off by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

It is the culmination of a 13-year undertaking by many volunteers working with Bridport Area Development Trust (BADT).

In 2009 the LSi was close to dereliction after standing empty and neglected for many years. The Georgian building had historical, social and architectural significance, a prominent location but no role in the community.

Concern that the institute would be lost was the motivation behind the founding of BADT.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has played a key role from the outset, providing significant funding as well as expert advice essential to the restoration.

A spokesman for the National Lottery Heritage Fund said: "We are pleased to see from the final evaluation the future that BADT has achieved for the LSi. At times this has been a very difficult path, and we appreciate the hard work and tenacity the trust has put into getting the LSi into a viable position."

A spokesman for BADT said: "The LSi could not have been assured a sustainable future without the detailed input of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, whose support, advice and guidance have been invaluable.

"The National Lottery Heritage Fund has set high standards throughout, for example with regard to the operational model of the LSi and to the governance of the project from the inception through to the provision of an enduring community asset with a prominent place in the town's cultural, social and commercial life."

They added: "The restoration and repurposing of the LSi has always been a complex, collaborative undertaking and the National Lottery Heritage Fund has been central to its success. BADT is very grateful for its financial, technical and administrative contributions.

"We are delighted to have had the National Lottery as a partner, without it a prominent historic building could not have been rescued. The Heritage Fund has been central to creating the innovative joint venture that now sustains the LSi and provides something new and exciting for Bridport."

The LSi tenants are Crowdfunder, 3DC - a charity working in human rights, humanitarian issues and social, economic and environmental justice - and Gillinghams, a financial services company.