The National Trust is backing a scheme to redevelop an 18th century slum into a new visitor attraction for Birmingham.

The scheme, initiated by the Birmingham Conservation Trust (BCT), will allow visitors to see how people lived during the Industrial Revolution.

The BCT will restore the last surviving courtyard of back to back style housing in Birmingham, one of only a handful in the UK, to create four display dwellings from different periods in history. Three houses will also be converted into short break visitor accommodation.

Rows of houses, built back to back and one room deep, sprang up from the mid-18th century onwards to accommodate a rapidly increasing working population that swelled Britain's industrial towns. Mainly occupied by small craftsmen, such as button makers, glass workers and wood workers, the construction of this type of housing in Birmingham was stopped by bye-laws in 1876.

At the core of the back to backs in Birmingham are the stories of the people who lived and worked in them. This partnership project with BCT will allow us to work closely with the community to reveal more of this history, said Fiona Reynolds, new director-general of the National Trust.

The Heritage Lottery fund has earmarked £622,000 for the scheme, and additional funding to meet the estimated cost of £1m has come from various local supporters including Birmingham City Council and the Edward Cadbury Trust.

The National Trust will acquire the back to backs on completion, due mid-2004.