Shop Front Improvement Scheme

Details of Scheme

Shop Front Improvement Grants are part of the Leicestershire Competitive Market Towns Initiative, a comprehensive development programme to promote the economic wellbeing of market towns and rural centres. Shop Front Improvement Grants aim to improve the appearance and utility of the frontages of shops and commercial premises in Market Towns and Rural Centres in Leicestershire.

The initiative provides a range of support including grants for conversion of upper floors of shops, frontage improvements for shops and commercial premises.

Criteria

If you own or lease a property with a front in need of improvement, then you could be eligible for a grant under this initiative. The following criteria will be taken into account in determining how grant funds will be allocated.

Leasehold Properties must have at least 5 years remaining in the terms of the lease.
Properties must be based in a Market Town.
Whether the scheme is sympathetic to the town’s needs.
Impact on the environment and if a property is within a conservation area then traditional materials must normally be used.
Relevant approvals such as planning permission, building regulation and any others required.
Overall cost of scheme and amount of grant applied for.
Prospects for early completion of the building conversion work.

Priority areas

Priority will be given to applications from businesses whose project aims:

to improve the vitality and viability of local businesses,
to contribute to safer, livelier communities
reuse and improvement of under-used property, reducing the need for green field development.

Eligible Activities

Repairs to shop windows and doors
New shop windows and doors

Non Eligible Activities·

general property repairs
Security features
Improvements purely to conform to DDA.

Funding Levels & Grant Payment Details

If you are proposing to improve the front of your premises, grants will be available for up to 50% of the costs of eligible works, not to exceed:

£2000 per commercial scheme
£3000 per scheme administered by a voluntary or community organisation

Grants will be payable upon satisfactory completion of the works and production of paid invoices relevant to the claim.

Information required in the Application Form

(The General Guidance notes provide details on completing the application form, however the following specific information is required to apply for a Shop Front Improvement Grant)

3. Your Project

Project Description

In addition to the general requirements under Project description please provide building details such as location and a description of the building, its size and general condition of the building. A location map and photograph of the building should accompany the application form if possible.

Please indicate if the building is listed as of architectural or historical importance or located within a Conservation Area.

For further information or to return a completed form and relevant details please contact:

Lesley Severn, Regeneration Assistant, Regeneration Team, Community Services Department, Leicestershire County Council, County Hall, Glenfield, Leicester, LE3 8TE

Tel: 0116 305 7034

Fax: 0116 305 7176

regeneration@leics.gov.uk

appliform.pdf·

guidance_notes_to_each_grant.pdf·

guidance_notes_to_the_grant_scheme.pdf