1. Historic Buildings in Villages Grants Scheme - Update - Report
Renfrewshire Council · 27 August 2024
Back to Economy and Regeneration Policy Board — 27 August 2024 and its agenda
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___________________________________________________________________ To: Economy and Regeneration Policy Board On: 27 August 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Historic Buildings in Villages Grants Scheme - Update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 Following the paper to Board on 29 August 2023, this report provides a further update on the Council Motion of 3 March 2022 to create a £0.250million conservation and heritage grants scheme for property owners in and around the centres of Renfrewshire’s villages. 1.2 Available across the eleven Renfrewshire villages which previously benefited from the Villages Investment Fund, two complementary grant schemes were launched in November 2023 under the “Historic Buildings in Villages Grants” scheme: “Maintenance Planning Grants”; and “Repairs Grants”. 1.3 The application process for both schemes has followed a similar model to the online process successfully established for the Retail Improvement Scheme, with applications scored on a range of criteria which assess impact, quality and deliverability. 1.4 To date nearly 50 applications have been received under the scheme, with a geographical spread across Renfrewshire’s villages. To date, 19 grants have been offered, totalling over £186,000. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Board: (i) Notes the progress to date in respect of the number applications received for the scheme. (ii) Approves a second round of the Scheme should any of the current allocation remain unspent.
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(iii) Authorises the Head of Economy and Development to seek sources of funding for future rounds of the Scheme. _________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The Council meeting of 3 March 2022 agreed to commit £0.250million of capital resources committed to town centre regeneration and underpin a conservation and heritage grants scheme for property owners in and around Renfrewshire’s village centres. 3.2 The Historic Buildings in Villages Grants scheme focuses on preserving and enhancing the historic built environment in Renfrewshire’s villages, complementing the existing Villages Investment Fund, to support projects which strengthen the character, identity and heritage of Renfrewshire’s village communities. 3.3 In aligning with the Villages Investment Fund, the Historic Buildings in Villages Grants scheme has been available to property owners in Bishopton, Bridge of Weir, Brookfield, Crosslee, Elderslie, Houston, Howwood, Inchinnan, Kilbarchan, Langbank and Lochwinnoch. 4. Historic Buildings in Villages Grants Scheme 4.1 In devising an application and assessment process, lessons were learned from Renfrewshire Council’s Retail Improvement Scheme and the Paisley TH.CARS2 regeneration project. Research was also undertaken into similar schemes offered by councils and heritage trusts nationally. 4.2 The Historic Buildings in Villages Grants scheme has been targeted primarily at private owner occupiers (including shared owners), but third sector organisations and commercial businesses (who are more likely to be lessees) have also been eligible to apply. 4.3 Properties dating from 1945 or earlier have been eligible for funding. Applications have been scored according to a range of criteria weighted to prioritise listed buildings, buildings at risk, buildings within conservation areas, and buildings in shared ownership. 4.4 Grants have been available through two complementary schemes: (i) Maintenance Planning Grants support a conservation accredited professional advisor to undertake an external survey and prepare an illustrated, costed maintenance plan for a privately owned historic property. Grants of up to 80% of eligible costs (excluding VAT) - up to a maximum value of £1,500 per property – were available, with applications closing on 29 January 2024. (ii) Repairs Grants support the repair of a privately owned historic property. Small Grants of up to 60% of eligible costs (excluding VAT) have been available for works valued between £3,000 and £8,000 (excluding VAT).
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Standard Grants of up to 50% of eligible costs (excluding VAT) have also been available; these support works valued over £8,000 (excluding VAT). The maximum amount awarded for Standard Grants is typically £25,000 however in exceptional circumstances, larger grants have been considered. Applications for the Repairs Grants closed on 29 April 2024. 4.5 The criteria for the Historic Buildings in Villages Grants scheme assess the impact, quality and deliverability of proposed works. Criteria will include:- Whether the property is listed, within a village conservation area or is identified on the Buildings at Risk Register; Ownership and evidence of commitment of owners to repair and maintain the property; Whether the property is currently occupied and has a long-term, sustainable function; Evidence of a level of input from a suitably experienced professional advisor; Whether quotes have been obtained from Renfrewshire based contractors and their experience working on older properties. 5. Outcomes to date 5.1 In total, officers received 94 enquiries about the scheme. Of the 11 eligible villages, enquiries were received from all but 2: Elderslie; and Inchinnan. 5.2 Those 94 enquiries translated into: (i) 13 applications for Maintenance Planning Grants, requesting nearly £16,000 of support. 12 grants were offered, and of those, 8 grants totalling £8,400 were accepted by property owners in Bridge of Weir, Houston, Kilbarchan and Lochwinnoch. 7 Maintenance Plans are now complete. (ii) 36 applications for Repairs Grants from seven villages, requesting over £466,000 of support. To date, 19 grants have been offered, totalling over £186,000. This includes two offers of grant for over £25,000: one for a historically significant listed building in Kilbarchan; and one for a building in shared ownership in the centre of Lochwinnoch, occupying a prominent corner site. A further 11 grant offers, totalling £110,000 are pending, subject to applicants providing clarification on their proposals. 5.3 Applications for Repairs Grants have largely been for roof repair or replacement, and window refurbishment or replacement. 5.4 Part of the purpose of the scheme is to stimulate demand for traditional building skills locally. Applicants obtained quotes from 9 Renfrewshire-based businesses.
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6. Next Steps 6.1 Offers of grant are conditional until Council officers issue grantees with Permission to Start letters. For those grantees who have not yet received their Permission to Start letter, officers continue to advise on, for example, consents and issues with contractors. 6.2 Given the challenge of implementing repair works, while c.£300,000 has potentially been allocated in Repairs Grants, it’s highly likely that a % of this will not translate into completed works and will need reallocated. 6.3 On completion of works, grantees will be asked for feedback to help determine where officer can make improvements in the scheme. For example, should funding for the scheme continue to be allocated in the future, to improve the process for applicants - and improve the quality of applications – future applicants may wish the scheme to be available on a rolling basis, rather than having a fixed submission deadline. 6.4 Once the Council motion funds have been expended, officers will continue to explore other alternative funding routes to allow the Scheme to continue. As noted in the Regeneration Funding Bids Update 2024 paper to board on 19th March 2024, there may scope for the Place Based Investment Fund to provide funding for future runs of the Scheme. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – Funding for both schemes utilise an approved Council budget. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None. 3. Community/Council Planning – Our Renfrewshire is thriving – The schemes support development which will protect and enhance the built heritage of Renfrewshire’s village centres, contributing to the creation of thriving places which support individuals, communities, and businesses. Reshaping our place, our economy and our future – The schemes will help support the restoration and productive re-use of buildings in the centres of Renfrewshire’s villages, improving the built environment, helping to create job opportunities and contribute to economic growth. 4. Legal – Third party grants will be awarded within the relevant Council policies and will be subject to the Council’s approved conditions. 5. Property/Assets – None. 6. Information Technology – ICT will help develop and maintain the online application process for both schemes. 7. Equality & Human Rights – The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights.
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No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. 8. Health & Safety – None. 9. Procurement – None. 10. Risks – None. 11. Privacy Impact – None. 12. COSLA Policy Position – None. 13. Climate Risk – With cognisance of Historic Environment Scotland’s ‘A Guide to Climate Change Impacts: On Scotland’s Historic Environment, Our Place in Time, 2019’, the repair and maintenance of Renfrewshire’s historic fabric will contribute to the restoration and repair of buildings and will improve the performance of these properties over time. 14. Children’s Rights – None. _________________________________________________________ Author: Euan Shearer; Regeneration and Place Manager Email: euan.shearer@renfrewshire.gov.uk