Paisley Town Centre Property Improvement Grants

Regenerating Paisley town centre is one of Renfrewshire Council’s top priorities and they have put in place a wide range of measures to drive this forward over the next few years.

Integral to this is the need to ensure that the buildings which characterise the town centre are well used and looked after. To assist this, they are making available property improvement grants to owners and leaseholders in the town centre.

Like all schemes of this nature there are some guidelines that need to be observed:

1. The grants are restricted to Paisley town centre and priority will be given to projects in the main shopping streets.

2. Grant assistance is at the sole discretion of Renfrewshire Council

3. Applications may be submitted by owners and, in the case of commercial property, leaseholders

4. Proposals should contribute to the enhancement of the town centre, using appropriate building materials, design and techniques

5. Examples of typical improvements would include;- Conversion, extension, improvement or modification of existing buildings to commercial or residential use- Building enhancement works such as cleaning, painting, repair, or demolition of structures or buildings- Landscaping works and ancillary environmental works such as boundary treatment, provision of off street parking, and access improvements - Replacement or refurbishment of shop frontages

6. Grant assistance can be made available up to a maximum of 50% of project cost or £15,000 – whichever is the lower. This figure may be exceeded but only in exceptional circumstances

7. Applications should be submitted on the accompanying application form together with three competitive tenders or a priced bill of quantities prepared by a Quantity Surveyor

8. For the project you are considering, approvals such as planning permission and listed building consent may be required. Financial assistance will be dependent on all necessary consents being in place

9. Payment will be made on satisfactory completion of the works, inspection by the Council, and the submission of a paid invoice from a VAT registered contractor.

Further advice can be obtained by telephoning the Planning and Transport Department: 0141 842 5235.

May 2008