SAM ROWLANDS, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, is urging businesses who want to improve their premises in Flintshire to apply for funding.
Mr Rowlands was commenting after Flintshire County Council said there were regeneration grants available for commercial premises in Buckley, Connah’s Quay, Flint, Holywell, Mold, Queensferry or Shotton.
He said: “I am a great supporter of the Town Centre Property Improvement Grant Scheme which is aimed at helping local businesses to improve their premises.
“This is a great initiative and schemes like these have a great impact on our town centres making them more attractive and appealing to us all.
“I am particularly pleased to hear that it is also helping create jobs and improving the local economy and delighted to see that following its success so far, the council is seeking more funding to continue the scheme from April 2025.
“I would urge anyone who has a business in one of the seven towns and wants to spruce up their premises to apply for the grant.”
Flintshire County Council has worked with businesses across town centres in Flintshire to manage and deliver the Town Centre Property Improvement Grant scheme.
In total, the project has resulted in over £650,000 being invested in commercial properties since October 2023, with £400,000 of this being secured from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund.
The initiative is one of 10 projects which has been delivered as part of the ‘Town Centre Investment Programme’, a £1.5 million investment secured to deliver benefits across seven towns in Flintshire.
The grant scheme was designed to support businesses to improve their premises, create new opportunities such as additional jobs, improved the aesthetic and usefulness of properties in town centres as well as improve the longevity of the buildings.
Grants of up to £50,000, covering as much as 70% of the costs associated with property improvement works have been delivered.
As a result of this investment, the economy has benefited from 45 small-medium enterprises successfully securing contracts/subcontractors at an estimated value of £415,000.00, and seven former vacant premises have been bought back into use.
Furthermore, according to an independent research and evaluation company Wavehill, who surveyed business owners who participated in the scheme, the investment has led to the creation of seven new full-time jobs and six part-time positions. Businesses themselves have invested a total over £250,000 as part of the scheme.
In total, 14 businesses have benefited from the Property Improvement Grant Scheme which has generated positive impacts benefitting the businesses and the towns they’re based in.
If you have a commercial premises in Buckley, Connah’s Quay, Flint, Holywell, Mold, Queensferry or Shotton and wish to know how you could benefit from town centre regeneration grants available, please contact [email protected]
