天涯社区

This scheme has been developed by 天涯社区 to benefit commercial properties across seven town centres in 天涯社区 (Buckley, Connah’s Quay, Flint, Holywell, Mold, Queensferry and Shotton).  The grant is available for independent, small and medium sized businesses which operate, or plan to operate, in the Town Centres of any of the above towns.  The improvement projects must be completed by the 15th December 2025. Therefore, we encourage you to apply early to comply with these timeframes as we are expecting a significant amount of interest in this grant and the funds are limited.

The scheme offers support for retail and commercial building occupiers and owners. The grant can be used to enhance building frontages and bring vacant commercial floor space back into beneficial business use and repurpose properties where appropriate.

The main purpose of the fund is to make a tangible difference to the appearance of our town and city centres making them more attractive places to visit and work; encouraging people to spend their time and money there.  The Council will, therefore, support improvements to business premises within the main commercial centre (generally the high street - or similar - and locations immediately adjacent). Its other aims are to help to reduce the number of vacant properties in our town centres, creating new employment and business opportunities and increase the sustainability of existing and new businesses in the town centres.

The proposed scope of works on the properties could potentially include the following: 

External works to the building frontages would be considered without the need for internal work. This can include work deemed necessary for the structural integrity and the end use of the property, particularly where there is a change of use proposed. Items may include:

• Shopfronts
• Improved Display Windows 
• Signage Improvements
• Windows & Doors 
• External Lighting 
• Roofs and Chimneys 
• Rainwater Goods
• Rendering, Stone Cleaning and Repairs, Repointing; and 
• Structural Works

Internal works would only be eligible for funding as part of a comprehensive package of external improvements to the building or for where a proposed change of use is required.  This should include all work, visible or structural, necessary to complete the project to Building Regulations. This may include: 

• Windows & Doors
• Improved Accessibility 
• Walls, Ceilings, Lighting 
• Utilities and Services, Including Heating
• Welfare Facilities (e.g. essential washroom and cleansing facilities only); and 
• Structural Work

In addition, any works to improve the energy efficiency of the building (e.g enhanced insulation), will be eligible, as part of a broader suite of works.

VAT that cannot be recovered from HMRC is an eligible cost which can be claimed as part of the grant.

No, only works that have not commenced or been completed are eligible for Property Improvement Grant funding.  The existence of the grant is to prompt applicants to pursue a project that will benefit the town that it is located in and support the applicant ensure that the project is feasible and sustainable.

Grant applications will be accepted from owners of the freehold interest in the property or persons holding a lease with a minimum of three years remaining on their lease after 15 December 2025. Applicants who are leaseholders are required to evidence their landlord’s written consent to the proposed works. 

The first stage is to contact the Regeneration Team by email on regeneration@flintshire.gov.uk to arrange to discuss your application. The Regeneration Team will ensure that you are fully informed and supported throughout the process.  The Regeneration Team can provide an application form and assist with its completion.

The grant application form should be completed in line with the guidance produced to assist applicants and should include full designs and costings for the project. Applicants may need to provide all, or some, of the following dependent on the project:

• Recent photographs of the property
• Notification of planning approval and approved plans/drawings
• Drawings and schedules of internal and external works
• Relevant statutory consents such as building controls 
• Mortgage lender or landlord consent, if applicable
• A statement showing fees, such as professional fees which are to be incurred as part of the capital works. Confirmation that the full cost of the works can be paid prior to submitting the grant claim. (This might be in the form of a letter from the bank)
• Financial information is required for due diligence purposes so that there is confidence that public money is being invested properly 
• Information on business planning to support the proposed venture 
• Copy of title deeds or lease document 

It is advised to employ a professional architect or similar agent to assist in the design and project management of the project. Costs associated with this cannot be covered by the grant but are eligible for ‘match funding’ (to be paid for by the applicant), and can therefore be included as the applicant’s own financial input, as part of the overall project costs. 

Yes, you will need to have the normal planning/building control permissions approved before any applications can progress.

Schemes will be presented to the 天涯社区 Regeneration Grants Panel for a decision on the grant application.  The deadline for submission of applications to be considered by the panel at one of its monthly meetings is outlined below in addition to the dates of the panel meeting and the date by which the outcome of the application will be informed of the outcome. 

Please note not all panel meetings will be held if the grant funding available is fully allocated to projects sooner than the meeting dates. Applications are therefore encouraged for the earlier panel dates, to increase the chances of the application being awarded a grant as the funding is limited and expected to be in high demand.

Each applications will be assessed on the basis of its positive benefit to the local area including environment, but the level of grant (subject to state aid rules) may be limited by the size and nature of the project, viability gap or the company’s financial status.  The panel will be considering:

• Has the applicant completed local market research to quantify that the grant investment will benefit the town that the project is situated in?
• How strong is the business case for the project and will it provide long term and sustainable positive outcomes for the area?
• What risks are there to the project? IE. How secure is the applicant’s funding?  Is the project deliverable within the timescales that are proposed? Are the works and costs reasonable and achievable? 

Applications (minimum £5k and up to a maximum of £50k) for TCPIG funding will be fully assessed with recommendations presented by a member of the Regeneration Team. Intervention rates can be determined by each individual local authority based on local market conditions up to a maximum of 70% grant support.

Decisions made will be:

• Approval 
• Approval subject to conditions
• Reject - Full justification will be provided to any applicant whose application is rejected. 

Projects must score more than 50 to be supported and no less than 5 within each individual criteria section.

As part of the terms and conditions of the grant, two key dates will be given – one by which time the grant recipient must start work on site, and one by which time work must be completed on site. 

All schemes must have completed their works and expenditure claim (which includes with invoices and photographs of the completed works) is made to 天涯社区 by 15th December 2025, otherwise, the funding will no longer be available. Therefore, you’ll need to be sure that (especially when making your enquiries with building suppliers/contractors) your project will be completed by the 15th December 2025.  

There will be a pre-start meeting with an officer from the Regeneration Team to ensure that the grant recipient is happy with all the terms and conditions and to discuss any further issues with the project. The Regeneration Team will ask the grant recipient or the contractor to erect a grant sign in a prominent location during the works. This advertises the availability of grant and promotes the funding bodies.

Each project which is awarded grant funding will be monitored by the Regeneration Team against a project timeline and key milestones for work to be completed. This is to ensure that works are progressing, any issues/ delays are identified and addressed as soon as possible, and also to manage risks associated with the funding availability and deadlines for spending and claiming the grant (see process diagram “Fig A” for information on the claims process). The Grant may be withdrawn if the applicant cannot meet their proposed timeframes.

It is your responsibility to monitor the work.  However, an officer from the Regeneration Team will also attend site meetings and should be advised of any deviation from the agreed plan. If works are undertaken for activity that is not part of the agreed plan, the grant will not be paid in respect of these items. Any changes to specifications of materials, building details or designs should be reported to an officer from the Regeneration Team and, where relevant, the planning officer to ensure that changes are in line with planning requirements. Any changes to cost or timescale of the project should also be reported to the Regeneration Team as soon as they are realised. Note that the outputs put in your grant application form will form part of the legal contract for you to deliver, and monitoring is therefore an important mechanism in achieving these.

天涯社区 will take a tailored approach to stage payments of funds to the applicant. Once the project is complete, a site visit will be held to inspect the work (interim payments can be made on request). A final account, detailing all the work undertaken should be produced. This could be done by the applicant, contractor, agent or architect. All invoices from the contractor must be presented to the grant officer. These should be accompanied with bank statements showing the payment of the invoices An assessment will be made on the final account, invoices and bank statements. A report will then be written and approved by relevant officers.  The Regeneration Team will work with you to arrange payment in a timely manner.

Please note that the funding will need to be approved before the works can take place.