Nearly £250,000 is 'up for grabs' to help residents and businesses in the centre of the City rejuvenate their properties.
The City Centre Historic Grants Scheme is designed to help revitalise the area. It provides a cash incentive to help owners improve shop fronts, reinstate architectural features and bring vacant commercial and residential properties back into use.
The area includes more than 100 listed buildings and hundreds of owners could be eligible for the scheme – which 'went live' this month.
A total of £220,000 is available and will be used to fund up to 80% of the cost of the works. This could include:
·Repair and reinstatement of traditional shop fronts
·Reuse of vacant commercial and residential floor space
·Repair of external stone or brick work
·Painting
·Replacement guttering and down pipes
·Repair or reinstatement of traditional architectural features
Council Leader, Paul James, commented: " This is a significant investment designed to help make Gloucester an attractive place in which to live, work and visit. The scheme covers a key area of the city and provides a real incentive to owners to make improvements they might otherwise struggle to afford.
" It aims to support businesses in the city centre with advice and funding and it complements the work of our economic development team which can offer other financial assistance with rent and rates.
" It also demonstrates our commitment to the local economy and shows just why investors have so much confidence in the city. We take a dual approach that has seen us bring in £700 million of inward investment while at the same time working hard on our 'economic infrastructure.'"
Further information about the scheme is available on the City Council website at www.gloucester.gov.uk or by telephoning the Environmental Planning Service on 01452 396855/396194 or by emailing: Heritage@gloucester.gov.uk