Town Centre Regeneration Fund

Transcription

1 Town Centre Regeneration Fund Application Form

2 Before you apply Please read the following documents before completing your application: Information and Guidance for applicants Help Notes The above documents are available at: Environment/regeneration/town-centres/tcrf Please ensure that your application for funding addresses the purpose of the Town Centre Regeneration Fund and that the applicant organisation and area meet the eligibility requirements. Submitting your application Please send a hard copy of the completed application form and all supporting documentation to: Town Centre Regeneration Fund Administrator The Victoria Quay Regeneration Division Area 1-G Edinburgh EH6 6QQ All applications and supporting information should be typed. If you do not have access to a PC, please complete a hard copy of the form in black ink and post it to the above address. Please note that word limits should be adhered to and that all applications should be legible - additional content or illegible entries will not be considered. Applications received after 5pm on 21 August will not be considered. This document can be translated on request into your community language, or can be made available on request in large print, Braille or audio cassette/other formats. For further information on this, please contact: The, Housing and Regeneration Division, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh EH6 6QQ or on

3 When completing this application form, you should refer to the help notes and the information and guidance for applicants that have been provided, whilst also referring to the checklist to ensure you have provided all of the supporting information and documentation required. Section 1: Organisation and contact details 1 Name of organisation Ayr Renaissance LLP 2 What type of organisation are you? 3 Address 4 Contact address for organisation Other If other, please give details: Limited Liability Partnership wholly owned by South Ayrshire Council Address: Postcode: Ayr Renaissance LLP County Buildings Wellington Square Ayr KA7 1DR david.bell@south-ayrshire.gov.uk 5 Organisation website 6 When organisation established (MM/YY) 7 Main contact for this application Name 02/2009 David Bell, Managing Director Office address (if different from above) Address: Postcode: as above Telephone number address david.bell@south-ayrshire.gov.uk 8 Application endorsement Name David Anderson, Chief Executive, South Ayrshire Council Hugh Hunter, Chair of the South Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership 2

4 Office address (if different from above) Address: Postcode: as above Telephone number address 3

5 Section 2: Project details Are you applying as the lead partner for a consortium of partners? Yes South Ayrshire Council If yes, detail the other partners involved and explain each of their roles Ayr Renaissance LLP was set up by South Ayrshire Council as a wholly owned subsidiary vehicle to deliver the regeneration of Ayr town centre. The Council provides ongoing financial support and maintains strong links with the subsidiary and its own departments, including Enterprise and Property, Planning and Transportation and Regeneration and Housing. Elected members and senior officers are represented on the board of directors of Ayr Renaissance. South Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership 9 The South Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership was set up to improve the quality of life in South Ayrshire by bringing together the Council, and other providers of public services, with private business and community organisations. The Ayr Renaissance project contributes to the business accommodation and transport ouputs of the new Community Planning Partnership Single Outcome Agreement. Provide evidence that your bid has been developed and agreed with local partners (max 200 words) Please advise whether the Community Planning Partnership is involved/has offered comments Yes The project falls within the The Ayr Renaissance Stategy which was developed after wide consultation with local retailers,tourisim bodies, businesses and public sector organisations, such as The 4

6 University of the West of Scotland, Scottish Enterprise,Visit Scotland, Historic Scotland, Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce National Trust and the Comunity Planning Partnership. This application is endorsed by the Chair of the South Ayrshire CPP which is evidenced by the attached letter from Hugh Hunter, its current Chairperson. 10 Title of project Ayr Renaissance - The Wallace Tower 11 Where will the project take place? Address: High Street Ayr Postcode: KA7 12 Local authority area A-G Please select 13 If your project covers more than one town/local authority area, please detail (add further entries on the separate sheet provided at the end of the application form, if required.) 14 Planned dates of project H-W South Ayrshire Address: N/A Postcode: Local authority area: A-G Please select H-W Please select Start (MM/YY): 10/2009 End (MM/YY): 10/ If you will be contracting with third parties to deliver the capital works that would be funded through the Town Centre Regeneration Fund, please provide details (further entries on the separate sheet provided at the end of the application form, if required.) Nature of work contracted no work will be contracted Value Likely date of award: (MM/YY) / 5

7 Section 3: Project aims & objectives The Wallace Tower is one of the most prominent historic buildings in Ayr. Built by Thomas Hamilton in 1834, the tower commemorates Sir William Wallace 'Guardian of Scotland'. This project will enable the preservation and return to use of the Wallace Tower and adjoining hall. Currently the tower and upper floor hall are only accessable via a small staircase. The hall cannot be used as it is not DDA compliant. In addition, the building is in urgent need of repair as it is currently letting in water and will deteriorate over time. 16 Brief summary of project (max 200 words) Two retail units sit on the ground floor below the upper hall. One is currently occupied and the other is vacant. The vacant unit is a blight on the High Street and is damaging an important historical building. The only way to bring the tower and hallback into beneficial use is to make it DDA compliant.to do this requires the purchase of the two retail units on the ground floor below the hall. This would enable the installation of a lift and other related access improvement works. It would also remove a clear blight on an historic building and give Ayr Renaissance the flexibility to redevelop the hall and retail space. 17 What are the outcomes of the project? (max 200 words) Project summary: Acquisition of retail units at 172 and 174 High Street. Economic outputs: - 6 jobs to local area 6

8 - 26.3K additional annual GVA nationally - 221m2 of retail space returned to use Additionally the project will: - preserve an important historic building - enable the building to be made DDA compliant - enable the future provision of improved community space 18 Who will benefit from the project? (max 200 words) The residents of Ayr will be the main beneficiaries of this project as it will create jobs, improve footfall and tourism in the town. At a wider level it will benefit the residents of South Ayrshire and Scotland by preserving an historic building. Tourists, visitors and shoppers to the centre will benefit from an enhanced build environment, consequently encouraging them to increase expenditure in the town and to increase the level of return visitors. Economic benefits: - creating 6 FTEs K GVA annually - return to use of retail space 19 Explain the economic, social and environmental benefits that will be delivered (max 200 words for each) Social benefits: - increase access to an historic building through DDA compliance - reduction in the local unemployment rate Environmental benefits: - preservation of heritage assets - preservation of historic build environment - remediation of vacant site 20 Provide a summary of your consideration of the equality implications of the project (max 200 words) The specific consideration of the equality implications has been the need to meet the Disability Discrimination Act in particular for the refurbishment to enable access to the tower and upper hall. 7

9 In addition, the improved retail offering will promote social equality within the town centre. 21 Provide a summary of your consideration of environmental implications of the project (max 200 words) Following the acquistion of the two sites, procurement of contractors will be undertaken in line with the Council's equality procurement procedures. The project will be procured in line with the Council's environmental policies reflecting current best practice. In particular the project will preserve one of Ayr's most historic buildings. This is particularly important for the Ayr town centre and the implications for the Conservation Area within which significant improvement works will be carried out. Section 4: Strategic impact 22 How does this support the area s local plans? i.e. Local Development Plan, Local Plan or Town Centre Plan (max 200 words) Ayr Renaissance was set up by South Ayrshire Council as a subsidiary vehicle for delivering the renaissance of the town centre. The strategy is supported in the curent local plan as it aims to strengthen the towncentre and to improve its retail performance. However, the Council is developing its new Local Area Development Plan which will have the Renaissance Strategy at its core. The project falls within the Council's recently published Conservation Area Management Plan for Ayr Central which it will directly support. The programme of works planned by Ayr Renaissance, along with the Townscape Heritage Initiative have been incorporated into the Conservation Area Management Plan which in turn will be adopted by the next version of the Council s Local Plan. This plan is currently under review and the relevant extracts of the draft are attached. 23 How does this fit in with your The project outlined in this application is part 8

10 own organisation s strategic plan? (max 200 words) of Ayr Renaissance's Strategic Plan and so fits directly with it. The Ayr Town Centre Strategy was developed in January 2007 and feasiblity work has been completed on the Wallace Tower project. The feasibility work demonstrated a funding gap that put the project at risk. However, the granting of funds from the TCRF will enable this project to happen. Our strategy also fits with the Single Outcome Agreement. The project contributes to the following national outcomes: - We live in well-designed, sustainable places where we are able to access the amenities and services we need - We value and enjoy our built and natural environment and protect it and enhance it for future generations and the following local outcomes: - South Ayrshire has sustainable and accessible amenities and services to meet the needs of all communities - South Ayrshire has attractive built and natural environments, appreciated by its citizens and visitors also by delivering the following CPP objectives: - Conserving and enhancing our natural and built environment - Looking after our open spaces in urban areas and ensure town centres are appropriately maintained 9

11 Section 5: Project financial information 24 How much funding are you applying for from the Town Centre Regeneration Fund? 1,200,000 Please provide a breakdown of the total cost of the project. You can continue this section of the application form on the separate sheet provided at the end of the application form, if required. Capital Funding source TCRF funding? Purchase of 172 High Street TCRF 500,000 Purchase of 174 High Street TCRF 700,000 Refurbishment works following acquistion Council / Ayr Renaissanc e Cost 782,000 Sub-Total 1,982,000 Resource The project will have no recurrent resource requirements Funding source Sub-Total 0 0 Cost Total cost of project 1,982, Please indicate the proportion of TCRF being requested in relation to other funding streams available, expressed as a ratio TCFR : Other 1 : Would this project be going ahead without Town Centre Regeneration Funding? No If yes, how would the funding applied for provide additional benefit? (e.g. scale/time): (max 200 words) 10

12 27 Will you spend the funds applied for in this financial year? ( ) Yes If no, please give further details: (max 200 words) We are at an advanced stage in negotiations with the Agent acting on behlaf of the existing owner of 172 and 174 High Street. The owner is a willing seller and as such we can spend the funds shortly after receipt of award from the TCRF. 28 Has state aid been considered? Yes If yes, please provide a summary of your considerations: (max 200 words) No evident state aid issues are presented by this transaction. Section 6: Monitoring and evaluating your project 29 How will you evaluate the impact of your project? (max 200 words) The Ayr Renaissance strategy and business plan includes a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation plan that will be updated annually for most indicators and at least three yearly for all other indicators. We will refer to your project or business plan for detail of the proposed monitoring arrangements for the project. 11

13 Checklist and Declarations Checklist Please check the relevant boxes to confirm the supporting information you are including with your application: A copy of the governing documents adopted by your organisation (constitution, memorandum and articles of association etc) Supporting documentation endorsing your application (i.e. a signed letter) A map of the area in which investment will be targeted, if available A copy of a project plan or business plan in relation to your application A copy of the relevant section(s) of the Local Development Plan(s) We may require further information from you after you have submitted your application and before we release funding, such as annual reports and accounts. If any of the above documents are unavailable, please provide reasons for this and tell us when they will be available: Declarations As far as we know and believe, the information in this application form about our project is true and accurate. We are authorised to allow this project to go ahead. We are happy for the to: publish details of the financial support they are giving to this project; and to use any of the project details in news releases, publications and other publicity materials. Main contact declaration Name:David Bell Position:Managing Director Date:28 August 2009 Application endorsement declaration: Name: 1. David Anderson 2. Hugh Hunter Position: 1. Chief Executive SA Council 2. Chair of SA CPP Date:28 August

14 Data Protection, Freedom of Information, and the Environmental Information Regulations Applicants to the Town Centre Regeneration Fund should be aware that the Scottish Government is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 and the Data Protection Act Please therefore note that information provided, including personal information, will be held, published and disclosed in accordance with the aforementioned legislation. When submitting an application, please let us know if there are any parts of it which would prejudice your commercial or other interests if they were made public. However, given our obligations, please note we cannot guarantee confidentiality. Equalities and Environmental Legislation All organisations submitting an application to the Town Centre Regeneration Fund must satisfy themselves that they are compliant with relevant equalities and environmental legislation, including the requirement for Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) under the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act Further information on equalities legislation can be obtained from the Equalities and Human Rights Commission and guidance on relevant environmental legislation from the Specific details on SEA requirements can be accessed at We may require proof from you that you have considered your obligations as required under legislation. 13

15 Extra space - only for use if required for further entries for questions 13, 15 & 23 above. Ensure that you include the relevant question number. 14