High street fund boost for Sleaford and district

More cash is available to renovate and enhance Sleaford shopfronts with funding from the UKSPF.

Owners and occupiers of commercial properties in the Sleaford town centre conservation area can apply now for a share of £150,000 from the Sleaford Shopfront Grant Scheme, made available by North Kesteven District Council using the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The scheme offers grants for the targeted repair and replacement of shopfronts, focusing on reinstating lost or damaged features of historic properties and bringing back traditional shopfronts where there are modern ones.

Grants through this scheme can also extend to other traditional elements of building frontages, including upper levels, such as the repair and replacement of windows and doors, roof and leadwork repairs, replacement or repair of guttering, structural and non-structural repairs to external walls, brickwork and stonework cleaning, the repair or replacement of external features such as masonry, and repainting. Works to signage and fascia can also be funded.

Andrew Franks was able to get repairs done to the windows of the windmill Shop in Heckington.

Another £25,000 is available for distribution as grants for historic residential or commercial property projects in the district from the Council’s Heritage Grant Scheme.

NKDC leader, Coun Richard Wright, said: “These schemes aim to enhance and preserve more of our district’s unique character and we’d encourage anybody interested in them to get in touch.”

Each grant from the shopfront fund can be up to 90 per cent of the total cost of works. Projects spending must be complete by December 2024.

Coun Richard Wright said repairing and restoring Sleaford’s shopfronts will retain the town as a distinct place to live, work and visit while increasing pride of place.

A number of shopfronts in the town centre were previously successfully given a facelift in 2015 when the district council secured funding for the area. By the end of the scheme 13 projects had benefited from grants of almost £290,000 in total.

For more details email the Heritage Trust of Lincolnshire at [email protected] or [email protected] and quote ‘Sleaford Shopfront Grant Scheme’.

The Council’s Heritage Grant Scheme meanwhile, continues to be popular with applications open for the 2023-24 financial year.

The scheme has already paid out over £60,000 to 30 completed projects since it was launched in 2019, with many more underway.

The scheme gives between £1,200 to £3,000 for works to historic residential and commercial buildings throughout North Kesteven to help owners preserve and enhance its built heritage through sympathetic repair.

Works covered include restoration or reinstatement of original windows and doors, brickwork and stonework repairs and repointing, repairs to chimneys and the repair or reinstatement of traditional boundary walls, railings and steps.

Grants of up to £3,000 are available towards the cost of works for Listed Buildings, buildings in a Conservation Area and properties on the council’s ‘local list’ of non-designated heritage assets.

Visit www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/planning-building/planning/conservation-heritage to apply or for further details contact the planning team on 01529 414155 or email [email protected]

Heckington’s Windmill Shop received a heritage grant of £1,500. Becky Franks, who runs the shop with husband Andrew, encouraged anyone thinking about applying to do so, saying: “The grant awarded enabled us to have some essential maintenance done to our historic shop front. It meant that the window frames were safely rebuilt and the overall appearance was improved.”