Future High Street Fund Summary

To submit an expression of interest with a strategic approach by end of 22^nd March 2019 for funding (typically between £5-10m per High Street, up to a maximum of £25m) to support a regeneration of a selected High Street area as part of a £675m Future High Street Fund. Shortlisted areas will be informed during the summer 2019.

Key Points

1. Solving significant High Street Challenges
2. Involving the community
3. Supporting the move to more experiential High Streets
4. More homes, jobs and choices in the town centre.
5. Strengthening community assets (building restoration), utilisation of empty properties and empty spaces.
6. Provide convenience and ease of access, a sense of community and to provide real experiences that cannot be achieved online.

 

Immediate Actions

1. Select a High Street with real challenges
2. Gain Local Stakeholder Support in the strategic vision.
3. Check the project will comply with rules on State Aid under European Union law.
4. Proof of engagement with and support from stakeholders such as LEP, other tiers of local government, BIDs, Private Sector, Community Groups, Mayoral & non-mayoral Combined Authorities.
5. Get quantifiable evidence of challenges for the chosen High Street
6. Complete application form
7. Further scoring and weighting criteria will be issued in January 2019

 

Application Form Contents

To be sent to highstreetsfund@communities.gov.uk. This is based around three themes against which places will be selected:

1. Defining the place
   1. The geography of the high street/town centre
   2. The centre’s catchment and link to wider economic areas
2. Setting out the challenges
   1. Clear description of the issues and challenges facing this area
   2. Why central government funding is needed to meet these challenges
   3. Evidence to support this
3. Strategic ambition
   1. Set out a high-level vision for improving their area and how this links with need expressed in Section 2
   2. Cover how investment from government will support the area and help overcome these challenges
   3. Demonstrate engagement with and support from local stakeholders including other tiers of local government, if applicable, and the private sector
   4. Demonstrate how this ambition will align with other funding streams (public or private)
   5. Show how this will link to wider strategic plans e.g. around housing and local growth
   6. Detail of capacity arrangements to ensure robust governance and delivery