Flintshire County Council's Regeneration Team awarded more than £1.15 million for THRIVE Programme

Flintshire County Council’s Regeneration Team has been awarded £1,156,975.50 from the Local Growth Fund to deliver the first year of the Flintshire THRIVE Programme

THRIVE brings together support for town heritage, regeneration, investment and vibrant enterprise through a coordinated programme of grants for properties, important sites and businesses. It will help unlock investment, bring vacant or underused buildings back into use, improve commercial premises and support businesses to establish and grow.

The programme is funded through the Local Growth Fund (LGF). In Wales, the fund is managed by the Welsh Government and funded by the UK Government. It aims to increase productivity, strengthen regional economies and ensure that more people and communities benefit from economic growth across Wales.

Through three grant schemes, the Flintshire THRIVE Programme aims to:

• unlock investment in important sites and commercial premises
• bring vacant or underused buildings back into use
• improve commercial spaces and encourage private investment
• help businesses establish, diversify, improve productivity and grow
• make Flintshire’s towns more vibrant and strengthen their local economies

The three grant schemes are SHAPE, TCPIG and GROW.

SHAPE offers grants of between £30,000 and £300,000 to support strategic heritage and placemaking enhancement by improving important buildings and places and helping to unlock wider investment. This includes heritage assets and vacant or underused properties where high costs or other financial challenges are preventing work from going ahead.

TCPIG offers town centre property improvement grants of between £5,000 and £50,000 to improve commercial properties. Funding could support improvements to shopfronts and building exteriors, accessibility works, energy-efficiency measures and work to bring vacant premises back into use. This is particularly relevant to properties that are important because of their location, heritage or contribution to the character of the area.

GROW offers grants of between £1,000 and £30,000 to create growth, regeneration and opportunities for wealth by supporting eligible start-ups, businesses, entrepreneurs and social enterprises. Funding can support digital development, specialist advice, equipment, skills, new products and access to new markets.

Together, the schemes will help improve properties, bring vacant or underused buildings back into use and support businesses to establish and grow. This will encourage investment, business activity and economic growth in Flintshire’s towns.

Councillor Chris Dolphin, Cabinet Member for Environment, Regeneration, Countryside and Tourism, said:

"This significant investment is excellent news for Flintshire's towns. The THRIVE Programme will help unlock investment in important buildings and sites, improve commercial premises and support businesses to establish, expand and invest for the future.

"By bringing together property improvement and business support, this funding will help tackle vacancy, encourage confidence and investment, create opportunities for business growth, and strengthen the long-term vitality and economic resilience of our town centres."

THRIVE will focus on Buckley, Connah’s Quay, Flint, Holywell, Mold, Queensferry and Shotton. The programme will support priorities identified through the adopted or emerging Placemaking Plans for these towns.

Potential SHAPE and GROW applicants should contact regeneration@flintshire.gov.uk for an initial discussion. If a proposal appears to meet the relevant scheme’s initial eligibility requirements, the team will provide the application form, guidance and supporting information.

Potential TCPIG applicants should visit www.flintshire.gov.uk/TCPIG and follow the online steps to check their eligibility and find out what to do next.

Applicants must not begin any work or commit to any expenditure before they have received and formally accepted a Grant Offer Letter.

Funding is limited and applications will be assessed competitively.