The Rural Renaissance programme started in 2004 and is available open for applications until November 2007. projects should be completed by March 2008.
The funding covers three areas:
Priority One – is to assist in the development of a dynamic and sustainable economy in Rural Areas.
Cornwall’s traditional industries: agriculture, mining, quarrying and tourism underpin the economy of our Rural Areas which are experiencing change. We need new, year-round, sustainable and high quality jobs. They will help Rural Communities to adapt to change.
Priority Two – is to improve access to work, education, training and re-training opportunities.
To be competitive rural communities need access to suitable facilities and skills. Rural Renaissance supports new ways of overcoming unemployment and improving peoples’ opportunities.
Priority Three – is to encourage innovative service delivery through the development of multi-use facilities, support for social enterprise and improved access to and use of Information and Communication Technologies.
Essential services have become centralised, leaving Rural Communities in need and forced to travel. Rural Renaissance is keen to develop new ways to provide essential services in Rural Communities. We want to keep local wealth in local communities and boost opportunities for new sustainable economic developments.
Rural Renaissance Strategic Priorities
The Rural Economic Strategy and the Rural Renaissance Delivery Plan are the strategic framework for Rural Renaissance. The key points are:
- Creating and safeguarding sustainable, quality jobs in Rural Areas.
- Helping people to receive training and re-training to improve their job prospects
- Supporting community and social enterprises, local facilities and community groups that identify ways to deliver and provide services.
- Supporting schemes (including co-operation and collaboration) which will help Rural Businesses and improve their viability.
All projects in the Delivery Plan will be assessed in relation to cross-cutting themes.
- Sustainable Development
- Equal Opportunities
- ICT
Copies of The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Rural Strategy (and Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Strategy and Action) can be obtained from the Rural Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Partnership.
Eligibility Criteria
- Priority will be given to projects located in a deprived rural area or benefit rural communities. Some towns and surrounding parishes may not be funded through Rural Renaissance.
- The project must not have already started.
- The project must address at least one of the Rural Economic Strategy priorities and one of the Rural Renaissance Priorities.
- The project must gain the support of the Rural Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Partnership organisation (applications are circulated to the RCP for consideration).
- The project should not be for individual or corporate profit. Any statutory or voluntary organisation or partnership can apply for funding.
- If the RCP want to support the project and matched funding is difficult to obtain then funding for up to 50% of the eligible costs may be available.
- Applicants should normally contribute at least 10% themselves.
- In addition projects should normally have a private/voluntary sector contribution of at least 10%.
- As far as possible, other funding and statutory permissions must be confirmed!
- Open competition for tendering and employment must be used.
- All building projects must conform to ‘Future Foundations’ sustainable construction charter (www.futurefoundations.co.uk).
- Private sector applicants for renovation of redundant buildings grants (up to 25%) will be subject to State Aid regulations, which restrict levels of public sector support.
- Projects which have not drawn down funding within 6 months will have their application re-appraised
- Under the Rural Renaissance scheme the minimum grant awarded for projects is £5,000.
Conversion of Redundant Rural Buildings to Workspace
The following is the information available at the moment related to this type of project:
For the re-use or conversion of existing (vacant, redundant or unused) rural buildings.
In addition to ensuring that aid for the conversion of rural buildings complies with de minimis rules (see below), the following rules apply:
• Grants will be awarded on an entirely discretionary basis.
• The maximum level of grant assistance that would normally be expected to be made available from a Rural Renaissance scheme is 25%; the minimum investment in a project is £5,000.
• Support is limited to the conversion of vacant, derelict or unused buildings for employment uses – defined for the purposes of this guidance as classes A2 (financial and professional services), B1 (light industrial or office use), B2 (general industrial), B8 (storage or distribution) and D1(c) (education) of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 .
• Grants can cover both speculative and non-speculative (i.e. pre-let, pre-sold or for owner occupation) developments.
• Speculative schemes should be of high quality, fitted out to shell standard and suitable for a wide market of potential occupiers.
• Non-speculative schemes may be adapted to suit end user requirements.
• Eligible costs include:
o Construction costs
o Ancillary works in accordance with planning consent
o Finance charges
o Costs of connection to utilities
o Professional fees.
• A maximum return on capital employed of 15%.
All costs will be scrutinised in proportion to their scale to ensure value for money.
This would normally be achieved by, for instance, including competitive quotes, or providing evidence of the advice of a Quantity Surveyor.
Applicants are required to ensure that premises are used productively, and maintained to a satisfactory standard for 5 years after the last payment of the grant.
Where applicants are leaseholders, grants will only be awarded where
the lease has at least 5 years left to run, and where the applicant provides
evidence that the freeholder has agreed to the proposed work being carried out.
Grants will not be made for the conversion of buildings into holiday lets.
Grants will not be made for normal repairs, or for any work required by
statutory notice.
Grants will only be made to property developers if at the time of application they intend to retain the property for at least 5 years. This does not preclude the disposal of the property within 5 years if a developer’s circumstances
change; in that case the RCP will apply the clawback provisions on a sliding
scale as follows:
Months after last payment Repayment
0 – 12 100%
13 – 24 80%
25 – 36 60%
37 – 48 40%
49 – 60 20%
61 plus Nil
Clawback should also operate if a higher level of profit, higher values or lower
costs than forecast in the application/appraisal are apparent at the date of review.
Grants will only be paid (whether interim or full claim) in arrears, and
on the basis of actual expenditure. Claimants will be required to support their
claims with evidence of what has been spent.
Receipted accounts or a Certificate of Costs must be signed by a member of an
institute or association that is a full member of the Construction Industry Council.
De minimis aid (regulation 69/2001)
The aid is de minimis and must not breach the EUR 200,000 (approx £150,000) ceiling over a rolling three period. This means getting information concerned about de minimis aid received over the previous 3 years.
Detailed records of aid paid for 10 years must be maintained.
New Build Workspace
REQUIREMENTS AT FULL APPLICATION STAGE FOR ALL BUILDING PROJECTS.
Details to be added to existing criteria for applications
• Evidence that the Future Foundations (www.futurefoundations.co.uk) ‘Building a better South West’ sustainable construction charter has been considered during the project development and building design, detailing how the building contributes to sustainable development. A statement showing how the principles of sustainable construction have been addressed.
• Whether the design meets all relevant current Building Regulations (disabled access, insulation etc.)?
• Detailed description of all materials to be used in the construction, including any specifically environmental features.
• Evidence that a Quantity Surveyor has provided detailed costings based on this most recent plans and specification and / or results of the tendering process, including evidence that estimates/tender documents were based on detailed specifications.
• Copies of the most recent detailed plans and specification of the building.
• Copy of planning permission.
• Whether any necessary ground surveys/investigations or reports been completed? Whether a structural engineer has made relevant checks on the ground or design that might be required?
• Details of the management of the building project; who will be responsible, who will be project manager and how they will be chosen, if identified what experience they have, what measures will be taken to ensure that identified milestones are met and how risks to the project are mitigated.
• Change & Control procedures (agreement on decision making for alterations)
• Risk Register (what - mitigation) e.g. materials/supply time/what if materials don't arrive on time.
• What degree of financial contingency has been included in the costs and funding.
• What the contractual details with the builder are (i.e. JCT 98 with quantities), how long the tender will remain valid, what clauses there are to minimise the chances of overrun and overspend?
• Evidence of insurance (or quotes and budget) for:
Buildings/materials during and after construction
Professional indemnity for Architect/engineer/surveyor
• Clear milestones before, during and after the main construction phase should be identified.
• Photographs of before, during and after construction.
• Estimated valuation of completed building
For Further Information Please Call: 01209 611110 and ask to speak to: Bill Holliday
Alternatively please fill in this form or e-mail your enquiry