LEITH THI SHOPFRONT SCHEME

GUIDANCE FOR APPLICANTS

WHAT IS THE LEITH THI SHOPFRONT IMPROVEMENT SCHEME?

The Leith Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) shopfront improvement scheme is administered by City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) with financial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and will operate from April 2008 to March 2012. The scheme aims to assist in the improvement of the fabric and appearance of shopfronts in prominent streets in the Leith Conservation Area. This generous assistance seeks to help shopowners and tenants repair or upgrade shopfronts, create a new retail identity, increase their profile and with the involvement of the Heritage Lottery Fund seek to retain and enhance the traditional features of our historic townscape.

WHAT DOES THE SHOPFRONT SCHEME OFFER?

Financial support of up to 75% towards the cost of construction or reconstruction of entire shopfronts or the refurbishment, repair or alterations of existing shopfronts. Eligible works must relate only to external elements.

WHO CAN APPLY?

Owners and leaseholders of commercial premises in the Leith Conservation Area who are prepared to pay a share of the costs involved. You must provide proof of who owns the property and any restrictions or other claims on it with respect to your or any third party property. This should be done when submitting completed application form.

You, or the third party grant applicant must have a freehold interesting the property or if you are taking a lease we will not accept one with a break clause. You must have a leasehold interest with an unexpired term of at least ten years. If the interest is less than this, the superior lessor or freeholder must be joined in the application and bound by the contractual conditions attaching to the grant.

ARE THERE ANY RESTRICTIONS ON WHAT IS ALLOWED?

To be supported works must comply with the Council current guidance on achieving good quality work in Conservation Areas. In particular they must comply with the guidance on Commercial Frontages (dated 27 November 2003).

Priority will be given to the schemes that offer the greatest improvement to the overall environment, that are of the highest quality and which respect any existing historic fabric.

HOW TO APPLY
Applications should be submitted to the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) using the application form. Applicants will also be responsible for obtaining planning permission and/or listed building consent. Advertisement consent may be required in certain circumstances. A building warrant application may also be required. The costs incurred in obtaining these consents are eligible costs.

HOW THE PROJECT IS RUN

Typically projects will progress though three stages, as follows:Stage 1 Pre-application discussion.

The applicant contacts the planning department to discuss the principle of the proposed shopfront application details. At this stage an architect need not be appointed. The planning department will confirm that the property is within the Leith THI area and will make a site visit to look at the property.
The applicant may also prepare a sketch design and discuss general proposals with the planning department. At this stage the application will be assessed against the assessment criteria sheet and it will be agreed by CEC whether the works are eligible for grant funding. Stage 2 Preparation of Design Drawings and obtaining Costs and Statutory Approvals

At this stage the applicant should appoint an architect to design the scheme. The applicant /architect will then be asked to provide the following information:
A completed application form. Sketch design drawings showing elevations, a section and details of the materials to be used, all agreed by the client and the Council. A 1:50 scale drawing of the whole building including the shopfront; A 1:25 scale elevations of the shopfront; Full or half size details of mouldings and features; and A floor plan of the premises. Four copies each of 35mm photographic transparencies (slides) or digital images showing:-

o Three views of the condition of the property before improvement works o Key stages throughout the development o Three identical views to the above showing the property after the completion of the works. These slides or digital images shall be provided free of charge for unrestricted use by CEC.

A cost plan detailing fees and all anticipated costs. The applicant must obtain at least three tenders for Eligible Works and submit to CEC a summary of the tenders received and your reasoning (if relevant) for not wishing to submit the lowest tender. Should you not wish to proceed with the lowest tenderer and for reasons given by you prefer to go ahead with another tenderer then you must meet the difference in the cost..

After gaining agreement of the design the architect will complete or finalise the scheme and obtain the relevant planning and building warrant consents, etc. He will also prepare contract documents and obtain quotations. After approval of the final design as agreed by CEC an NHMF and receiving details of the costs, CEC will make a firm grant offer. The level of assistance is discretionary but for most shops it will cover 75% of the eligible costs of the work and the fees. VAT is not normally covered since the applicant can recover it. CEC may only agree to award a financial contribution of less than 75% to expensive shopfront improvement schemes that would take up a disproportionately large part of the overall budget for the Initiative or schemes which do not offer comprehensive improvements. Stage 3 - Works

After the applicant's agreement of the grant offer (within 14 days of receipt) and its associated terms, the actual work to the shopfront may start and CEC is informed when the scheme will be proceeding. Please note, applicants must sign the contract before works start.

PAYMENT
Payment for the work will be made on completion of the work to the satisfaction of the Council and on receipt of a final certificate or final invoice and evidence that all financial obligations have been met. CEC will have the discretion to be flexible about stage payments but in general would expect to only pay the main contribution at the end of the contract and not normally in stages. 10% of the total payment will be retained until the final completion certificate has been issued.

THE APPLICANT'S OBLIGATIONS

Work should not start before CECs offer of grant letter is received. Offers of grant must be formally accepted by letter before work commences. Any offer of grant aid will be inclusive of reasonable professional fees and without any further commitment to expenditure by CEC.