Shop improvement grants for sagar street

The Castleford Town Deal has several projects to revitalise Castleford as a distinctive riverside market town.

The shop improvement grant scheme is a part of our Sagar Street project. This aims to turn Sagar Street into a hub for innovative, independent businesses. The scheme offers grants to eligible businesses to support diversity, education, and creativity.

You can find out more about the scheme by reading our leaflet and checking the red line boundary to see if you're eligible.

What are we trying to achieve?

Sagar Street connects Castleford town centre and the riverside, and the Towns Deal programme is investing in both areas.

To improve the street and create a 'Bohemian' vibe, the Council is offering Shop Improvement Grants of up to £12,000 per property to building owners and business operators. The grants will cover the full cost of works.

What can I apply for?

We've developed a framework to help applicants to show that their application will contribute to the development of Castleford. You will need to:

• focus on the existing external envelope
  • we won't accept applications for internal improvements or removable fittings. It is also unlikely that we will be able to support significant extensions
• settle on a colour scheme
  • we will favour pastel colours as there is a need to ensure continuity along the street while maintaining individuality for each business
• consider the full elevation
  • any application for a shop front will need to ensure the upper floors are not ignored. This may include painting walls to match/complement a new shop front and/or replacement windows
• assess your shop front
  • we recommend a traditional approach, with two windows either side of a central door. Signage materials may vary, but we encourage timber window frames on top of brickwork
• be careful with layout
  • we are keen to ensure a continuous, clean frontage, so applicants may need to consider how they will complement immediate neighbours
• to complement the shop frontage, so we can support improvements that:
  
  • introduce external lighting
  • install canopies and banner/gantry signage to create a warm welcome for your customers
• the design and colour scheme should complement wider improvements and contribute to the overall feel of the street
• ensure security
  • we know that there are concerns about anti-social behaviour in the town
  • the grant scheme can be used for installing shutters (we recommend punch-curtain type) or similar security measures to protect your shop
• think about servicing arrangements
  • we will support applications that create rear access arrangements
  • this is to allow shop servicing from the rear and make Sagar Street more pedestrian-friendly

What else should I know?

You must complete the works and show proof of payment before receiving the grant.

Our officers will assist you with the application and visit eligible properties to discuss the scheme.

You'll need the property owner's permission if you don't own it.