In the latest in our series of in-depth features exploring different aspects of the Goole Town Deal programme, we find out more about another of the projects that’s due to launch soon. Known as the Property Activation Fund, its aim is to encourage property owners, developers and tenants to carry out improvements to buildings in Goole’s town centre and bring empty or under-used sites back into use. 

Q: What is the Property Activation Fund?

A: One of eight projects that have been allocated a share of the Town Deal funding that Goole will receive from the Government as part of its ‘Levelling Up’ agenda, the Property Activation Fund is a pot of grant funding that will help to transform Goole’s town centre. It aims to make the town centre a more attractive and appealing place to live, work and visit by restoring, refurbishing and, ultimately, reinventing buildings that are empty, under used or in a poor state of repair.

Q: Who can apply for a grant from the Property Activation Fund?

A: The grant funding is available to businesses, charity or voluntary sector organisations, learning establishments and public sector organisations in the eligible postcode areas (as shown on the map below). All grant funded projects must be completed no later than 31 December 2025 and applicants must be able to provide evidence of a clear, legal ownership structure. They will also be required to demonstrate that their business/organisation is managed in a robust and compliant manner, has ongoing financial stability and is capable of delivering the proposed investment outcomes. A Property Activation Fund Guidance Document offering potential applicants more information about the eligibility criteria has been created and will be supplied to them before they begin their applications.

Q: What can the funding be used for?

A: Eligible project costs include capital development costs; acquisition and clearance costs; and refurbishment, alteration and building work associated with the upgrade or repurposing of premises/sites. The grants cannot be spent on revenue costs, such as working capital, rental payments, overheads, salaries, recruitment and essential maintenance work; costs that have already been secured or can be claimed from another source of public funding; all costs incurred before the grant application is received; and planning fees.

Q: What kind of projects is the funding aimed at?

A: To successfully apply for a grant from the Property Activation Fund, applicants must be able to demonstrate that they have an effective plan in place to achieve one or more of the core Town Deal and PAF project outputs, which include creating new jobs or safeguarding jobs; repurposing floorspace; refurbishing derelict buildings/sites; retrofitting commercial buildings with green technology to reduce their carbon footprint; creating new office space; renovating or improving existing office space; and creating new cultural/leisure facilities. The delivery of a wider range of outputs will be given credit in the application process. Full details are supplied in the Property Activation Fund Guidance Document.

Q: How much money is available?

A: A total of £4.175 million of Town Deal funding has been allocated to the Property Activation Fund. Grants will be allocated in three different size brackets – small (up to £20,000); medium (£20,000 to £314,999); and large (above £315,000).

Q: Do applicants need to provide match funding?

A: There is an expectation that applicants should match the grant they receive with a contribution from their own business or another funding source. Projects unable to meet the 50 per cent match funding requirement may be able to make a case to have their contribution reduced if their proposed project is considered to be a particularly good fit for the criteria and capable of achieving multiple outputs from the list supplied in the Guidance Document. Such decisions will be made by an Investment Panel on a case-by-case basis.

Q: How do people apply?

A: Prospective applicants can email goolepaf@eastriding.gov.uk to find out more. Once they’re registered, there are two stages to the application process. The first of these is an Expression of Interest stage, which involves completing a short form telling the Investment Panel more about your business and the project that you’re seeking funding for. The information provided will be subject to basic checks to ensure that the business and proposal are eligible. Once this has been confirmed, the applicant will be invited to submit a full application, which is the second stage of the process. There’s lots of information in the Guidance Document to help people with their applications.

Q: Who decides which grant applications are successful?

A: After being appraised by the Goole Town Deal delivery team, grant applications will be considered by the Property Activation Investment Panel and ratified by the Goole Town Deal Board. 

Q: How soon can people apply?
A: The Property Activation Fund will open for Expressions of Interest before the end of June 2023.

Q: Where can I find out more?

A: More information, including the Guidance Document, will be available from East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Flexigrant Portal. The Property Activation Fund team will also be attending a series of events at venues across the Goole area during the coming months to enable local property owners to go along and find out more. Alternatively, a private appointment can be made in advance by emailing the delivery team at: goolepaf@eastriding.gov.uk.

(ENDS)