Funding bid for Rhayader businesses keen to enhance their shops due to be submitted

Some 32 properties expressed an interest in the grant scheme to enhance their shops and have sent in their quotes for work.

The work would total an approximate £351,000 if it all got completed with possible grants for about 70 per cent of that value.

The bid of the shop frontage improvement scheme as part of the Transforming Town Grant Scheme, must be submitted by the end of the month.

Town clerk Julie Stephens said; “The council will be submitting a funding bid on behalf of the business premises. 

“Due to the number of premises involved, if the grant bid is successful Rhayader Town Council will work with Alan Southerby to prepare and submit a group planning application. 

“We have been discussing the proposed works with Powys County Council officers and will be making it clear to business owners that any works to the buildings must ensure they retain, enhance or improve the original features of the buildings, protecting and preserving the character of the town.

“The bid has to be submitted at the end of the month.”

The scheme, if it goes ahead, would give local businesses the chance to apply for a grant of upto £20,000 to refurbish and enhance their shops.

The work could include repairing, repainting or replacing doors and windows, painting or re-coating facades, repairs to brickwork, masonry or timber, repair or replacement of awnings or shutters and repairs or replacement of signage, lighting or other fixtures.

The grant application would have to be managed by Rhayader Town Council.

If the county council agree to it, the town council would then put in the planning application on behalf of all the businesses and if they got the go-ahead the businesses would have to pay the contractors and then claim the money back and Powys County Council would give the grant money to Rhayader Town Council for them to distribute it to the individual businesses.

It is a two year grant scheme and it ends finally at the end of December 2026.

Rhayader County Councillor Angela Davies applauded the town council on taking the scheme forward.

She said: “I think we should applaud the town council because it is a lot of work but what a fantastic thing you have done leading the businesses through this. I just think it’s a fabulous bit of collaboration that is going to bring some big improvements to the town.”

A total of £4 million has been allocated towards town centre regeneration projects across Mid Wales (Powys and Ceredigion) over the next two years (2025-2027).

Welsh Government has made the award to Powys County Council, working in partnership with Ceredigion County Council, as part of its Transforming Towns programme.