Purpose

To agree to offer grant support
from the Huddersfield Shop Front Grant for the replacement of the
shop fronts to 19-33a John William Street.
 
Throughout the scheme local
business owners, the Huddersfield Civic Society have been engaged
and their views taken on board over the area and the shops
concerned. The Huddersfield Civic Society have campaigned over the
years for better shop fronts that are more in keeping with the
heritage of the town. The Civic Society have continued to seek
improvements to 19-33a John William Street and have welcomed and
supported the proposals that are the subject of this grant
application.
 
Ward Councillors and the
Portfolio Holders have been consulted on the scheme and have been
supportive.
 
This part of the town is
included in the Huddersfield Town Centre Conservation Area and
concern has been raised by Historic England over the quality of the
shop fronts. This resulted in the conservation area being placed on
their “At Risk Register”. Historic England are
supportive of the changes to these shop fronts and will go towards
removing the conservation area from the register.
 
Consultation has been carried
out with the tenants of the shop fronts throughout the design of
the shop fronts. Concerns have been raised over the impact of their
businesses during the construction works, whether they have to
close, the costs of the project and ensuring disabled access is
achieved with the new entrances. The contractor and the Council
have worked together to ensure that the units will remain open,
with safety regulations in place, and disturbance will be to the
minimum. The costs of the project will not be down to the tenants
and will be covered by the freeholder and if approved a grant from
the Council. All the new entrances are designed to be disabled
friendly and are compliant Access Regulations.
 
Before any applications were
submitted for planning approval, the Huddersfield Civic Society
were consulted upon them. They were in support of the designs and
felt they would be big improvement to the town centre.
 
 

Content

RESOLVED –
 

1)   
That approval be given to providing a HLRS grant to B&M
Properties of £610.5k towards replacement shop fronts to
19-33a John William Street, as detailed within the report and
Appendix 1 (exempt), and that Officers publish details of the
subsidy on the national transparency database.

2)   
That authority be delegated to the Strategic Director (Growth and
Regeneration) in conjunction with the Service Director (Legal,
Governance and Commissioning) to agree and complete the grant
agreement and other documentation necessary to enable the project
to proceed and that the Service Director (Legal, Governance and
Commissioning) be authorised to enter into the aforementioned
documentation on behalf of the Council.

3)   
That, in the event that costs change, authority be delegated to the
Strategic Director (Growth and Regeneration) in consultation with
the Cabinet Member (Finance and Regeneration) the ability to vary
the amount of grant subject to the funds being found from within
existing grant scheme resources.