The scheme was developed by the Richmond Swale Valley Community Initiative and Richmondshire District Council and is supported by Yorkshire Forward (through the Renaissance Town’s Programme), English Heritage, and North Yorkshire County Council.
A Richmond Town Centre Design Guide was produced, which will eventually be adopted as supplementary planning guidance.
This project was originally identified by a comprehensive study into the regeneration of Richmond called the ‘Richmond Swale Valley Initiative’ published in 2003. The study was an innovative heritage led strategic framework and, amongst its 47 projects, it highlighted the need to address the long term under use of buildings and upper floors in Richmond Town Centre, and also the need to arrest the cycle of decay and decline of buildings within the mainly commercial core zone.
This project seeks to respond to current market failure by improving the supply of high quality office and commercial premises in these buildings, and bringing them back into economic use by implementing a programme of restoration and renovation. The project will also contribute to diversifying and strengthening the economy of Richmond Town Centre.
This project is identified as a key project within the Renaissance Market Towns Business Plan for Richmond Town and Catterick Garrison.
It is considered to be an extremely important project due to the impending development of Catterick Garrison to ‘Super Garrison’ status. Richmond Town will increasingly need to compete with and compliment the developments at the garrison by providing a higher end of the market product.
Aims:
1. To re-develop empty spaces in Richmond town centre into high-quality office accommodation or commercial premises.
2. To progress a pilot programme that will target a minimum of three buildings containing under used space suitable for redevelopment and to undertake some feasibility work that could advise on future reclamation of empty space within the commercial corezone.
3. Maintaining and improving the fabric of individual buildings and the local environment and revitalizing dilapidated properties by grant aiding repairs and restoration.
4. enhancing social and economic vitality and vibrancy by bringing back into economic use redundant and under used buildings
5. Enhance the visual quality and vitality of the area by grant aiding the re-instatement of shop fascias to original designs, or designs appropriate to the conservation area.
6. Promoting private sector investment in rural areas through public sector funding initiatives.
Objectives:
1. To reduce the amount of under-used space in Richmond town centre and create useable office space above retail units.
2. To produce a design guide, which will eventually form supplementary planning guidance to inform owners and lease holders of buildings about appropriate conversions and restorations in the Richmond Town historic corezone.
3. To contribute to the diversification of the town’s economy through the provision of an enhanced commercial premises offering which should help to attract and retain businesses to the area and support other elements of the towns.
4. To provide environmental enhancements to Richmond town centre through improvements to unused or under-used buildings and their surroundings.
5. To identify best practice guidance for similar schemes to be delivered in other towns.
Funding
Yorkshire Forward £250,000
English Heritage £100,000
Richmondshire DC £30,000
NYCC £20,000
Private Sector match £500,000 (minimum)
TPC £900,000 +
This is a two year project, but English Heritage have already promised to provide a further year’s funding, and we will be applying to YF for match funding for this.
The project is jointly managed by RDC and RSVCI.
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Last updated:
21 November 2007
