Grow your workspace: grants on offer to aid small businesses

Small and medium-sized Staffordshire businesses can find out more about how to transform redundant buildings into productive use and access a range of grants and other business support at an event later this month.

The Grow Your Workspace workshop on July 27 will help businesses understand the Rural Enterprise Programme and how to apply for grants of up to £65,000. The EU programme is coordinated by Staffordshire County Council on behalf of the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

The workshop will also feature a presentation by Cannock Chase Council’s planning team explaining the planning application process, plus talks on the advice and support available to businesses from the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Growth Hub and the work of the Low Carbon Business Evolution Programme in helping firms increase their energy efficiency.

The Rural Enterprise Programme is making grants of between £10,000 and £65,000 available to businesses that can demonstrate they will create jobs as a result of a move to the refurbished building. Funding can also be used for new builds. Property owners can access grants if they have a business lined up to occupy their premises. The funding is coming from the European Regional Development Fund.

The workshop takes place at the Aquarius Ballroom and Function Suite, Victoria Shopping Park, Hednesford WS12 1BT, starting at 2pm. People can sign up for the event at: https://grantsandplanningworkshop.eventbrite.co.uk

Properties will need to be converted for manufacturing, creative or service industry use. The funding can be used for works to build or refurbish workspaces, build extensions, installation of services, access works, car parking and landscaping works needed for planning permission. Properties in all areas of Staffordshire are available, including the county’s towns. Grants are not available for retail, agriculture, tourism or residential end uses.

Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEP chairman David Frost CBE said: “Innovative and go-ahead small and medium businesses are the backbone of our local economy and this scheme provides valuable assistance to help them grow. It will lead to more jobs being created across our towns, villages and rural areas, which will contribute to building a strong and broadly-based economy.”

Staffordshire County Council’s communities leader Gill Heath said: “It remains a top priority of the county council to continue to support job creation, particularly better paid, better skilled jobs. The Rural Enterprise Programme is an addition to our package of support for small businesses, helping them to expand and create jobs. It will also add incentive to Staffordshire businesses to utilise existing buildings and further grow the county’s economy.”

Anyone wanting to find out more should visit www.staffordshire.gov.uk/REP call 01785 277400 or email REP@staffordshire.gov.uk