Funding
Refreshing Town Centre Fund - The funds are targeted at providing opportunities for organisations within Carmarthenshire’s Town Centre’s to add vibrancy to their shop fronts. £2,000 is available for each eligible property and is based on 80% of eligible project costs. Freeholders and leaseholders are eligible. Types of eligible spend include decoration of buildings, lighting, painting, gutter cleansing etc.
Vacant Property Fund - The funding will be made available to owners / lease holders and is focused on bringing ground floor vacant properties back into commercial use. The minimum fund awarded £5,000 whilst the maximum will be £30,000 with an intervention rate of 70%.
Business Start Up - The aim of the Start Up Fund is to support the creation of new businesses in the county, resulting directly in the creation of jobs, therefore improving the local economy. The grant is only available for prestart businesses (not yet trading). Each grant award will be based on 50% of eligible costs OR a maximum of £5000 per job created whichever is the lesser.
Business Growth - The grant will support local businesses and inward investors to grow, prosper and be sustainable. Grants are available between £1,000 to £10,000. Each grant award will be based on 50% of eligible costs OR a maximum of £5000 per job created whichever is the lesser.
Business Renewable Energy Fund – Following a pilot roll-out of the Carmarthenshire Business Renewable Energy Fund, Carmarthenshire County Council will be delivering a second phase of the scheme to be funded by the UK Government via the Shared Prosperity Fund. The Fund will be a business grant scheme, which will provide capital support to businesses towards the purchase of renewable energy systems for their business premises. Grants are available between £1,000 (minimum) and £25,000 (maximum) towards the cost of the renewable energy system. Each grant award will be based on no more than 50% of eligible cost.
Town Centre Loan - The objective of the Town Centre Loan scheme is to incentivise and enable property refurbishment and new builds in all the town centres in Carmarthenshire. An Interest free loan between £25,000 and £1,000,000 is on offer.
Local Development Order (LDO) - The LDO acknowledges a shifting role for the town centre to that of a destination and living environment as well as a retail centre. It seeks to introduce a permissive planning regime that would allow specified changes of use to take place without the applicant having to apply for planning permission.