Decision details

High Street Heritage Action Zone Programme 2020-2024

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Decisions:

The Executive Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report seeking approval to add the High Streets Heritage Action Zones (HSHAZ) Project to the Capital Programme.  A map showing the area covered by the Project was attached to the report.

 

The report explained that Historic England (HE) had launched the High Street Heritage Action programme with the goal to make the high street a more attractive, engaging and vibrant place for people to live, work and spend time.  HE had invited applications to run programmes with the main criteria being that the high streets should lie in conservation areas. The Council had been successful in its bid to HE following significant input from the local community.  The high streets that would be the focus of the HSHAZ would be the eastern end of Oxford Road, Castle Street, London Street, the southern end of St Mary’s Butts and Market Place. 

 

The report advised that the project had been awarded a grant of up to £806,500 from HE and therefore required £808,500 to be match funded from Reading Borough Council through S106 contributions and CIL funding and other sources, such as property owners and other sponsors to make up the full cost of the scheme.  The purpose of this report was to seek approval to include the HSHAZ Project within the Capital Programme.

 

Resolved –

 

(1)      That the inclusion of an additional £1,340k to the 2020/21 – 2024/25 Capital programme be approved for the High Street Heritage Action Zone to be funded from Historic England grant and central area S106 and CIL monies;

 

(2)      That the funding, as set out in Section 10 of the report, be allocated and authority to receive grant money and spend funds to support the programme be delegated to the Executive Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services, in consultation with the Lead Councillor for Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport and the Lead Councillor for Culture, Heritage & Recreation;

 

(3)      That it be noted that future years’ funding allocations would be sought from CIL 15% (Central Area) local funds and Section 106 funds.

Publication date: 06/08/2020

Date of decision: 20/07/2020

Decided at meeting: 20/07/2020 - Policy Committee

Accompanying Documents: