From mountain to sea

Formartine Retail
Improvement
and Enhancement
Scheme 2016

Background

Refurbishment of traditional architectural features;

Formartine, like much of Aberdeenshire, is characterised

by a network of towns and villages that provide a wide
range of services and facilities to our communities.
Changing living and retail patterns have led to new
challenges and opportunities for our towns and villages.

Redecoration of the business frontage;

Maintaining the character of commercial premises and

responding to the need to keep our centres vibrant
and attractive requires investment and Aberdeenshire
Council have recognised this by allocating funds for
the Formartine Retail Improvement and Enhancement
Scheme. By doing so the Council hopes to encourage
and support investment by retailers and property owners
in their premises which will in turn enhance our towns
and villages as an attractive place to live, shop, work and
invest.

The Scheme
The aim of the Scheme is to improve shopping, visitor
experience and the visual amenity in our towns and
villages. The Scheme will offer grants and free advice to
local businesses in town centres of Ellon, Oldmeldrum
and Turriff and those which directly serve our village
communities.
Grants may be used towards a wide range of physical
external and internal (public areas only) improvement
works to retail premises in the defined locality. Examples
include, but are not restricted to:

Installation, reinstatement or upgrading of traditional

crafted sign boards and canvas canopies;
Removal or tidying up of inappropriate wiring or piping;
Shop window display works;
Refurbishment of internal fixtures and fittings within
the retail area;
Installation of new flooring within the retail area;
Improvement of internal lighting within the retail area;
Purchase and installation of specialist equipment
within the retail area; and
Cost of professional fees (e.g. surveyor/architect) and
the cost of any planning application.
All works must conform to the guidance set
out in this leaflet and with any required listed
building or planning and development control
consent.

Grants available
The maximum grant award is 50% of the total cost of the
qualifying work, up to a maximum of 2,500.
Applicants must obtain detailed quotations from at least
one recognised contractor for the works proposed.

Eligibility

The Application

The Scheme is open to retail business within defined

town centres of Ellon, Turriff and Oldmeldrum and those
which directly serve our village communities. Retail is
defined in this instance as the sale of goods or other
similar services provided to visiting members of the
public, including hot food.

To make an application you must complete and submit

the attached application form together with the following
documentation:-

How the scheme operates

Applications should be submitted to Aberdeenshire
Council (see contact details at Apply Now on page 3).
Applications will be considered by a Panel from when
the Scheme opens to when it closes in accordance with
the Evaluation Criteria set out below. The decision of
the Panel is final. The Panel reserves the right to vary
the amount offered or to suspend the Scheme at any
time. In the event that applications are likely to exceed
available funds they may be held until the closing date for
evaluation against the criteria. If successful, applicants
must formally accept their grant in writing within two
weeks. Failure to do so may result in the award being
re-allocated.

Evaluation Criteria
The panel will evaluate each application on how it:1. Improves the viability of the business concerned;
2. Improves the visual amenity and appearance of the
centre;

1. Recent photographs of the property showing the areas

where work is proposed;
2. Detailed drawings (if appropriate) of the works
proposed;
3. At least one itemised quote from a recognised
contractor; and
4. Details of any statutory consents required.

Its good to talk!

Applicants are encouraged to speak to the

Aberdeenshire Council officers involved in
the Scheme to obtain more guidance before
submitting an application. Their contact details
are printed in this leaflet with the details
of other relevant officers available on the
Councils website: - www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Conditions of the Scheme

1. All Statutory Consents must be obtained prior to

commencement of works.

3. Improves the fabric of the property; and

2. Any grant award must be accepted by the applicant,

in writing, within two weeks of receiving the letter of
offer.

4. Levers in finds and investment to the town through

owner, retailer or other financial contributions.

3. The applicant has until 31 March 2017 to complete the

works and claim the grant.

Timing

4. In the event of increased costs due to unforeseen

circumstances, the grant award will remain the same.

Monday 3 October 2016: Scheme opens for

applications.

5. In the event of the actual costs being less than the

original estimates, the grant award will be reduced
proportionally.

Key dates for the Scheme are:-

Friday 25 November 2016: Closing date for

applications.
Friday 31 March 2017: The date by which works must
be completed and grant claim received.

6. Grant awards will be paid following a site inspection

when works are completed to the satisfaction of the
representatives of this programme, and receipted
invoices for the works are approved.
7. Grant assistance will not be awarded to works that
have commenced before the application has been
approved i.e. the Scheme is not retrospective.

Failure to submit a competent claim by this date may

result in forfeiture of the grant. Limited dispensation may
be available in the event of delay due to planning or listed
building consent or other exceptional circumstance but
only after review. For the avoidance of doubt, failures
or delays in project management will not constitute
exceptional circumstance.

8. The Panels decision on the award of any grant, or the

closure of the Scheme, is final.

Acknowledgements will be issued in respect of all

applications received.

10. Any enhancement works must be of the highest

standards in terms of style, design, materials and
quality of work carried out.

9. All successful applicants must agree to participate in

any future publicity relating to the Scheme.

Apply now

Turriff area

Applications forms (in printed or electronic format) and

more information on the Scheme are available from:-

Graham Raymond
Building Standards Surveyor
Winston House
39 Castle Street
Banff AB45 1AY

Douglas Rennie
Aberdeenshire Council
Gordon House, Inverurie
Tel: 01467 628100
Email: douglas.rennie@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
or
Donna MacDonald
Formartine Area Office
29 Bridge Street, Ellon
Tel: 01358 726458
Email: donna.macdonald@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Useful Contacts
Requirement for planning consent:Ann Ramsay
Senior Planner
49-51 Bridge Street
Ellon AB41 9AA
Tel: 01358 726427
Email: fo.planapps@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Requirement for a building warrant:Ellon / Oldmeldrum areas

John Gordon
Building Standards Surveyor
49-51 Bridge Street
Ellon AB41 9AA
Tel: 01358 726430

Tel: 01261 813218

Email: graham.raymond@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Business Development and

Training Advice:Douglas Rennie
Business Development Executive
Aberdeenshire Council
Gordon House
Inverurie AB51 3WA
Tel: 01467 628100
Email: douglas.rennie@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Statutory consents
Please remember it is your responsibility to check for
and obtain any statutory consents that may be required
for the proposed works to the property prior to the
commencement of those works. These may include
Planning consent, Advertisement Consent, Listed
Building Consent and / or Building Warrant. Contact
details to check these requirements are included in this
leaflet.

The Equality Act 2010

Please note that under the Equality Act 2010 the owner
of a property has a responsibility to provide safe and
convenient access for those with a disability.

Email: john.gordon@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
3

Formartine Retail Improvement Scheme Application Form

Please read the accompanying guidelines before completing this form.
1. Please provide your contact details and the address of the property where the proposed works are to be carried out
Name
Business name
AddressPostcode..
TelephoneEmail.
Are you VAT registered? Yes / No (delete as appropriate)
If yes, please provide your VAT number.
2. Are you the owner of the property that is the subject of this application?
Yes / No (delete as appropriate)
If no, please supply the owners name and address below along with proof of the owners consent for this application:
Name
Address.Postcode
Telephone..Email.
3. Present nature of the business: (e.g. newsagent, grocer), and number of employees

Trading as: Sole trader / Partnership / Limited Company / Other* (please specify)

*Delete as appropriate
4. Please provide details of the works proposed under the Scheme

State clearly the nature of the proposed works, including where applicable full details of all materials and finishes e.g.
name, make and colour to be used. Continue on a separate sheet of paper if necessary and enclose any supporting
documentation that helps to explain what you intend doing.
5. Estimated costs
Applicants must submit with this application form at least one quotation from a recognised contractor for all the
proposed works. Quotations must include an itemised cost breakdown for the individual elements of the works. Please
provide below a breakdown of the costs of the works proposed.
ITEM COST
...................
............................................................
............................................................
.....................................................................................................
Total ................................................
4

6. Sources of finance
Please list below how you will finance the works proposed
Own sources
Bank
Leasing
Other (please specify)

Scheme grant
Total
(This total must be the same as the total costs in section 5 above)
7. Retail Training and Advice
Would you be interested in the above service? Yes / No (delete as appropriate)
8. Submission Checklist
This completed application form must be accompanied by: Recent photographs of the property showing the areas where work is proposed;
Detailed drawing (if appropriate) of the works proposed;
Al least one itemised quote from a recognised contractor; and
Details of any statutory consents required.
9. Declaration
All of the information I have given is to the best of my knowledge correct and shall form the basis of any grant
awarded by the Formartine Retail Improvement Scheme Evaluation Panel. I understand that qualification for grant
assistance is dependent on receiving all necessary statutory consents prior to the commencement of works and
completion of eligible work as agreed, to the satisfaction of the representatives of this programme and that failure to
do so may result in any grant assistance offered being withdrawn or reduced.
(Print name) (Name of Business)
of.
Signature..Date.
This form and enclosures should be returned to:Donna MacDonald
Area Project Officer
Aberdeenshire Council
Formartine Area Office
29 Neil Ross Square
Ellon
AB41 9AA

If you have difficulty reading this document please contact Ann Lennox on 01358 726455 or
by email to ann.lennox@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Produced by Aberdeenshire Council GDT24259 September 2016