Town Centre Improvement Scheme

This scheme provides loans and grants to businesses to refurbish and improve their premises. It is designed to make a difference to the business and add value to the property as well as improving the immediate local area. Improvements should have a life expectancy of 5 years.

The scheme focuses on the five town centres of Balham, Clapham Junction, Putney, Tooting and Wandsworth and also parts of East Battersea, the Mitcham Lane area, Roehampton and Tooting Bec.

The scheme provides interest free loans and/or grants of up to a third of eligible costs from a minimum of £1,000 to maximum of £15,000 per eligible address. Any part of a project which is intended to have a green/environmental impact will be assessed at 50%. An example of this could be new energy saving equipment or heat retaining glass in shop fronts.

The following are examples of works eligible for support:

• restoring or replacing shop fronts in a style appropriate to the building as well as external works to the front of the building, e.g.; brick cleaning, re-pointing
• bringing vacant or underused basement or upper floors back into use; structural, internal works to increase or enhance the business and/or the commercial space
• providing access for people with disabilities
• improving eyesore sites and buildings and improving shared rear access ways
• meeting legal or professional fees incurred in planning any of the above.
• improvements that benefit a number of businesses and premises in carrying out minor improvements to the external fabric of the area. Eligible works include such items as signage, signs, local advertising, banners, hanging baskets and other environmental improvements that would help improve the area and the businesses located there.

Applications are subject to individual assessment and all financial assistance is discretionary. We will process all applications within 28 days.

You can make your online application in the related forms section.

For further information please contact: John Ruske, Town Centre Improvement Scheme Manager, Wandsworth Borough Council, Economic Development Office, The Town Hall, Wandsworth High Street, London SW18 2PU

Tel:  020 8871 7031
Email: jruske@wandsworth.gov.uk