Two Counties

Farmers will benefit from a £27 million pot to adopt innovative new technology and invest in productivity-boosting equipment as the Farming Investment Fund opened on Tuesday 16 November. Farmers, foresters and growers from across England are urged to apply for grants to buy new equipment and infrastructure to help to improve efficiency and help us build back greener. This could include solar powered electric fences, water treatment systems that use ultraviolet light rather than chemicals and cameras for monitoring livestock. The fund will be split across two strands. Firstly, the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund will focus on smaller grants for equipment from a set list including electronic seeders and chemical-free disinfection systems. Secondly, the Farming Transformation Fund will cover more substantial technology, with the potential to transform business performance. This strand will focus initially on water management with grants available to improve water use on farms for things like crops irrigation and constructing on-farm reservoirs. Eligible applicants involved in the production or processing of agricultural, horticultural or forestry products, who are based in England, can apply for a grant. Applicants are urged to make note of the differing deadlines for both strands of the fund. The deadline for Farming Equipment and Technology Fund is the 7 January 2022 at midday. The application portal, which includes the eligibility checker, for the Farming Transformation Fund will open from today until the 12 January 2022, with the deadline to complete full applications by 30 June 2022. Applications for the Farming Transformation Fund can be made online with a new online eligibility checker to improve the application process for these grants. For more info please scan the QR code.

Potential re-development of Former Magistrates Court in Kidderminster

Significant proposals to build back better and support the economic recovery of the main town centres in North Worcestershire are being prepared with the support of £70 million external grant funding. The funding has recently been secured by North Worcestershire Economic Development and Regeneration (NWedR) from the Future High Streets Fund, Towns Fund and the recently announced Levelling Up Fund and will support the delivery of major capital projects in Bromsgrove, Kidderminster and Redditch. The gross development value of the proposed projects exceeds £100 million.

The funding will enable the delivery of specific refurbishment throughout the region with projects now being considered by council leaders.

The transformation of the former munitions site in Hereford into a dedicated business incubation centre has triumphed at the top Midlands property awards. The Shell Store, located on Skylon Park, Hereford, won the Commercial Development of the Year category at the Insider West Midlands Property Awards, which took place in Birmingham on November 4. The awards attracted a record number of entries from across the region, but the £7.3m Shell Store project beat tough competition to win the accolade in the 21st edition of the awards. The judges commented on the project saying: “This unique scheme stood out not only because the redevelopment was handled sensitivity, but the character, as well as parts of the framework of the original building were both retained and celebrated. A restoration project to be proud of.” Chairman of Hereford Enterprise Zone, Andrew Manning Cox, said: “The building had lain empty and derelict for more than 50 years, meaning the contractors faced some tough challenges to bring the structure back to life. “The Shell Store is Herefordshire’s first dedicated business incubation centre and will also be home to business support services to aid recovery post-pandemic.”