Page 22 - Caxtons KPMR 2021

Caxtons’ Property Market Analysis
LEADER Grant Funding in Kent
Kent’s LEADER programme is a source of funding for
rural businesses, farmers, foresters and communities to help secure a sustainable future for the rural economy.
The LEADER Programme is a bottom-up, community-
led approach to the delivery of the Rural Development Programme for England funded by Defra and the European Union. The planning, decision-making and implementation is via Local Action Groups made up of private, public
and community sector volunteers with a wide range of knowledge and experience of local rural issues.
LEADER in Kent has a budget of £5.25m for 2015-2020 and applications are currently closed. The emphasis is on providing jobs and growth in rural areas. It has a rolling funding mechanism with a minimum grant of £2,500
and a maximum of £50,000 to £100,000 (higher under certain circumstances), at a rate of 40% of eligible costs for commercial projects.
Recent LEADER supported developments include:
Community Store, Detling
Detling Community Interest Company (CIC) was set up to develop and run a new community store on Detling Village Green. It has a post office and a small café/community hub. It is made from a converted 40x16ft container with utilities installed and shelving, service counter and dairy cabinet, coolers and freezer. The store is an example of repurposing to maximum effect whilst avoiding expensive build costs. The shop will also serve the nearby villages of Thurnham and Boxley which have a combined population of 10,700 as well as walkers/cyclists on the Pilgrims Way long-distance walking route. The parish council will also rent space in the facility. The project will be run on a commercial basis but as a CIC any profits are reinvested back into the company.
Slough Fort, Allhallows, Medway
Slough Fort is one of a series of defences built on the Thames and Medway to protect London and the Naval Dockyard at Chatham, built in 1867 and added to up until the end of 19th Century. The Fort was decommissioned
in 1920, sold by the government in 1929 and is well preserved and substantially intact being listed as Grade II in 2009. A local community group took over the long-term
preservation and restoration of the Fort in 2013. The Slough Fort Preservation Trust now oversees the transformation of the Fort into a community and tourism asset.
It includes flexible, usable space for local activities, a focus for the military heritage of the Thames and Medway estuary and Hoo Peninsula and generating commercial activities through tourism and local activities and craft-based ventures. Phase 1 has been completed with the clearing
of the main magazine building, brickwork repairs and installation of power and lighting.
Assistance was given by LEADER for phase 2 which saw
the instalment of specialist windows and doors to the historic building to make it weather tight and enable internal decoration along with fit-out of the community space, events space, interpretation room and classroom. Ongoing restoration of the site will expand the space available for additional community activities, interpretation/displays, café, craft and local retail.
Musket Brewery, Maidstone
Musket Brewery is a family owned micro-brewery located
in Linton, brewing premium real ale. The premises were housed in a redundant mushroom shed at Loddington Farm which limited the size of the micro-brewery and production. LEADER assistance was given to convert another farm building and purchase new brewing equipment to allow expansion to cater for increasing demand. This included a
New Musket Brewery, Loddington Farm, Maidstone.
New Fisherman’s Lodge (Clubhouse), Tenterden Trout Waters.
new ‘tap’ room and social space for visitors and for beer tasting and on-site sales as part of a brewery experience expected to attract around 6,000 visitors over three years. The project will also benefit other businesses on site through increased footfall.
Tenterden Trout Waters
In 2015 Tenterden Trout Waters was voted one of the Top 100 Stillwater Trout Fisheries in Britain. In 2016, the business had risen to the Top 50 and has an excellent reputation with fly fishermen. However, facilities required updating and a new Fisherman’s Lodge (clubhouse) was needed. LEADER assistance was given to build the clubhouse with kitchen, toilets and indoor area for fishermen to relax. The new facilities reflect the quality of the fishing experience offered and in turn grow the business.
Chilton Farm Courtyard Bed & Breakfast,
Alkham Valley
This farm diversification project converted redundant traditional farm buildings around a courtyard to bed & breakfast accommodation for 10 people with a breakfast room/meeting room for local groups. The project aims to capitalise on the popular footpaths, bridleways and cycle routes crossing the Alkham Valley. With livery facilities guests can bring their own horses to the farm and the new development will support two full-time employees.
20 Kent Property Market Report 2021
CREDIT: GAYNOR STOKES
CREDIT: LINDA PIZANI WILLIAMS