Who can apply for the Goldthorpe Towns Commercial Investment Fund?

The fund will be available to developers and commercial businesses who require assistance to bridge agreed viability constraints/gaps. Examples of this include commercial office, industrial, logistics and manufacturing occupiers.

It'll help with projects which aren't viable without some extra investment. It can be used for:

• delivery of new commercial floor space
• repurposing or bringing back into use existing commercial floor space

What are the eligible delivery areas for the investment fund?

This new investment fund can be used flexibly. It'll be used to support the development of the ES10 employment site (located off the A635). It's allocated in Barnsley’s Local Plan, as well as across other employment sites and locations within the Towns Fund area. This is Goldthorpe, Thurnscoe and Bolton on Dearne. A map of the Towns Fund area is shown which shows the eligible delivery areas.

Map of the Towns Fund areas eligible for the Goldthorpe Towns Commercial Investment fund scheme delivery

What are viability gaps?

They're gaps that exists when the total cost of a project would mean it's not feasible or financially viable. An example of this includes extra costs that need to be met to allow it's delivery.

Viability gap examples to facilitate new commercial floor space:

• remedial works to address issues such as topography (levels), land contamination (mining) etc, ground stabilisation/flooding etc
• statutory services; utilities (for example pre-ordering power and delivery of substation)

Viability gap examples for re-purposing or bringing back into use existing business commercial floorspace including, both internal and external:

• Extensions
• Statutory services/utilities (additional or upgraded infrastructure)
• Floor loading upgrades

Additional social value

To assist in the completion of this part of the application, please email townsfundgoldthorpe@barnsley.gov.uk. You'll be able to register your interest in attending a guidance and support session about added social value and the YORtender system. It will be held on 2 March 2023, from 10am to 12pm at Goldthorpe Parish Hall, Lockwood Road, Goldthorpe, S63 9JY.

What is the scheme value?

The scheme value is in the region of £6 million. It's hoped this will fund a number of different schemes within the Towns Fund area. This will support the delivery of new jobs and floor space and added social value.

What is added social value?

The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 places a duty on councils to have regard to economic, social and environmental well-being. This is in connection with public services contracts and for connected purposes.

View our Social Value Policy.

A crucial part of the investment fund is the delivery of social value outcomes in addition to what is being physically delivered on site. This could include:

• using local contractors to deliver some works on site
• purchasing materials for the works from local suppliers
• employing local people to deliver the work
• volunteering against local community projects
• offering placement to students working towards achieving T-level qualifications
• supporting under 24 year olds into work (CV building, careers guidance)
• local school visits delivering careers advice
• volunteering to assist with environmental conservation

There are many more outcomes as detailed within Appendix 1 of the application form.

We've adopted the Local Government Association’s National Social Value Taskforce 'National Themes, Outcomes and Measures' method. It's used for classifying and evaluating social value (frequently referred to as the 'National TOMs').

These have been aligned to the council’s Barnsley 2030 Strategy themes:

• Growing Barnsley
• Learning Barnsley
• Healthy Barnsley
• Sustainable Barnsley

Applicants need to submit an added social value proposal as part of their application.

There will be a requirement for any successful applicant allocated funding to report on their progress against the social value commitments made in their application. This will demonstrate that this added value and has been delivered alongside the key development outcomes.

For any queries regarding social value please contact Go4Growth’s Lauren Siddons on lauren@go4growth.co.uk or 07557 773837.

What social value work does the organisation CBRE undertake?

Examples include working closely with a nominated charitable partner providing volunteering time and fund-raising. The current partner is Macmillan Cancer Support. Previous partners include Shelter and Action for Children. A partnership typically lasts three years.

Employees are provided with volunteering leave, this is in addition to annual leave entitlement. This is used to support charitable initiatives.

They provide guest lecturing and mentoring to students at Sheffield Hallam University relating to the quantity surveying courses.

When do the physical works of a project need to be completed by?

The physical project works need to be completed by December 2024 to make sure the final discharge of grant funding/claim can be processed before the funding closedown.

When does evidence of outputs for job numbers, commercial floor space and added social value need to be provided by?

The outputs can be evidenced incrementally from 31 December 2025 through to 31 December 2029

What are the key dates of the fund?

Subject to further clarifications, planning approvals and completion of grant funding agreements, works will be delivered from 2023/2024 to 2024/2025.

How will jobs, commercial floor space and added social value be managed/monitored?

A funding agreement will be developed, by working jointly with the applicant’s own legal representative and the council’s. It will contain the number of jobs, commercial floor space and added social value outputs to be delivered. It will be as a result of the overall application assessment/due diligence.

The project legal agreements and outputs will be managed/monitored and supported by our project team.

There will be ongoing support over time (as and when required) by the council’s project team, up to 31 December 2029. This will be to make sure the achievement/delivery of the outputs: jobs, commercial floor space and added social value.

For example, in terms of the social value outputs, there will be a delivery plan for the social value outputs which will be incorporated into the agreement. It will outline what outputs will be delivered and by when. This is what will be used by the council project team to monitor and measure throughout the term of the funding agreement.

If a project was for commercial plus community space, for example a community centre, would this be eligible under the commercial investment fund and how would it be monitored?

The fund is available to developers and commercial industrial businesses who need help to bridge agreed viability constraints/gaps to facilitate:

• new commercial floor space
• re-purposing or bringing back into use existing commercial floor space

and

• who have a main focus in making available commercial office, industrial, logistics, service industries and manufacturing occupiers.

The outputs of jobs, commercial floor space, and added social value, will be monitored through the agreed development of a funding agreement. Successful applicants will be supported in their delivery by working with our project team.

Are retail-based investments eligible for the fund?

Unfortunately, retail-based investments are classed as non-eligible activities under this scheme.

This fund will only be available to developers and commercial industrial businesses. For example, this could be office space, service industries, industrial, manufacturing or logistics.

Will there be any improvements to the public transport network as part of the Towns Fund to help local employers on business parks to support youngsters on apprenticeship schemes?

We've existing working relationships with bus providers and continues to work hard with them to coordinate employers’ shifts and bus timings and routes wherever it's possible. The planning department in their assessment of planning applications for employment sites encourage active travel schemes. Masterplan Frameworks have been developed for large development sites across the borough (these underpin anticipated planning submissions for schemes) relating to specific new employment sites and active travel is also a main feature.

We aim to provide safe active routes wherever possible and this work continues to be developed. For example, the continuation of developing safe active travel across the Trans Pennine Trail. By continually improving areas of the trail and also ensuring footpaths and roads are suitable and safe for active travel use.  This may include footpath widening, resurfacing and additional suitable lighting.

What would be the proportion of clawback over the years of the Towns Fund?

The funding agreements will be developed on a scheme-by-scheme basis. Each agreement will be bespoke to the outcome of the due diligence assessment completed, including clawback. The applicant’s lawyer and the council’s lawyer will work jointly to agree the funding agreements.