Bedale case study

Yorkshire Forward’s Renaissance Market Town’s (RMT) programme has supported three distinct and significant projects in Bedale – Bedale Station and Craft Yard, 17 Market Place and a Heritage Partnership Scheme. 

The three schemes in combination have made a tremendous difference to improving the visitor offer and economy, as well as the appearance and confidence in Bedale.

The town

Bedale is an historic market town close to the A1, and one of the five main towns in the district of Hambleton. From Norman and Medieval beginnings (a copy of the Royal Charter can be seen in Bedale Hall), it became a successful town in the Georgian period.  A good deal of the property dates from this period, and can be seen to particularly good effect in the impressive market place where the environmental quality and the character of the architecture have led to its designation as a Conservation Area.

Project need

Bedale joined the RMT programme in 2003 and with the help of lead consultants Spawforth Associates, the Town Team developed its vision statement for the town and how it needed to develop over the short, medium and longer term. As part of the visioning process, a number of projects and opportunities were identified by the local community as key priorities for action. These included the redevelopment of the Bedale Station site and improvements to buildings on the market place.

Bedale Station

In 2002/3 Yorkshire Forward funded a Market Towns Action Plan for Bedale which highlighted the lack of suitable business space to allow residents to work in Bedale. The re-use of the Station site to create a vibrant working environment was seen as the catalyst to the regeneration of the town. The Station closed to railway passengers in 1954 and for a number of years it became the base for a local company. When the local company wanted to dispose of the site to facilitate its’ expansion, it approached the District Council to see if it was interested in purchasing the Bedale Station site and buildings. At around the same time Wensleydale Railway also approached the Council, asking for assistance with its future development proposals, a key element of which was reopening Bedale Station as an embarkation point for railway passengers using the Leeming Bar to Redmire line.

As a result, the District Council acquired the Bedale Station site in 2004 and with support from Yorkshire Forward and North Yorkshire County Council undertook a mixed use redevelopment that combined the reinstatement of Station House as a railway embarkation point for Wensleydale Railway together with the provision of 10 craft units known as the Craft Yard. The idea was not just to reuse the site to attract visitors into the town but also to create much needed facilities for local businesses and employment opportunities for local residents. At the same time, the redevelopment also gave the opportunity to improve public transport/pedestrian links for visitors and residents alike.

Rather than providing general industrial units, it was decided that the creation of small craft units was complementary both to the Railway’s activities and the nature of local business base. In the main this focus has been maintained, although the rate of lettings has been slower than would normally be experienced. Whilst there has also been some turnover of tenants, tenants include a kiln glass artist, landscape photographer and filmmaker, three jewellery designers and a manufacturer of model railway base boards.

The largest of the Craft Yard units (Unit 1) proved the most problematic to let. At 279 sq metres, the unit was larger and more expensive than most craft businesses could afford and whilst it had been hope that it could be used as a gallery space for a consortium of local artists, this could not be achieved. Various courses of action were considered and the combination of a successful rateable value appeal together with planning approval for retail use has eventually attracted an occupier in the form of a bespoke kitchen and bedroom furniture retailer. All 10 of the Craft Yard units have now been let.

Funding

Yorkshire Forward resources were used for facilitating the development of the business space element of the project. The larger scheme, developed by Hambleton District Council included the opening up of Station House for rail use.

Yorkshire Forward    £750,000
Hambleton District Council      £551,500
North Yorkshire County Council £150,000

17 Market Place, Bedale

This project was prioritised for a number of reasons. Firstly, it brought a derelict Grade II Listed high street building back into repair and economic use. Secondly, it addressed the imbalance between the local skills demand and provision by providing a larger high street location for Business Support & Development Ltd (BSD), a local business support and training provider. This secured the future of BSD’s services within the town and the vacation of their former premises has made way for the creation of a youth facility in Bedale.

The project set out to renovate and bring back into use a listed building in a significant central site in the town that was having a detrimental impact on the Market Place due to its state of neglect. 17 Market Place is a large 3 storey property fronting onto the Market Place in Bedale. Formerly a DIY and hardware shop, it had been unoccupied since May 2004 and was in an extremely poor state of repair. The ground floor had a number of changes in levels and required extensive refurbishment and structural work, the upper floors were only just accessible and the rear 2 storey range had remained sealed off and unused for many years. The difficulties involved in refurbishing the ground floor alone meant that there has been little interest in the property and without the intervention of the RMT programme it was unlikely that the premises would ever be fully redeveloped and reused.

The project had wider benefits as a tenant for the refurbished property had already been identified. BSD a provider of business support and training services was restricted by its existing premises on Bridge Street and the renovation of 17 Market Place provided an opportunity for it to take on larger premises with a more prominent high street presence and, in turn, to increase the services it delivered. In spite of being located in relatively poor premises, BSD was the top performing Business Link sub-franchisee in the sub region, serving Hambleton and Richmondshire, and it needed to secure new premises to continue to deliver its services.

As it was not possible to obtain a straight freehold purchase of 17 Market Place, Hambleton District Council agreed a 99 year lease with the owner with a view to sub-letting to BSD. In the event that the property should ever come onto the market, the Council has first option to purchase. The shop unit next door is also included in the head-lease, but apart from re-roofing under the main contract, this part of the building is in a usable condition and has remained in retail use.

The project completely refurbished the premises and brought them back into an economic use. This entailed completely re-roofing the property, undertaking extensive structural work and the replacement of joinery and plasterwork throughout the entire building. North of England Civic Trust oversaw these works to ensure that the requirements arising from the Grade II listing of the building were met. The refurbishment works were subject to competitive tendering and the lowest tender received (£428,647) was accepted as a fixed cost for the project. The project ran relatively smoothly, though some additional structural works became necessary that could not have been anticipated until the work began. The project was also the subject of a small increase in investment when the internal fit out costs for wiring etc, went over budget. This resulted in an additional £25,000 investment by Yorkshire Forward.

The project has significant outputs associated with it resulting from the increased capacity of BSD.  Some aspects of these have proven challenging because of the changes to the Business Link structures and delivery models in the region.  During the project, Business Link York and North Yorkshire ended its contracts with its sub-franchisees and this affected BSD’s operations. This had the affect significantly reducing BSD’s income and it was forced to draw on its reserves for a period of time.  Despite this, BSD has remained committed to the project. 

Any surplus rental income (approx. £10,000 - £13,000 per annum) generated by the letting of 17 Market Place is split between Hambleton District Council and Yorkshire Forward.  Yorkshire Forward invests its returns from the surplus income into the Bedale and Villages Community Plan Forum to fund other renaissance activity.

Funding

Yorkshire Forward’s contribution was £340,000 out of project costs of £557,000 with the remaining funding being provided by Hambleton District Council.

Heritage Partnership Scheme

This scheme, a partnership between Yorkshire Forward, English Heritage and Hambleton District Council in conjunction with property owners, was developed to stimulate the conversion of empty buildings or empty upper floors into offices and work space, to repair and restore the historic fabric of the town centre and to retain and improve the character and appearance of Bedale town centre.

Eligibility

Owners or tenants of commercial buildings were able to attract grant assistance for:
• the conversion of empty buildings or upper floors into high quality offices and work space;
• major repairs to the structure and external fabric of buildings including external repairs and the reinstatement of roofs and roof features, chimneys, gutters, cupola's and balustrades;
• pointing or rendering external stonework, brickwork, walls, surfaces, decorative elements, external windows, doors, and traditional joinery, historic metalwork and railings;
• repair and or authentic reinstatement of traditional shop/ building frontages, shop front redecorating and new shop signs;
• and extra costs associated with the partnership scheme including professional fees.
Grants would not be provided for reinstatement not reflecting the character of the building including:
• use of modern cement mortars or artificial materials;
• repairs to modern windows or modern shop fronts;
• and internal shop repairs or alterations.

25 Market Place, before and after

Grants

Grants were considered on an individual basis, though for internal conversions to office space, 50% of the scheme up to a maximum grant of £100,000 could be offered. For external repairs, up to 50% of eligible costs to a maximum grant of £10,000 and for shop front redecoration and signs up to 50% of eligible costs to a maximum grant of £1000 could be awarded.

Supported projects

The Heritage Partnership Scheme (HPS) has three main elements and a number of schemes have been supported under it.

Creating commercial space in empty spaces above shops. This has happened in three locations; 
• The largest is the Assembly Rooms, a listed Victorian building.  The main hall had been used as storage for a shop but has now been sub-divided into quality office space by the creation of a mezzanine floor. 

• A further variation was to assist the Bedale Hall Trust to create new commercial space by demolishing an ugly shed-like building next to the Hall and replace it with new dedicated premises.  This was challenging because of the Grade I status of Bedale Hall, but the involvement of English Heritage helped to address many of the issues that arose. The extension has been built and is let to SureStart.

• A property on the corner of the Market Place and Emgate, owned by a veterinary practice has been upgraded and converted to create further lettable space. It also revealed some potentially catastrophic structural problems that were addressed.

Heritage Repairs

A number of these have been achieved with English Heritage support, including:
1 Market Place – Linscott & Best
7 Market Place – Bedale
29 Market Place – The Assembly Rooms
29 Market Place – The Plan Shop
Dales Furniture Hall

Shop Front Improvements

With the ongoing support of English Heritage, projects completed and underway include, but are not limited to:
10 Market Place – Cockburns
12 Market Place – Headquarters
19 North End – Bedale Beauty
20 North End – Norchem Healthcare
24 Market Place – Sues Barber Shop
25 Market Place - House and Home
31 North End – Rowlands Pharmacy
Amen House & The Forge

Other projects have also been supported under the scheme including Beckside improvements along the West bank to prevent further erosion. The new softer improvements have been applauded by the Environment Agency. 

 There have also been improvements to some key pedestrian routes into the Market Place.  After a previous ginnel improvement made with Rural Target Fund, this project supported the improvements to another ginnel and the more significant Fleece Cottages lane which provides pedestrian access to the Market Place – an area of rough track that has been improved with a mixture of Yorkstone and quality paving.

 Elsewhere there have been Heritage information boards and public art installations reflecting Bedale’s Heritage on the side of the Assembly Rooms.

Funding

Yorkshire Forward £617,500
English Heritage £150,000
Private Sector £662,000
Bedale Town Council £13,700
North Yorkshire County Council £6000
Hambleton District Council £5000
Hambleton Community Safety Partnership £5000
BEAM £3000

Successes

• Partnership working has been strong and allowed a great deal of work to be undertaken in a short period of time.
• Long standing and difficult improvements e.g. Fleece Cottages Track have been undertaken.
• The work in every element of the scheme has been high quality be it in shop front repairs or public realm improvements.

Lessons Learnt

• The level of support required by businesses in the process of applying for grants varies. Some merely require the forms sending to them, others need a high level of support e.g. work specifying, quotes obtaining, forms filling etc. The prospect of a grant in itself does not bring schemes forward.

More information about this success story

To find out more about Bedale please contact:

Mark Haynes
Delivery Manager
Hambleton District Council
Civic Centre
Stone Cross
Northallerton
DL6 2QP

Or contact:

Jacquie Boulton
Spitfire House
Aviator Court
Clifton Moor
York
YO30 4GY
01904 696 711