URL: https://democracy.lichfielddc.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=828

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Outcome:

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Purpose: To deliver a high-quality regeneration scheme for Lichfield City Centre by recovering, renovating or replacing selected shop fronts. The city centre businesses will be guided by a detailed design code that aids owners create and sustain high quality, attractive frontages in line with the city’s traditional streetscape.

Content: To deliver a high-quality regeneration scheme for Lichfield City Centre by recovering, renovating or replacing selected shop fronts. The city centre businesses will be guided by a detailed design code that aids owners create and sustain high quality, attractive frontages in line with the city’s traditional streetscape. The Cabinet:   2.1 Approves the development of a Heritage Shop Front Design Code for Lichfield City Centre.   2.2 Approves the introduction of a grant scheme to support the Lichfield City Centre Heritage Shop Frontage Scheme.   2.3 Cabinet delegates authority to the Cabinet Member to approve the finalised Shopfront Improvement Grant Scheme, including scoring criteria, triage pathways, grant agreements, monitoring requirements, and payment structure.   2.4 Approved development of a Heritage Lottery Fund grant application, seeking external funding to further support the implementation of the Shop Front Design Code across the city centre. The Shop Frontage Heritage Grant Scheme will support the implementation of the emerging Design Code, ensuring consistency, quality, and character-led improvements across the area. Providing financial support to incentivise participation and reduce the cost burden on small businesses.   The grant scheme will encourage property owners and tenants to restore shop frontages to their authentic early period heritage appearance enhancing the visual quality, historic character, and economic vitality of the town centre.   This strengthened framework will align fully with the Council’s conservation approach and, while grant funding will not be used for enforcement, the adoption of a clear, city centre specific design code will better support planning enforcement activity where required to act against unauthorised or poor quality alterations helping to safeguard the long-term integrity of the conservation area 1. Do Nothing – Without an adopted Shop Frontage Heritage Grant Scheme the shop owners will face financial burden to ensure their properties are in line with the current and emerging extensive design code update.   2. Restart the process – Pursuing a different grant scheme is unlikely to produce any new options. This approach would leave the City Centre in its current condition, with a great risk of further decline.   3. Proceed without an enhanced City Centre Design Code - Launch the grant scheme using existing policy and guidance. This approach can still target key streets and deliver improvements, but overall coherence across shopfronts is likely to be more limited and less impactful.

Date of Decision: April 7, 2026