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RDA grant aid enables farmer to create business centre

A Gloucestershire farmer is progressively converting his old farm buildings into a rural business centre, with the aid of a grant from the South West Regional Development Agency.

Richard Padfield, who farms at The Hawthorns, Staunton, north of Gloucester, needed to replace a range of cramped, outdated buildings with modern facilities to make his 800-acre farm more efficient, but the cost was prohibitive. So he looked into ways of using the old buildings to generate income.

Three of the old buildings were converted some years ago out of Richard’s own pocket to provide facilities for local companies. Then he found that the RDA was offering Agricultural Redundant Building Grants (available for one year only) of up to 25% of eligible project costs up to a ceiling of £250,000. He has embarked on a further conversion programme, to adapt three more buildings to offices, which will be completed this year. For this the agency has granted £21,800.

Once Richard is able to find tenants for the current phase, he plans to replace yet more of his buildings with modern facilities and develop the business centre further. His ultimate vision is of a rural business centre with nine office buildings and three to four workshops, accommodating several dozen staff, with landscaped parking areas and surroundings.
‘I’ve found that many small firms welcome the chance to work from a peaceful rural environment rather than a commercial business park’ he said. ‘With the economic difficulties facing farming, this is an excellent way forward. The RDA funding made it all possible.’
The aim of the Agricultural Redundant Building Grant scheme, now discontinued, was to encourage agricultural diversification. The traditional Redundant Building Grant
scheme is still available in the Rural Priority Area of Gloucestershire, currently the Forest of Dean.

The South West RDA was created in April 1999. Its statutory purposes are:
-to further the economic development and regeneration of the region
-to promote business efficiency, investment and competitiveness
-to promote employment
-to develop the skills relevant to employment
-to contribute to sustainable development where appropriate.

Press Release By The South West Regional Development Agency (2001)
RDA grant aid enables farmer to create business centre A Gloucestershire farmer is progressively converting his old farm buildings into a rural business centre, with the aid of a grant from the South West Regional Development Agency. Richard Padfield, who farms at The Hawthorns, Staunton, north of Gloucester, needed to replace a range of cramped, outdated buildings with modern facilities to make his 800-acre farm more efficient, but the cost was prohibitive. So he looked into ways of using the old buildings to generate income. Three of the old buildings were converted some years ago out of Richard’s own pocket to provide facilities for local companies. Then he found that the RDA was offering Agricultural Redundant Building Grants (available for one year only) of up to 25% of eligible project costs up to a ceiling of £250,000. He has embarked on a further conversion programme, to adapt three more buildings to offices, which will be completed this year. For this the agency has granted £21,800. Once Richard is able to find tenants for the current phase, he plans to replace yet more of his buildings with modern facilities and develop the business centre further. His ultimate vision is of a rural business centre with nine office buildings and three to four workshops, accommodating several dozen staff, with landscaped parking areas and surroundings. ‘I’ve found that many small firms welcome the chance to work from a peaceful rural environment rather than a commercial business park’ he said. ‘With the economic difficulties facing farming, this is an excellent way forward. The RDA funding made it all possible.’ The aim of the Agricultural Redundant Building Grant scheme, now discontinued, was to encourage agricultural diversification. The traditional Redundant Building Grant scheme is still available in the Rural Priority Area of Gloucestershire, currently the Forest of Dean. The South West RDA was created in April 1999. Its statutory purposes are: -to further the economic development and regeneration of the region -to promote business efficiency, investment and competitiveness -to promote employment -to develop the skills relevant to employment -to contribute to sustainable development where appropriate.