It's great to hear about the £140,000 of funding to regenerate shop fronts in Towcester town centre, as part of a developer agreement with South Northants Council to allocate money to the scheme. The project is aimed at improving the ground floor of freehold and leasehold properties along the high street, and is part of a wider push for beautification and the improvement of the town's appeal.

The scheme continues the work of the Moat Lane regeneration project in making Towcester a hub for shopping in the area, and proposals for a similar scheme for Brackley are currently being drafted. Whilst great efforts have been made to improve parking in Towcester, the regeneration of the high street will allow for a fresh look at the use of spaces in the market square. Of course, the biggest achievement for the town will be the early delivery of the Towcester relief road and I am working closely with SNC, the developers, and the Towcester Bypass Action Group to push for this.

The Towcester Shop Front Improvement Grants project is open to applications for all shops facing the high street, with the deadline being Wednesday, 30 November 2016. The application form can be downloaded from the Council's website at www.southnorthants.gov.uk/7898.htm. You can also receive an electronic copy by calling 01327 322 216 or by emailing katie.arnold@southnorthants.gov.uk.