Place Based Investment Programme Fund

The Place Based Investment Programme is currently open for Expressions of Interest (EOI).

The 2020-21 Programme for Government announced the creation of a Place Based Investment Programme Fund with £275million of capital funding to support community led regeneration, town centre revitalisation, community wealth building and 20-minute neighbourhoods.

In 2023/24 Aberdeen City Council received £590,000 of Place Based Investment Programme funding.

The Grant is to be used in the financial year it is awarded and is solely for capital expenditure. It is essential that expenditure will be met, or at least work or contracts signed or commenced by 31 March of that financial year.

How to express an interest

Please complete the EOI Form and email it to externalfunding@aberdeencity.gov.uk.

Expression of Interest Form248 KB

If you have any queries about the application process, please email externalfunding@aberdeencity.gov.uk

It is expected that all bids will demonstrate how they support the implementation of the Local Outcome Improvement Plan.

Local Outcome Improvement Plan6.23 MB

Place Based Investment Guidelines174.48 KB

It is advised all applicants to read through The Place Based Investment Programme guidance prior to completing and submitting their EOI form.

Aberdeen City Council will respond to all EOI’s received following an initial eligibility assessment. Eligible projects will then be supported to draft a full application and provided with the necessary forms and guidance documents.

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FAQs

What are the main objectives of the Place Based Investment Programme Fund?

To link and align place-based initiatives and establish a coherent local framework to implement the Place Principle;
To support place policy ambitions such as town centre revitalisation, community led regeneration, 20 minute neighbourhoods and Community Wealth Building;
To ensure that all place-based investments are shaped by the needs and aspirations of local communities;
To accelerate ambitions for net zero, wellbeing and inclusive economic development, tackling inequality and disadvantage, community involvement and ownership.

Definition of Place Based Principles

What is place? Place is where people, location and resources combine to create a sense of identity and purpose, and is at the heart of addressing the needs and realising the full potential of communities. For more information https://www.gov.scot/publications/place-principle-introduction/
What is 20 minute neighbourhood? A neighbourhood location where people can access most of their basic needs within a 20-minute walk.
What is community wealth building? It aims to tackle the challenges of rising inequality by placing a greater degree of control and wealth into the hands of local people, communities, businesses and organisations.
What is community led regeneration? It puts civic leaders, residents, local businesses and civil society organisations in the driving seat for the regeneration of their area, strengthen their local economy, and improve their opportunities.
What is Town centre revitalisation? Town centre regeneration is a holistic process of reversing economic, social and physical decay where it has reached a stage in a particular town centre when market forces alone will not be sufficient to tackle the problems identified.

What tools and resources are available to help understand Place Based Principle?

Understanding Scottish Places (USP): a unique and dynamic online tool which shows how every town in Scotland with a population of 1,000 or more is interacting with its surrounding settlements and performing against a range of indicators and inter/dependency relationships.
Place Standard: a framework designed to support communities, public, private and third sectors to work efficiently together to assess the quality of a place. A new web-resource on place-based working is in development and will contain on-line resources, case studies and toolkits to support place-based working and 20 Minute Neighbourhoods.
USP Your Town Audit: add to USP a six-day study which provides the standard benchmark for measuring the health of a Scottish town.
Town Centre Toolkit: guidance on designing and planning town centres to be attractive, accessible and active, focusing on urban design, quality, sustainability and use of town assets.

What types of projects has Aberdeen City Council funded previously?

Union Terrace Gardens Play Park Proposal – as a part of multi-million-pound regeneration project of the area, to increase footfall in the city centre.
Aberdeen Arts Centre - Children’s Theatre project - To install accessible toilets and ramp.
Aberdeen Performing Arts for the Repair, Rebuild, Revitalise project - to install LED lighting, purchase new equipment, extend the stage and install window facing digital screens.
Aberdeen Inspired for the City Centre Parklets Phase 2 project - To extend the highly successful ‘Parklets’ concept to Geoge Street.
Woodside Gateway for the Street Design project. - a new mini-park that creates a warm welcome to the neighbourhood through sculpture, planting and the reinstatement of the fountain.
Greyhope Bay for the Greyhope Bay Centre project - A dolphin viewing centre, community/ education space and café at Torry Battery.
Donside Village for the Tillydrone Gateway Feature. - To install a contemporary piece of art on the south side of the Diamond Bridge.