BUSINESSES in Darlington town centre could soon be given grants to help improve their premises.

The new funding is being made available to encourage investment and regeneration, as part of the borough council's controversial 'pedestrian heart' scheme.

Preliminary work on the £6.5m project is already under way after it gained approval from Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott's office.

Heritage campaigners waged a lengthy, but unsuccessful, battle against the removal of Victorian features from High Row.

Now the council is urging shop owners to improve the appearance of their properties by taking advantage of a grant aid scheme.

Regional development agency One NorthEast has provided £150,000 for the initiative. It will run over three years, with £25,000 available this financial year, £50,000 in 2006/7 and £75,000 in 2007/8.

The grants would be offered for 50 per cent of the cost of external work to shop fronts, up to a maximum of £10,000 per property. That could be increased for shops which front on to more than one street.

A council spokesman said: "We hope the grants will make it possible to open some vacant shops, which would help improve the town centre economy."

To be eligible for funding, a property must be within the town centre conservation area or a street fronting on to streets in the pedestrian heart scheme.

Any building owned by the council, a Government department, the Post Office or the owners of the Cornmill and Queen Street shopping centres will be excluded.

It is estimated that about 250 properties will be eligible and those that are in the greatest need will be approached by council officers who will suggest the owners apply.

The council's cabinet is being recommended to approve the setting up of the scheme when it meets on Tuesday.