MONEY has been made available to help North Yorkshire businesses improve their workspace.

The property grants scheme is run by North Yorkshire County Council.

More than £2m has been provided for the initiative by the European Regional Development Fund and Yorkshire Forward.

Councillor John Fort, the county council's executive member for community services, said: "The property grants scheme is helping a wide variety of businesses across the county to develop high-quality workspace in areas where demand for such units is high.

"This enables them to diversify from their core business into other areas, therefore having a positive effect on the local economy, as well as benefiting the individual applicant."

Firms need to be based in Objective Two areas of the county to qualify for a grant.

Four companies have already benefited from the scheme. These include DP Developments Limited, of Melsonby, near Richmond, which secured a grant to convert two redundant farm buildings into 14 work units.

DM Electronics Limited, of Leyburn, received money to build a workspace unit on their site to rent out to another firm.

For more information about the scheme, contact Rita Lawson on (01609) 532275.