A £1.5m grants scheme has been rolled out across Worcestershire aimed at breathing new life into the rural economy.

Worcestershire's Property Service has welcomed the introduction of the redundant buildings grant scheme, which offers grants to companies to convert or refurbish unused buildings, bringing them back into business use.

Though originally launched in 2003, the scheme has only recently been rolled out to cover the whole of the county. Applicants can apply for up to £62,500, or 25 per cent of eligible project costs.

Geoff Palmer, of Worcestershire's Property Service, which helps businesses find their ideal premises in the county, said: "We know that there is a high demand for high quality workspace across the county from the number of enquiries we are dealing with."

The scheme also covers Shropshire and Herefordshire and since last October there have been nine successful applications and 88 enquiries from within Worcestershire.

For details call Dorothy Coleman on 01432 383616 or email rbgscheme@herefordshire.gov.uk