Eight councils share £127m Levelling Up Fund boost
Manchester City Council’s Wythenshawe regeneration project has received a £20m injection from the government, while Blackpool, Wirral, and Wigan were among the other authorities successful in the third round of awards.
Eight councils in the North West have been given a combined £127m to support various regeneration projects.
Ahead of this week’s autumn statement, the government has released a list of councils whose bids for cash from the £4.8bn Levelling Up Fund have been approved.
The North West winners are:
- Manchester City Council – Regenerating Wythenshawe town centre – £20m
- Tameside Council – Destination Denton – £16.7m
- Chorley Council – Town centre improvements and civic square development – £20m
- Bolton Council – Bolton town centre north regeneration project – £20m
- Wirral Council – Renewal of Liscard town centre – £10.7m
- Blackpool Council – Blackpool Town Centre Access Scheme (TCAS) – regeneration-focused transport investment – £15.3m
- Westmorland and Furness Council – Heart of Kendal – £13.4m
- Wigan Council – Leigh town centre £11.3m
Manchester City Council’s bid for cash from the Levelling Up Fund for Wythenshawe was originally turned down earlier this year.
Indeed, all of the successful bids in the third round of the Levelling Up Fund were previously unsuccessful. The government took another look at those bids in a “move away from the competitive approach of rounds one and two”, according to the government.
The £20m the city council has been awarded will go towards transforming Wythenshawe town centre, a project that could see the delivery of 1,600 homes on land the council acquired last year.
The authority is currently in the process of procuring a development partner for the project.
“Our transformational plans have been moving at pace,” said Leader Bev Craig.
“We were disappointed to miss out on the previous round of levelling up funding that we hoped would be a springboard for the ambitious plans we have for the town centre and the surrounding sites.
“Our commitment to this programme of investment hadn’t wavered, and we carried on with getting the project moving but confirmation of this £20m will provide the kickstart we hoped for to drive the regeneration and deliver for local people a new public square, new shops, new jobs and new affordable housing.”
To learn more about the region’s growth areas, attend Place North West’s Emerging Development Hotspots event next year.
Wirral on the money once again. Fair play. This whole ‘left bank’ thrust seems to have the boosters on.
By Birket Boy
Well said Birket Boy!
By Piermaster
If I had nodded off to sleep in 2003 and just woken up one of the few constants would be Manchester City Council going on and on about the regeneration of Wythenshawe
By Tannoy
Another round of funding Crewe has missed out on. Crewe’s bid was funding for the Nantwich Road (Station) Bridge Enhancement, part 3 of the link between the town centre and railway station
With HS2 gone, funding for station improvements cut, Royal Arcade on hold and only 2 rounds of levelling up funding (the lowest amount of any 2019 Tory gained seat) – its no wonder locals have given up hope for change
By Anonymous
Good for Wythenshawe. Keep going with the regeneration, home more data centres, bring more jobs and ideally rebuild The Golden Garter. Not holding out too much hope for the last one but if you don’t ask….
By Anonymous