Five areas in England and Scotland have agreed with the UK Government the details of their Levelling Up Partnership funding.
Boston, Stoke-on-Trent, Wakefield, the Scottish Borders and Tendring have been announced as areas which will receive a Levelling Up Partnership to support regeneration.
In Boston the Government are investing £13m in regeneration and improving access to community sports facilities, including £7m for Boston Leisure Centre and £3.2m to complete Boston United’s community sports complex which supports young people and will include 30 affordable homes. Alongside this, the Government are investing over £1.5m for projects to support community groups and boost tourism and £2.8m for Boston College to acquire and develop the Haven Wharf site to open a digital and creative campus.
In Stoke-on-Trent, the Government are supporting the city by investing almost £6.5m to regenerate the historic and heritage buildings; investing £2.5m to improve recreational facilities and create a new wellbeing campus; and fund the redevelopment of a 19th century building in Burslem, bringing the building back into public use.
In Wakefield the Government are investing over £10m to support regeneration and boost skills, including renovating the Grade II listed Crown Court, £3.25m for Production Park to support the creation of 200 high skilled jobs, £1.5m for the Hepworth Art Gallery and a public art walking route; and building a new voluntary and community sector hub in the city centre.
In the Scottish Borders, the Government are investing over £11m to support local economic development, including hotel development in Galashiels, Crook Inn Bunkhouse, purchase of business units in Eyemouth, and a brownfield fund pot for Hawick. £2.3m will support the bus network, and £6m will support refurbishment and retrofitting of buildings, youth services and village halls.
Subject to local Cabinet approval, Tendring’s Levelling Up Partnership will likely include measures such as £3m to redevelop Clacton Leisure Centre to provide sports facilities and integrated health and wellbeing services, £2m to unlock the delivery of an urgent treatment centre and primary care facility at Clacton Hospital, and £2.5m to provide a new walking route across Tudor Fields, alongside other interventions to support regeneration.
All the Levelling Up Partnerships will be subject to business case.
