More than £17-million has been secured from the Future High Streets Fund to help create a new future for Grimsby town centre.
In a major boost for local high streets, up to £830 million from the Future High Streets Fund will be invested in 72 areas across England, Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick announced on 26 December 2020.
Investment will support areas to recover from the pandemic and help transform underused town centres into vibrant places to live, work and shop.
The funding will help these areas transform their high streets into vibrant hubs for future generations and to protect and create thousands of jobs.
Welcoming the funding, Cllr Philip Jackson, Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said:
“We’re absolutely over the moon that we can take this work forward and help re-build the economy of the town centre. After a particularly difficult year for everyone, this is fantastic news.
“The vision for the town centre is really exciting, and really complements the work on the ground at the moment at St James’ Square and Garth Lane.’’
Grimsby has secured a provisional funding offer of £17,280,917.
As previously reported, the proposals were worked up jointly by the council and the owners of Freshney Place, assisted by a range of specialists with experience of the developing retail and leisure sectors to address the challenges faced by town centres across the country.
The wholescale transformational offer was put together to deliver real change for Grimsby – helping the town adapt to changing visitor needs and requirements and making it a place for everyone to come together and enjoy.
Cllr Jackson added:
“We want to take everyone with us as we progress this plan. Change is not just desirable to recreate our town centre, it’s vital and this is Grimsby’s biggest and best chance to look at what is really required to create a new future and support wider local economic recovery.
“ Today’s news, along with the additional funding we’re seeking for the wider regeneration of the area following endorsement from the Greater Grimsby Board, offers a hugely exciting future for our town centre and in the New Year we’ll be looking in more detail about how to progress things as soon as we can. This really is terrific news for not just Grimsby, but the whole borough.”
In a key milestone for the government’s levelling-up agenda, this investment will help areas to recover from the pandemic while also driving long term growth.
It will enable the delivery of ambitious regeneration plans, drawn up by places, and fund new local projects such as improvements to transport infrastructure, new homes and the transformation of underused spaces.
The funding will also help to protect and create thousands of jobs in a range of industries, delivering opportunities and prosperity to communities across England.
The Future High Streets Fund was launched in December 2018 and is a key part of this government’s plan to renew and reshape town centres – making them a more attractive place to live, work and visit. £107 million of the Future High Streets Fund has been allocated to DCMS to support the regeneration of heritage high streets.
Read more at www.gov.uk/government/news/830-million-funding-boost-for-high-streets
Article from NELC.
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