Over 100 projects given share of £2bn levelling up fund

Projects across the UK have been given multi-million-pound funding from the Government as part of its levelling up agenda.

The Government has announced £2 billion for more than 100 projects across the UK.

Among the projects earmarked for funding is the Eden Project North in Morecambe, which received £50 milliont.

The Cardiff Crossrail plan was also allocated £50 million, while the government said that a new roll-on, roll-off ferry for Fair Isle in the Shetlands would get nearly £27 million.

The £2.1 billion funding has been split in three ways:

• £672 million to develop better transport links
• £821 million for community regeneration
• £594 million to go towards restoring local heritage sites

Other projects getting a share of the £2bn

Among the projects set to benefit from the funding is the planned regeneration of Gateshead Quays and the Sage, which will receive £20 million, while £5.1 million has been provided to build new female changing rooms in 20 rugby clubs across Northern Ireland.

Blackpool Council and Wyre Council will receive £40 million to deliver a new Multiversity, a carbon-neutral, education campus in Blackpool.

A £50 million grant will help create a new direct train service, linking four of Cornwall’s largest urban areas: Newquay, St Austell, Truro, and Falmouth/Penryn.

Here are some of the other projects getting funding:

• £20m to regenerate Accrington town centre
• £18 million for a transformation of Cleethorpes seafront
• The construction of Willenhall Garden City in Walsall will be accelerated by a £20 million grant
• More £17 million will level up Leek Town Centre through a refurbishment plan
• Nearly £18 million to transform the Grand Pavilion in Porthcawl
• £20 million to restore the Grade II listed Haigh Hall in Wigan
• £40 million for the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to transform its bus services
• The North East Combined Authority will receive nearly £20 million to buy more than 50 new electric buses.
• Belfast International Airport will receive £2.3 million to purchase an electric bus fleet,

10 projects in Scotland will also share £177 million of the levelling up funding.

Almost £27 million will be sent to Shetland for a new ferry for the Fair Isle, £20 million will help turn Arbuthnot House in Aberdeenshire into a museum and library as well as modernising Macduff Aquarium, and £20 million will refurbish the Palace Theatre in Kilmarnock.

The announcement of the funding comes alongside the launch of a new interactive map, which shows which projects in your area have received funding.

Rishi Sunak reiterates his commitment to levelling up

The Department for Levelling Up promised that the latest round of levelling up funding would deliver much-needed economic growth and new jobs to communities across the country, as the Prime Minister promised to “build a future of optimism”.

Mr Sunak said: “Through greater investment in local areas, we can grow the economy, create good jobs and spread opportunity everywhere.

“That’s why we are backing more than 100 projects with new transformational funding to level up local communities across the United Kingdom.

“By reaching even more parts of the country than before, we will build a future of optimism and pride in people’s lives and the places they call home.”

The levelling up vision was one pioneered by former prime minister Boris Johnson, who promised to “level up” towns and communities across the UK.

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said the support would see the Government “firing the start gun” on a range of projects.

He said: “This new funding will create jobs, drive economic growth, and help to restore local pride. We are delivering on the people’s priorities, levelling up across the UK to ensure that no matter where you are from, you can go as far as your talents will take you.”

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt called it a “major down payment on local jobs, growth and regeneration”, with confirmation too of a further round of the levelling up fund.

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