West Midlands projects given share of £2bn levelling up fund
The Willenhall Garden City, Hereford city transport package and Telford's Palace Theatre are among the recipients
Projects across the West Midlands 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.
Projects include new homes in Willenhall, a leisure centre in Rowley Regis and improved public transport in Hereford.
The projects will create jobs, drive economic growth, help restore people’s pride in the places where they live and spread opportunity more equally.
West Midlands projects getting a share of the £2bn
A total of 8 projects in the West Midlands have been allocated more than £155 million from round two of the government’s flagship Levelling Up Fund:
- £20 million will kickstart the delivery of over 500 new homes connecting local people in Willenhall to jobs, parks and new rail station. This is part of the area’s £210 million regeneration plans.
- £19.8 million will kickstart major road works in Staffordshire, including the A38 and A511, to unlock housing and improve bus lanes and journey times.
- £20 million will remodel the Palace Theatre in Telford to deliver a rich cultural programme for local people as well as improve the Sixth Form College to encourage more young people into higher education.
- £17.1 million investment will modernise Leek’s Victorian market halls, upgrade the local library, museum and exhibition space, and build a new swimming pool.
- Our £17.1 million investment will modernise Leek’s Victorian market halls, upgrade the local library, museum and exhibition space, and build a new swimming pool.
- Hereford will receive £19.9 million to boost local people’s use of public transport with better cycle lanes, improved station facilities and new safety measures for pedestrians.
- £18.7 million will accelerate the regeneration of brownfield land into a new waterside development in Shrewsbury. Better transport links into the local rail station will ensure this project benefits the entire area.
- A new leisure centre in Rowley Regis will replace the old Haden Hill Leisure Centre with £20 million in a huge boost the local area that will revive sport and leisure facilities.
- An outdoor theatre and new studio spaces will level up access to the arts in Malvern with a £19.9 million funding injection, improving opportunities for young people and attracting 135,000 visitors.
The announcement of the funding comes alongside the launch of a new interactive map, which shows which projects 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.