Cornwall could get £100m to help regenerate four town centres
The Council has put a request in for the government cash
Four town centres in Cornwall could be regenerated thanks to a 100 million pound cash boost.
The money would go towards what bosses call 'ambitious' projects in Truro, Camborne, St Ives and Penzance.
Cornwall Council has put a request in to the Government for the cash as part of the Town's Deal Fund.
As announced in September 2019, Camborne, Penzance, St Ives and Truro were among the 100 towns invited to put forward a Town Investment Plan and each seek up to £25million funding for transformation projects that would boost the local economy and open up new opportunities for Cornwall’s residents.
The towns were chosen due to a number of factors linked to their economic and social position and related investment opportunities.
Since the announcement, Cornwall Council has been working closely with the four Town Deal Boards and the Local Enterprise Partnership to develop an ambitious, yet realistic vision through the Town Investment Plans.
The projects – which total over £160m when including additional private and public co-funding - have been submitted to support the transformation of the local high streets and boost economic growth through improved transport, broadband connectivity, development of skills and culture, whilst ensuring the plans align with Cornwall’s ambition for sustainable and green economy.
The four Towns Investment Plans include projects that focus on:
• Enhancing natural and cultural capital, supporting biodiversity to promote wellbeing and productivity.
• Resilience to climate change impacts, ensuring greener, safer, healthier and resilient communities and businesses.
• Empowered, equitable, connected and circular local economies that all members of the community contribute to and benefit from.
• Regenerated vibrant towns and town centres providing important functions relevant to the residents and business community, as well as its historic, natural and cultural assets.
“Our town vitality team at Cornwall Council have worked extremely hard to help the four town boards submit these impressive proposals. With COVID hitting Cornwall’s economy hard and the G7 summit approaching, I hope the Government will look to fund these bids in full. If they do, the towns can look to a much brighter future in coming years.
“We are also working hard with many other towns to help them create plans for their own town centres too. How the Government responds to this first wave of town deals is being closely watched by people right across Cornwall.”
Councillor Tim Dwelly, Cornwall Council Portfolio Holder for Culture, Economy and Planning
“Town Deals are a cornerstone of the Government’s promise to iron out the UK’s lopsided economy. The LEP has helped shape all four Cornish bids and what connects them is a golden thread of ambition. Our towns will always be centres of commerce, community and culture, but they are having to adapt to a changing world, accelerated by the pandemic. These deals respond to that change in a positive and dynamic way. We are totally behind all four submissions and urge Government to give them their full support."
Mark Duddridge, Chair of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership
“Submitting the Town Investment Plan is a really exciting moment for Camborne and something we have been working towards for many months now.
“All the projects have been carefully selected with future needs in mind and we have been seeking and collating local views as much as possible during the planning process.
“This is a milestone moment and we all hope our plans will be approved by government so we can move onto the next stage of development.”
Anna Pascoe, chair of the Camborne Town Deal board
“Truro’s Town Investment Plan represents months of work by our board of volunteers and team. We’re incredibly proud of our proposals which show we are thinking big - positioning Truro as a confident and connected city with a prosperous future.”
Carole Theobald, chair of Truro Towns Fund board
“St Ives Town Deal Board, alongside our community, have worked hard over the past ten months to develop a balanced and wide reaching Town Investment Plan in response to the Government’s levelling up agenda for towns that have been left behind.
“We are excited to submit this ambitious plan that supports inspiring projects for our community and promote further growth and investment in the town.”
Sarah Stevens, chair of St Ives Town Deal Board
“The Penzance and Newlyn’s Town Investment Plan is the result of a huge amount of hard work and effort from our community, and builds on our recent success with the Future High Streets Fund. We have an ambitious plan that focuses on our opportunities, our assets, our coast, our people and our businesses. Making the most of this targeted investment opportunity through the Towns Fund, this plan will be transformational for the town and an enabler for inclusive growth.”
Robert Parsons, Vice Chair of Penzance Town Board