£28m Worcester Towns Fund hopes to bring opportunity to the city
It's part of the Government's £3.6bn Towns Fund
Worcester City Council has submitted £28m bid to the Government's £3.6bn Towns Fund which hopes to bring job and upskilling opportunities to the city.
It sets out how the money will be used for the development of various projects around the city to deliver long-term economic growth and support recovery from Covid-19 pandemic.
Last year Worcester was one of 101 towns across the UK to be given the opportunity to create a Town Investment Plan (TIP), making a compelling pitch for the funding.
The Worcester Towns Fund Board, which comprises 14 local organisations, has worked with residents and businesses over the past 12 months to agree on potential projects that the funding could support.
Sally Ellison, project co-ordinator and Worcester Community Action, said:
"As a city we have low skills and salaries compared to the national average.
"Us at the voluntary sector really have the opportunity to promote these new projects to the people who live in the city and connect them with training and skills opportunities.
"We're especially enthralled at targeting these opportunities to people in some of our more deprived communities too.
"I think this will be a real boost for the voluntary sector to help engage local communities in these projects and really help with the recovery of the pandemic".
Cllr Adrian Gregson, Deputy Leader of Worcester City Council, said:
"Worcester is a city of many strengths, but we also have considerable challenges too. This comprehensive plan will invest in training for all and provide more opportunities for our deprived communities.
"It will also expand Worcester's tourist economy by enhancing our heritage assets and investing further in the riverside.
"As we recover from the pandemic, this plan will ensure that the City and the people who live here can benefit from long-term sustainable growth".
Worcester's Towns Fund bid proposes six projects:
Build a Severn Centre for Health and Wellbeing: This will be a major new regional centre to support the education and training of health professionals. The Centre will make a vital contribution to recovery from COVID-19 and will help to meet local and national nursing and health professional shortage.
Unlock Shrub Hill's potential: Redevelop the First Bus Depot site and use this canal side area to build 350 new homes and create 2,000m² of commercial / employment space, create a new pedestrian and cycle route between the Shrub Hill Railway Station, Shrub Hill Regeneration area, and the city centre, and build 3,000m² Enterprise Centre and build approximately 100 new homes on the current Isaac Maddox House site.
Help local people to develop new skills: Expand the offering of Worcester's community centres to provide inclusive, safe and high-quality training facilities in deprived communities.
A second 'Building Block' construction skills centre will be created in Dines Green, building on the success of the existing one in the Warndon Community Centre. The Centres would also help people to develop basic IT skills and will offer more arts and cultural activities, delivered as part of The Arches-Worcester initiative.
Improved transport links to connect communities to opportunities: Create new walking and cycling routes, linking communities to opportunities for employment, education and leisure. Build the proposed Kepax bridge across the river and Gheluvelt Park, secure cycle parking in the city centre and neighbourhoods and introduce a city bike-hire scheme
Making the most of Worcester's riverside as a destination: Support a range of projects to improve the attractiveness of the riverside as a visitor destination, increasing visitor numbers and economic benefit to the city.
Increase heritage tourist numbers: Promote and link our multitude of heritage assets to provide a compelling tourist attraction that will increase visitor numbers and length of stay.
Develop the national profile of The Commandery, modernise the story of the Worcestershire Soldier at the City Museum and Art Gallery, raise the quality of the interpretation at the Guildhall and create a new arts exhibition centre in the city.