Yesterday morning, East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce CEO Miranda Barker OBE welcomed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt to Accrington Town Hall.
Their visit followed the news of cash injections for some Lancashire councils as part of the Levelling Up initiative.
The North West was the largest recipient of funding in the UK, with Accrington itself to receive £20 million for their bid ‘The Accrington Acre: Our Heritage-Led Town Centre’ – a considerable chunk of the £200 million Lancashire is to receive wholly. The successful bid will see Accrington’s Town Square renovated with vacant and older buildings brought back into use, with Accrington’s historic Market Hall becoming a modern food hall.
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council will also receive £20 million to improve its infrastructure for their bid project, ‘Blackburn Growth Axis Transport Package’, with the aim of tackling congestion and making cycling and walking easier for residents.
Lancashire County Council will be in receipt of £50 million, going towards improving roads and transport – with a good portion of this intended to come to East Lancashire.
Plus, £50 million was also granted to ‘Eden Project North’ in Morecambe, to transform the seafront into an Eden by the Bay – which will feature many of our partners’ low-carbon technologies.
Miranda commented:
“Accrington, Blackburn and elsewhere across Lancashire has secured these most significant investments, by creating strong visions of transformational projects with our local residents, partners and stakeholders, and we have been rewarded.
“Our task now is to use this funding to grow and strengthen our local economies and communities for generations of Lancastrians to come.”
Across the UK, 111 projects were awarded a share of £2.1 billion from Round 2 of the government’s flagship Levelling Up Fund, to create jobs and boost the economy.
Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said:
“We are firing the starting gun on more than a hundred transformational projects in every corner of the UK that will revitalise communities that have historically been overlooked but are bursting with potential.
“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.”
Use this interactive map to find out what projects you will benefit from in your area: levellingup.campaign.gov.uk/projects-near-
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