Helen Edmonds£830 million funding boost for England's high streets
Up to £830 million from the Future High Streets Fund will be invested in 72 areas across England in what the government describes as a “major boost for local high streets”.
The funding is aimed at transforming high streets into vibrant hubs for future generations as well as protecting and creating thousands of jobs.
In a key milestone for the government’s levelling up agenda, this investment is also designed to help areas recover from the pandemic while also driving long term growth.
The government hopes it will enable the delivery of ambitious regeneration plans and fund new local projects such as improvements to transport infrastructure, new homes and the transformation of underused spaces.
Swindon and Sunderland City Centre have been granted the most funding at £25 million each while other town centres set to benefit range from Dover in Kent, which has been awarded just over £3 million, to Penzance in Cornwall, which will receive £10 million.
Communities Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said: “The year ahead will be a big one for the high street as it seeks to recover, adapt and evolve as a result of the pandemic. Today’s £830 million investment from the Future High Streets Fund is one of many ways the government is working to help our much-loved town centres get through this and prosper into the future.
“The role of high street has always evolved. We want to support that change and make sure that they are the beating heart of their local community – with high quality housing and leisure in addition to shops and restaurants.
“This investment will help us build back better and make town centres a more attractive place to live, work and visit.”
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, added: “We are supporting our high streets to get through this pandemic through business grants, paying people’s wages and tax deferrals. The Future High Streets Fund will help areas bounce back through regeneration projects that level up opportunities and create jobs right across the country.”
The Future High Streets Fund was launched in December 2018 to help renew and reshape town centres – making them a more attractive place to live, work and visit.
Fifteen areas across England have been awarded a confirmed £255 million from the Future High Streets Fund. A further 57 areas have received a provisional funding offers totalling up to £576 million and we will be working with them to finalise their proposals.
The 15 places who are receiving full funding are:
Tamworth Town Centre – Tamworth, £21,652,555
Sunderland City Centre – Sunderland, £25,000,000
Sutton – Sutton, £11,346,704
Bishop Auckland – Durham, £19,856,853
Blyth Town Centre – Northumberland, £11,121,059
Kidderminster – Wyre Forest, £20,510,598
Old Kent Road – Southwark, £9,605,854
Swindon – Swindon, £25,000,000
Stockport – Stockport, £14,500,000
10.Winsford – Cheshire West and Chester, £9,980,000
11.Sheffield High Street – Sheffield, £15,817,001
12.Blackfriars, Northern City Centre – Worcester, £17,939,000
13.Birkenhead – Wirral, £24,581,011
14.Brierley Hill High Town Centre – Dudley, £9,985,689
15.Stretford – Trafford, £17,605,674
The 57 places receiving provisional funding offers are:
Leamington Town Spa, Warwick (Warwickshire) – £10,015,121
Nuneaton Town Centre, Nuneaton and Bedworth (Warwickshire) – £13,362,736
Wolverhampton City Centre – £15,760,196
Walsall – £11,439,967
Newcastle-Under-Lyme – £11,048,260
Stafford – £14,377,723
Tottenham, Haringey – £10,019,648
Woolwich Town Centre, Greenwich – £17,150,964
Wealdstone, Harrow – £7,448,583
10.Putney Town Centre, Wandsworth – £1,058,706
Elland Town Centre, Calderdale (West Yorkshire) – £6,310,812
Northallerton, Hambleton (North Yorkshire) – £6,085,013
Rotherham – £12,660,708
Halifax – £11,762,823
Barnsley Towns Centre – £15,624,456
Scunthorpe – £10,675,323
New Ferry, Wirral – £3,213,523
Wigan – £16,633,691
Crewe – £14,148,128
Rochdale (Greater Manchester) – £17,080,458
Farnworth, Bolton (Greater Manchester) – £13,306,817
Oldham – £10,750,237
Kirkham Town Centre, Fylde – £6,290,831
Maryport Town Centre, Allerdale – £11,527,839
Carlisle City Centre – £9,129,874
Plymouth City Centre – £12,046,873
Barnstaple, North Devon – £6,548,876
Newton Abbot, Teignbridge – £9,199,364
Paignton, Torbay – £13,363,248
Kingswood, South Gloucestershire – £12,555,464
Salisbury City Centre – £9,355,731
Penzance, Cornwall – £10,403, 112
Trowbridge, Wiltshire – £16,347,056
Yeovil – £9,756,897
Taunton, Somerset – £13,962,981
Loftus, Redcar and Cleveland – £5,833,628
Middlesbrough Centre – £14,170,352
Stockton – £16,543,812
South Shields – £5,959,187
Derby City Centre, St Peters Cross – £15,034,398
Sutton-in-Ashfield (Nottinghamshire) – £6,279,872
Grantham, South Kesteven (Lincolnshire) – £5,558,818
Grimsby (North East Lincolnshire) – £17,280,917
Nottingham City Centre, West End Point – £12,523,981
Heanor, Amber Valley – £8,592,837
Northampton – £8,442,730
Buxton, High Peak – £6,608,223
Dover Town Centre and Waterfront – £3,202,226
Newhaven, Lewes – £5,004,939
Chatham Town Centre, Medway – £9,497,720
Ramsgate, Thanet – £2,704,213
Commercial Road, Portsmouth (Hampshire) – £3,122,375
Fratton, Portsmouth – £3,858,489
High Wycombe – £11,886,876
St Neots, Huntingdonshire – £3,748,815
March High Street, Fenland – £6,447,129
Great Yarmouth – £13,774,430