Six projects in Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin will benefit from the investment from the Getting Building Fund announced by the Government today.

The private sector-led partnership, which works with local councils and the area’s business boards to drive economic growth, said the funding would help the region bounce back from one of the most turbulent times in its history.

Shropshire Council’s Pride Hill remodelling project will receive just over £5m, creating 100 jobs and a further 150 construction jobs. The Pride Hill project is part of a place shaping and long-term investment strategy, with the repurposing of centre creating a more flexible town centre space for the future.

Another £2.38m will go to a project developed by Telford & Wrekin and Wrekin Housing Group to create new healthcare and residential units in Wellington, with another £1m for a Wrekin Housing Group project retrofitting homes with zero carbon technology to tackle fuel poverty.

One of the biggest projects will see new integrated constructed wetlands created in the River Lugg area of Herefordshire to lower high levels of phosphate in surrounding land, allowing the development of employment and housing sites to go ahead. The project will unlock the potential for the creation of more than 1,300 homes in Herefordshire.

Two other Herefordshire projects will also benefit, with works to improve the city centre allocated £3m and NMITE a further £1.6m to develop campus facilities on Skylon Park, Hereford Enterprise Zone.

Chair of the Marches LEP, Mandy Thorn MBE DL said: “This funding will not only help speed up work on existing projects which may have stalled due to coronavirus but will also see the launch of new schemes creating hundreds of homes and jobs.

“We have worked closely with our local authority partners and business boards to secure this £14m, which will also support the training and development of more than 300 new learners through the NMITE investment at Skylon Park and the zero carbon project in Telford.”

The £14m is part of a nationwide ring-fenced fund of £900m announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier in the summer to enable local areas to invest in priority infrastructure projects to drive local growth and jobs.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick MP today confirmed 300 shovel ready projects which will benefit delivering up to 45,000 homes, create up to 85,000 jobs and reduce around 65 million kgs of CO2 emissions across England.

A briefing sheet with more information projects can be found here

Getting Building projects in the Marches LEP region:

Integrated Constructed Wetlands, Herefordshire Council

£1m GBF, £1m match funding for £2m project, expected to create 500 jobs and unlock development for 1,385 homes

Planning applications for housing and employment sites in Herefordshire are being held up because of the high levels of phosphates in land in the River Lugg area. Wetland sites will be created to act as waste water treatment works in the River Lugg area to lower the phosphate levels. Strong environmental benefits as well as economic.

Pride Hill Remodelling, Shropshire Council

£5.02m GBF, £11m match for £16m project, 100 jobs created plus 150 construction jobs.

Remodelling of shopping centre to include leisure and cultural use. Part of a place shaping and long term investment strategy to create a vibrant and sustainable future for the centre attracting residents and visitors alike.

Tackling Fuel Poverty Through Zero Carbon Innovation, Wrekin Housing Group

£1m GBF, £428,000 match, £1.42m project creating 87 jobs, 11 homes and 130 new learners

Delivering zero carbon homes through a combination of energy technologies to be retrofitted or fitted to new homes. Impact is low fuel bills easing fuel poverty and eliminating carbon. Includes solar PV battery storage tech and will see establishment of new training programme via Telford College. Initially will be the retrofit of 68 homes and 11 new builds given funding timescales, focusing on properties with existing planning permission

Hereford City Centre Improvement, Herefordshire Council

£3m GBF, £3m match for £6m project 90 jobs created, 100 homes

Refurbishment of the historic core of Hereford, investment in the streetscape with high quality materials as part of a masterplan to ensure Hereford is vibrant and supports businesses creating new opportunities for visitors and retailers.

Skylon Park Campus Development, NMITE

£1.6m GBF, £10.5 match for £12.3m project, creating 26 jobs, 100 construction jobs and 200 new learners.

Skylon Park is pivotal component of NMITE comprising three cutting edge buildings and teaching facilities. Centre for Advanced Timber Technology; Centre for Automated Manufacturing and Centre for Future Skills. Accelerated funding will bring forward completed of CAM from 2022 to 2021

Stronger Communities – New College Wellington and surrounding site with Wrekin Housing Group, Telford & Wrekin Council

£2.38m GBF, £18.6m match for £21m project. 110 housing units and 40 construction jobs.

New college has been identified as a hub for health care and supported living. Funding will support the development of new residential units at Glebe St and New College.