Almost £40 million of funding from the government’s £2.1bn Levelling Up fund will be granted to projects in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, it was announced today (19 January 2023).
Over 100 projects from across the UK have been awarded funding from Round 2 of the government’s Levelling Up Fund. Funding to the value of almost £40 million has been allocated to projects in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, which were put forward via bids in 2022.
The Levelling Up Fund was first introduced in 2020 with the aim of creating opportunities across the UK by:
- improving jobs, pay and living standards
- making streets safer
- protecting health and wellbeing
- investing in high streets and town centres
- improving local transport
The bids put forward by businesses across the UK detailed projects which would be put in place to support these aims. Today, the government has announced where that funding will be allocated.
In total, £2.1 billion funding has been split in three ways:
- £672 million to develop better transport links
- £821 million for community regeneration
- £594 million to go towards restoring local heritage sites
A bid from Herefordshire Council for the Hereford City Transport Package has been awarded £19,990,449. The project will boost local people’s use of public transport with better cycle lanes, improved station facilities and new safety measures for pedestrians.
Malvern Hills District Council put forward a bid for the Malvern Theatres which has been awarded £19,941,040. An outdoor theatre and new studio spaces will level up access to the arts in Malvern with a £19.9 million funding injection, improving opportunities for young people and attracting 135,000 visitors.
Support for projects in Herefordshire and Worcestershire will be a huge boost to the local economy, promoting opportunities for businesses and individuals in our counties.
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.”
Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce looks forward to supporting the local councils and the businesses who will be delivering these exciting new projects in 2023.
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