{"id":472448,"date":"2023-01-19T12:59:10","date_gmt":"2023-01-19T12:59:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.constructionnews.co.uk\/?p=472448"},"modified":"2023-01-19T12:59:10","modified_gmt":"2023-01-19T12:59:10","slug":"more-than-100-projects-scoop-2-1bn-levelling-up-funding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.constructionnews.co.uk\/government\/more-than-100-projects-scoop-2-1bn-levelling-up-funding-19-01-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"More than 100 projects scoop \u00a32.1bn levelling up funding"},"content":{"rendered":"

More than 100 projects across the UK will share \u00a32.1bn from the second round of the government\u2019s levelling up fund, including major transport, tourism and city regeneration schemes.<\/p>\n

A total of 111 areas have been promised grants, which aim to drive economic growth, restore local pride and spread opportunity to \u201chistorically overlooked areas\u201d.<\/p>\n

But construction figures have warned local councils that \u201cthe clock is ticking\u201d to meet the March 2025 deadline for completing their projects.<\/p>\n

The awards include \u00a3672m towards better transport links, \u00a3821m to support regeneration and \u00a3594m for heritage sites.<\/p>\n

The largest grants include \u00a350m for the Eden Project Morecambe (pictured below), which will create a \u201cworld class visitor attraction\u201d at Morecambe seafront.<\/p>\n

The project is being delivered by the team behind the first Eden Project eco-attraction in Cornwall, alongside Lancaster University, Lancaster City Council, Lancashire County Council and the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership.<\/p>\n

The partners will need to secure the same amount again from private and philanthropic sources to fully fund the \u00a3100m project.<\/p>\n

Lancaster Council leader Caroline Jackson said Morecambe was \u201conce more very firmly on the map\u201d. She added that the project \u201cpresents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reinvent and rejuvenate Morecambe into a 21st-century seaside resort and I\u2019m excited to see work start this year\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Other awards include \u00a340m to Blackpool and Wyre councils towards a new carbon-neutral university campus, and \u00a320m to Gateshead Council to develop new venues at Gateshead Quays including an arena, exhibition centre and hotels.<\/p>\n

Transport projects receiving funding include the \u00a31bn \u2018Cardiff Crossrail\u2019 scheme<\/a>, which will receive \u00a350bn in support of plans to create a light rail line between Cardiff Bay and Cardiff Central stations.<\/p>\n

Cornwall Council has also been granted \u00a350m for the Mid Cornwall Metro, a rail-improvement scheme that will create a direct service linking Newquay, St Austell, Truro and Falmouth.<\/p>\n

The recipients include a range of city regeneration projects, such as \u00a320m towards developing a large brownfield site in Stoke. The \u2018Etruscan Square\u2019 scheme will see the creation of a 500-seat arena, a hotel and apartments.<\/p>\n

Stoke City Council leader Abi Brown said: \u201cThis is a major development opportunity, on one of the largest cleared brownfield inner-city sites. It will transform a significant part of our city centre with outstanding leisure, retail, residential and commercial opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hull will receive \u00a319m for city-centre regeneration and Walsall will receive \u00a320m towards its \u00a3210m regeneration plans.<\/p>\n

Heritage awards include nearly \u00a318m to renovate the Grand Pavilion in Porthcawl and \u00a320m to restore the Grade II-listed Haigh Hall in Wigan.<\/p>\n

The recent announcements follow the allocation of \u00a31.7bn to 105 projects in the fund\u2019s first round in 2021. The government has\u00a0 confirmed that a third round of funding will follow.<\/p>\n

Willmott Dixon national head of land and development Richard Sterling said that \u201cthe clock is ticking\u201d for councils, since \u201cthe money could go straight back to Whitehall\u201d if projects are not completed by March 2025.<\/p>\n

He recommended starting the procurement process in parallel to developing a planning submission to allow for extra time on construction.<\/p>\n

He also recommended that going through a well-established procurement framework could help reduce the time taken and allow councils to benefit from cross-industry expertise.<\/p>\n

Arcadis UK\u2019s cities director Peter Hogg agreed that it would be critical for local authorities receiving funding \u201cto move quickly and decisively\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe deadline for spending the money of March 2025 is a challenging one \u2013 particularly as inflation has soared in the interim,\u201d he said. \u201cAuthorities will need to rapidly move projects through the design phases, complete any land acquisition, secure planning approvals, appoint contractors and move into delivery.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hogg added that with more than \u00a3350m going to projects in London and the South East, \u201cit’s good to see levelling up moving away from Punch and Judy politics and looking more than ever like a serious policy to address inequality and ignite growth\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

More than 100 projects across the UK will share \u00a32.1bn from the second round of the government\u2019s levelling up fund, including major transport, tourism and city regeneration schemes. A total of 111 areas have been promised grants, which aim to drive economic growth, restore local pride and spread opportunity to \u201chistorically overlooked areas\u201d. But construction …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":89657,"featured_media":472460,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[547,549,57172,565,546],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n