Budget 2023 | Regen winners in West and South Yorkshire
Rotherham and Kirklees were the two Yorkshire beneficiaries among 16 councils set to share £200m in Levelling Up support, having initially failed in January.
Coming as a surprise to many of the local authorities concerned, around £211m of funding was announced across 16 projects in the Capital Regeneration Projects suite of awards made by chancellor Jeremy Hunt yesterday.
All 16 projects had been put forward for Levelling Up support previously.
Rotherham secured £20m for its Principal Areas of Growth bid, which covers the creation of a new mixed-use development in Wath town centre, along with delivering a £12m improvement programme in and around Dinnington’s high street and market – this will include developing a new public square, clearing burnt-out buildings and investing in the outdoor market.
The borough had previously secured close to £40m for its main town centre and to develop the leisure economy.
Alex Stafford, MP for the Rother Valley, said the announcement “proves that funding is available for ‘shovel-ready’ projects across Rother Valley and South Yorkshire” adding that “Rotherham council must ensure that a vision and plans are in place for all our communities so that they can take advantage of the opportunities to receive the funding needed to revitalise their areas”.
Kirklees can also dust off plans thought to have been stymied, bagging £5.6m to support the redevelopment of the New Mills complex in Marsden as a mixed-use project including retail, offices and apartments.
Known locally as Crowther’s Mill, on Brougham Road, the 3.6-acre mill complex was closed down 20 years ago. Again, the scheme has been driven forward with the help of a local MP, in this case Jason McCartney, along with Kirklees Council’s director of regeneration David Shepherd.
Demonstrating that its levelling up mantra remains part of its thinking, the government also announced that Levelling Up Partnerships, with the ability to access a £400m funding pot, will be set up in local authorities of greatest need. Hull, Wakefield and Doncaster are included among these.
A third round of Levelling Up Fund bidding will take place later this year, with £1bn being made available.
