Budget 2023 | £120m for North West regen

Eight councils have secured support for projects, with several previously denied Levelling Up support now finding favour.

The funding promised in Jeremy Hunt’s Budget is split between two specific programmes: Capital Levelling Up support and capital regeneration projects.

Three North West projects, each of which missed out on support from the Levelling Up Fund allocations announced in January, will receive a combined £58m in the CLU programme.

Nationally, the CRP scheme is allocating £200m across 16 projects. Of these, five are in the North West, worth a combined £59.9m

Capital levelling up

• Stockport, £20m | Allowing Stockport to deliver the Marple Activities Community Hub, comprising a swimming pool, library, gym, community space, fitness studio and play park, along with walking and cycling routes linking the hub to Marple town centre
• Sefton, £20m | Towards the first phase of repurposing the council-owned Strand shopping centre and wider transformation of Bootle town centre, a project towards which Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has awarded £2m to support pre-development work and a business case for future phases. K2 Architects and Avison Young are advising.
  

  K2 maps out a much-changed Strand. Credit: via Tuesday Media

• Rossendale, £17.9m | Leader Cllr Alyson Barnes said the council had worked hard to “maintain the pressure” on government after missing out with its LUF bid. The authority will focus on reconfiguring Rawtenstall market, redeveloping the existing Bacup market, creating a new skills centre in Rawtenstall and streamlining the gyratory system in Rawtenstall

Rawtenstall Market will be overhauled. Credit: Rossendale Council

Capital regeneration projects

• Blackburn with Darwen, £20m | Award follows a £20m commitment in January’s Levelling Up round two, covering transport upgrades including M65 Junction 5. The new funding will go towards an education campus at Blackburn Business Innovation District. The government has elsewhere committed £25m towards Darwen’s £100m Town Deal
• Tameside, £19.9m | Stalybridge will benefit from this funding, following earlier support promised for Ashton-under-Lyne’s market square. The Stalybridge package includes major refurbishment work at the Civic Hall, which will house the Astley Cheetham art gallery and library. Brownfield development will also be supported.
  

  Gallery and library space will be created at the hall. Credit: Tameside Council

• Wigan, £6.6m | Another project that missed out on Levelling Up round two support, Our Future Ashton plan for Ashton-in-Makerfield, secured support this time. Improved shop fronts, upgraded streets and public spaces, new walking and cycling routes and a refresh for the market square are recommended
• Salford, £5.4m | Eccles will receive £5.4m towards town centre regeneration after missing out on LUF support in 2022. Salford  City Council is on the front foot in Eccles, buying the district’s 200,000 sq ft shopping centre for £4.15m in December as it seeks to revamp the area with a wider blend of property uses
  

  A wholesale transformation is planned in Eccles. Credit: Salford Council

• Blackpool, £8m | This cash will be used to support the Hotel Indigo development at the former Abingdon Street main post office. Government also stated that the success of its ‘deep dive’ intervention in the town had contributed to expanding the idea of Levelling Up Partnerships.

The Levelling Up Partnerships programme, under which local authorities including Blackburn with Darwen, Oldham and Rochdale will be invited to form partnerships, is a £400m scheme aimed at tackling the council areas most in need of support.