New leveling up funding will provide a major boost to high streets and improve transport links – today £1bn has been awarded to 55 transformative projects in communities across the UK.

These include improvements to the fishing sector and sustainable jobs in Torbay, breathing new life into treasured heritage and cultural buildings in three former mining communities in Doncaster and the essential funding needed to transform Blackpool’s town center transport network.

As part of this, £150 million will be allocated to develop better transport links across the country and £825 million to kick-start regeneration in town centres. This will create new jobs and opportunities, drive economic growth and revitalize communities.

Leveling up Secretary Michael Gove said:

Leveling up means meeting local people’s priorities and achieving transformative change in communities that, for too long, have been ignored and undervalued.

Today we are supporting 55 projects across the UK with £1 billion to create new jobs and opportunities, boost economic growth and revitalize local areas.

This funding builds on our wider initiatives to spread growth, by transferring more money and power from Westminster to towns and cities, delivering tailored interventions to the places that need it most and our Long Term Plan for Cities .

The funding is spread across all corners of Britain, with the North West receiving £128 million, the North East £59 million, Yorkshire and the Humber £169 million and the Midlands £171 million in total.

The government has drawn on the impressive array of bids that narrowly missed out on funding in the second round, but were assessed as high quality and capable of rapid delivery.

It is a testament to how many excellent projects have been put forward and championed by local MPs and councilors that this round of funding has been awarded within the pool of bids previously submitted.

This will boost the Prime Minister’s priority of growing the economy by leveling it up and providing the foundations to build a better future in communities across the UK.

Since 2021, the Leveling Up Fund has helped drive prosperity and pride in communities across the UK. In the first two rounds of the Leveling Up Fund, £3.8 billion has been awarded to 216 ongoing projects.

For example, supported by £20 million from the first round of the Leveling Up Fund, Bolton School of Medical Sciences plans to welcome students from September 2024, providing a new facility to support young people in Bolton and attract talent from out of town.

And in Portsmouth, a new carbon-neutral ferry terminal opened earlier this year as part of money from the first round of the fund, which will provide a significant economic boost by helping the International Port handle an extra 250,000 passengers a year.

Today’s announcement follows the £1bn Long Term Plan for Cities unveiled last month, to empower communities across the UK to take back control of their future through local priorities; revitalize high streets, tackle anti-social behaviour, improve transport and grow the local economy.

This commitment to cities follows other initiatives designed to support cities, including boosting economic growth in 101 areas through the Cities Fund and the £1bn Future High Streets Fund, which is creating thriving high streets.

More information

The government has drawn on the impressive set of bids submitted in the second round that we were unable to fund at the beginning of the year, but which were assessed as high quality and capable of being delivered quickly. We will work closely with local authorities to ensure that funds allocated to projects can make a difference to communities as quickly as possible.

The full list of projects is available to view online. here

We have directed funding to the places most in need in Britain, as assessed through our Leveling Up Needs metrics, which take into account a wide range of metrics including skills, wages, productivity and health. We have also taken care to ensure that every part of Britain benefits from this round of funding. A complete methodological note has been published.

In Northern Ireland, given the current absence of a functioning Executive and Assembly, the Government is not carrying out this round of the Leveling Up Fund at this time. We will continue to work closely with projects and venues in Northern Ireland which were awarded a total of £120 million in the first two rounds of the Fund.

Level up commitments

Today’s allocations also add to the important steps the government has already taken to improve communities across the country. This includes opening 12 Freeports, signing 5 devolution agreements, connecting 740,000 homes and businesses with gigabit broadband and helping 195 community groups take ownership of their prized pubs, clubs and local landmarks at risk of closing.

Town Deals has been providing funding of up to £25 million to 101 towns to boost local economies outside big cities and deliver vital infrastructure. Projects are already underway and funding has already boosted town centers and local high streets.

The government also announced last month that 55 cities will receive £20 million of grant funding each over 10 years to invest in local people’s priorities through the Long Term Plan for Cities.

Revitalize towns and cities

In this round of the Leveling Up Fund, more than £825 million from round three is being provided to regenerate towns and cities across almost 50 projects, helping to boost high streets and grow local businesses.

Pembrokeshire will receive more than £10.5 million to improve public accessibility across the city of Pembroke, focusing on Westgate, Eastgate and general environmental improvements.

In South Tyneside, £20 million will be given to South Shields Riverside to use on three projects. This includes the redevelopment of the Grade II listed Customs House cultural centre, an innovative Center of Excellence in the Holborn Renewable Energy Network and accommodation as part of the relocation of South Tyneside College.

Billingham Town Center in Stockton-on-Tees will receive £20 million to create a vibrant, modern town center that protects its retail businesses and levels its high street. The town of Elgin in Scotland will receive £18 million to transform it into an urban center and help the region attract and retain high-productivity businesses.

Improve transport connections

£150 million from the Leveling Up Fund has been allocated to eight projects across the UK to improve transport links. All of these projects are in Leveling Up Priority Places.

This includes £48 million for major improvements to the Penistone line in Yorkshire to help the reliability of train journeys between Sheffield and Huddersfield. The funding will also help improve station facilities such as electric vehicle charging points, car clubs, bike rentals and parcel delivery lockers.

Scotland will receive £13.8 million to level up funding to improve transport connectivity in Dumfries and Galloway, including new electric vehicle charging for cars, electric buses and charging infrastructure, improvements to cycle routes and new transport hubs in five cities region of.

The Isle of Wight will receive £13.6 million to deliver the Island Green Link, which will provide cycling and pedestrian infrastructure stretching from Ryde in the east to Yarmouth in the west of the island. This will help residents and visitors get across the island and unlock the potential for new homes and jobs.

Fulfilling the North

19 projects across the North East, North West and Yorkshire and Humber will receive a total of £356 million in leveling up funding, almost a third of the total allocations provided in this round.

Keighley, in Yorkshire, known for its history in textiles such as wool and cotton processing, will receive £19.8 million to boost its strong manufacturing heritage. Increased funding will contribute to the creation of a new Advanced Engineering and Robotics Institute to support the expansion of the advanced engineering and manufacturing industry.

£15.4 million will transform Blackpool town centre, improving traffic flow, access to public transport and cycling and walking infrastructure.

In Newcastle Upon Tyne, £19.4 million was funded to create a restoration facility, aimed at maintaining river use and dock access to support economic activities, unlock hundreds of new jobs, meet the needs of the marine energy sector and increase international investment. trade.