Government hands out £1bn in levelling up funds

Some £1bn of capital from round two of the Levelling Up Fund has been awarded, with more than 50 places across the UK benefiting. The cash has been awarded to projects up and down the country, including transport and infrastructure improvements and town centre regeneration schemes. In Tottenham, N17, Haringey Council has secured £20m to transform the Selby Centre into a new “urban village” providing community facilities, office space and a boxing club for young people. In Gateshead, the council has been awarded £20m to bring forward the Sage, a new development in the city that will provide a 12,500-capacity entertainment arena, exhibition and conference centre and public space for events. Martin Gannon, leader of Gateshead Council, said: “As a council, we are dedicated to ensuring the Sage is delivered, so that we can deliver employment opportunities to our residents of Gateshead and beyond. The economic benefits of the Sage will radiate across the region out as local businesses and hospitality benefit from the increase of trade.” Plans to regenerate brownfield and heritage sites in Hartlepool to create a new centre for television and film production have also been boosted with the award of £16.4m.  Mike Young, leader of Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “This scheme has the potential to completely transform this part of the town centre, creating 131 jobs and bringing huge benefits to Hartlepool and its residents as a whole. It will enable us to develop a thriving screen industries sector, attract inward investment and create a range of new job opportunities for local people.” Other regeneration projects allocated levelling up funding include: £19m for revitalise Lewisham market, library and upgrade the south London borough’s high street; £17m to refurbish the Victorian market halls in Leek town centre in Staffordshire; and £19.5m to bring key waterside sites in Weymouth, Dorset forward for residential and commercial development. Projects supported by the funding round include: Accrington town square is set to be transformed with £20m of funding, allowing the market hall to be refurbished and transformed into a new food hall and trading area Canterbury city centre in Kent, which has collected £19.9m to renovate a number of key heritage sites in the city and to transform public squares for events Preston has been given £20m for parks and travel infrastructure Reading in Berkshire got £19.1m to invest in Reading Central Library and the Hexagon Theatre Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has been awarded £20m to transform Guisborough town centre, unlocking housing in Middlesborough Blackpool has been awarded £40m for a “multiversity”, a new education campus Oldham has secured £20m for three projects in the town County Durham, Tyne & Wear and Northumberland have been awarded £19.5m collectively to improve the availability and quality of sustainable transport options across the North East Wigan has been given £20m to restore its Grade II listed Haigh Hall Hartlepool has been awarded £16.4m to create a screen industries production village in the centre of town Bexhill in East Sussex has secured £19m to transform and upgrade the De La Warr pavilion on the seafront Cumbria has been given £17.8m to upgrade 30km of highways Farnborough has been awarded £20m for a new leisure and culture hub Cleator Moor has secured a further £20m for its industrial solutions hub Gateshead has won £20m to bring forward its Sage arena Northumberland has won £14.7m to build new cycling and pedestrian routes Swale Borough Council has been allocated £20m for three projects including the Beachfields regeneration on the seafront St Helen’s has secured £20m to upgrade Earlestown town centre Dover has got £18m to transform brownfield land on Bench Street into a centre for education, business and creativity Ellesmere Port has secured £13.3m for three key projects to transform the town centre Trafford Council has been awarded £18m to upgrade Partington Sports Village Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council has been allocated £20m to improve transport infrastructure Tees Valley has been awarded £18m to improve cycling and walking routes Slough has got £9.3m to improve the Farnham road corridor Knowsley Council has secured £15.3m to improve access to leisure facilities in Halewood Cumberland Council has been allocated £9.5m for transport and culture projects in Workington Hereford has secured £19.9m for transport investment Dagenham Heathway has been given £10.8m for affordable housing provision Shropshire has been awarded £18.7m for two projects in Shrewsbury £19m has been awarded to transform the Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire into a new town centre Lewisham has secured £20m for its town centre regeneration Somerset Council has been given almost £20m to turn the old Bridgewater hospital into a new facility for developing the skills of the care sector workforce Bournemouth has secured £19.9m to restore seafront facilities Barnsley has got £10m to improve opportunities for young people North East Lincolnshire Council has been given £18m to revitalise Cleethorpes seafront and town centre Hackney Council has got £19m to regenerate the town centre £14.1m has been awarded in Belmont to double the number of trains running between it and London Victoria, unlocking the potential of the London Cancer Hub Staffordshire County Council has got £20m for transport projects Staffordshire Moorlands District Council has got £17m to regenerate Leek town centre Malvern has got £19.9m to transform its theatre North Somerset council has secured £20m for several sites in Weston-Super-Mare Kirkless Council has been given £12m for the regeneration of Batley town centre North Lincolnshire Council has got £20m for transport project in Barton Southampton has received £20m to improve the city’s outdoor sports centre Exmouth has been awarded £15.7m for transportation links Appledore in Devon has secured £15.6m for the creation of the Appledore clean maritime innovation centre Bristol has secured £14.5m to regenerate Filwood Broadway Dorset has been given £19.5m to regenerate Weymouth town centre London Transport has secured £43.1m to transform Colindale station and Leyton station Waltham Forest has got £17m for culture projects London Borough of Camden has secured £7.7m to deliver a “healthy and connected neighbourhood” across Haverstock, Gospel Oak and Kentish Town South Walsall has got £20m to turn Willenhall into a modern residential neighbourhood Mid Cornwall has been allocated £50m for travel projects Haringey Council has secured £20m to transform the Selby Centre in Tottenham into a new urban village.