Mayor of London Boris Johnson has granted £20m to regenerate riot-hit Croydon and Tottenham.
The £20m government funding announced today brings the total of the mayor’s London Enterprise Fund to transform London’s businesses hit by the riots to £70m.
Funding will be used to improve transport infrastructure, purchase and rebuild affected properties, and fund business rate relief.
Tottenham and Croydon had already been singled out as regeneration priorities before the riots, but the need to invest has become more urgent following four-days of violence and looting earlier this month.
Johnson said: “We will rebuild and repair every part of our city that has been damaged and help London’s businesses get back on their feet. For the most badly affected areas, Tottenham and Croydon, it is vital we also use the opportunity to deliver long-term improvements. With this support from government, we can not only restore these town centres but create better, more prosperous places to live, work and invest in.”
Communities and local government secretary Eric Pickles added: “This immediate investment will breath new life into both Tottenham and Croydon and enable them to get to grips with the unique challenges they face.”
joanna.bourke@estatesgazette.com
