Town is set for £17 mil backing for high streets
ROCHDALE is one of the areas which has received a provisional £17m funding offer from central government’s Future High Streets fund.
Rochdale could receive a total of £17,080,458 to transform the high street.
The investment will support areas to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and help transform underused town centres into vibrant places to live, work, visit and shop.
The plans will help protect and create thousands of jobs nationwide as part of the government’s levelling up agenda.
Coun John Blundell, Cabinet Member for A Thriving Economy, welcomed the announcement.
He said: “In Greater
Manchester there are three key players - Manchester, Stockport, and Rochdale.
“The government has chosen to give money to these areas and because the council has got its ducks in a row, with what our vision is for the town, we have been able to catch this money more successfully than other neighbouring boroughs.
“It’s part of a broader picture. We will be able to answer questions like what we’re doing with the former Marks and Spencers building.
“I welcome it - high streets are going to take a knock because of the pandemic with people moving online.
“But Rochdale has just built its new Riverside development, which sees a consolidation of shops.”
High streets across the North West have been awarded up to £66.7 million to help them implement ambitious local plans to transform their high streets for generations to come, the government confirmed on December 26.
The announcement comes as Mr Jenrick confirmed allocations of up to £830m funding to regenerate high streets across England as part of the government’s flagship £1 billion Future High Streets Fund.
In a key milestone for the government’s levelling up agenda, this money with help areas to recover from the pandemic while also driving long term growth.
Ambitious local plans involve improvements to transport infrastructure, new homes, the transformation of underused spaces and job creation.
The funding will also help to protect and create jobs in a range of industries, delivering opportunities and prosperity to the local community.
From improving transport and access into town centres to converting retail units into new homes, plans will deliver long-term impacts that drive growth, raise living standards and ultimately help level up the regions.
Minister for High Streets Kelly Tolhurst said: “Towns across the North West have a proud history of industry and commerce, and we are supporting them to preserve this heritage for future generations.
“The year ahead will be a big one for high streets in the North West, with government investing across the region to help create vibrant places that communities are proud of, supporting recovery from the pandemic and delivering on our Plan for Jobs.”