County to bid for £50m level up cash

A BID for £50million of government cash to boost Lancashire – with the focus on the east of the county – was set for approval on Thursday.

Lancashire County Council’s cabinet will discuss the draft of its submission to the national £4.8billion ‘Levelling Up’ fund covering its 12 districts.

They include Rossendale, Hyndburn, Burnley, Ribble Valley, and Pendle. The bid has to be in Whitehall on July 6.

The fund is designed to invest in infrastructure that improves everyday life across the UK.

The £4.8bn fund will support town centre and high street regeneration, local transport projects, and cultural and heritage assets.

The bid will prioritise levels of employment, health, physical activity, air quality, car ownership, road accidents, walking and cycling, and bus and rail services. Officials have assessed that parts of East Lancashire will be the most likely to benefit and have the greatest potential to meet the fund’s objectives.

They have proposed three thematic interventions for the districts of Rossendale, Burnley, Hyndburn, and Pendle. They are:

Creating ‘Liveable Neighbourhoods’ by making places attractive to investors, by connecting places and communities, providing access to jobs, and boosting high streets and residential areas;

Improving public transport by upgrading its infrastructure cutting and journey times to boost economic opportunities;

Promoting active travel by connecting existing and proposed routes for leisure purposes, increasing walking and cycling footfall, to improve health and well-being.

A Rossendale council spokeswoman said: “The council is working up its bid to the Levelling Up Fund and intends to submit its bid in July. The bid will comprise an exciting package of proposals to improve Rossendale’s town centres.”