£675M TO TRANSFORM CITY CENTRES

The city council is investigating whether to make a bid for government funding from a new pot of money designed to help historic High Streets.

In a new initiative, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has allocated £675m to help transform town and city centres into “modern vibrant community hubs”.

Up to £55m of the fund has also been specifically set aside to support the regeneration of ‘heritage high streets’, helping to restore historic high street properties for new work spaces or cultural venues.

High Streets minister Jake Berry said: “We all know high streets are changing, we can’t hide from this reality.

“But we’re determined to ensure they continue sit at the heart of our communities for generations to come.

“To do this we have to support investment in infrastructure, boosting local economies and ensuring people are able to get the most out of their local high streets.

“Empowering leaders on the ground is key too – they best understand the challenges facing their areas.

“Our Future High Streets Fund will drive forward this change, transforming our town centres into the thriving community hubs of the future.”

The council’s plans for a £650,000 scheme to refurbish St George’s Street remain in its budget, but are unlikely to attract the grant funding.