Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick has announced that up to £830 million from the Future High Streets Fund will be invested in 72 areas across England announced today (26 December 2020).
The funding is intended to help these areas transform their high streets into vibrant hubs for future generations and to protect and create thousands of jobs, helping areas to recover from the pandemic while also driving long term growth.
It will enable the delivery of ambitious regeneration plans, drawn up by places, and fund new local projects such as improvements to transport infrastructure, new homes and the transformation of underused spaces.
The funding will also help to protect and create thousands of jobs in a range of industries, delivering opportunities and prosperity to communities across England. Confirmed plans include:
- £24.6 million to support the delivery of 186 new homes, road safety improvements and a permanent new space for the historic market in Birkenhead.
- £17.9 million to boost Worcester town centre by renovating the Scala Theatre and Corn Exchange, transforming underused space to create new homes for first time buyers and improving connectivity.
- £25 million for Swindon’s plans to modernise its town centre, including a new public transport hub and improved cycle and pedestrian routes.
Communities Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said:
“The year ahead will be a big one for the high street as it seeks to recover, adapt and evolve as a result of the pandemic. Today’s £830 million investment from the Future High Streets Fund is one of many ways the government is working to help our much-loved town centres get through this and prosper into the future.
“The role of high street has always evolved. We want to support that change and make sure that they are the beating heart of their local community – with high quality housing and leisure in addition to shops and restaurants.
“This investment will help us build back better and make town centres a more attractive place to live, work and visit.”
The Future High Streets Fund was launched in December 2018 and is a key part of the government’s plan to renew and reshape town centres – making them a more attractive place to live, work and visit. £107 million of the Future High Streets Fund has been allocated to DCMS to support the regeneration of heritage high streets.
Fifteen areas across England have been awarded a confirmed £255 million from the Future High Streets Fund. A further 57 areas have received a provisional funding offers totalling up to £576 million and the government will be working with them to finalise their proposals.
The 15 places who are receiving full funding are:
- Tamworth Town Centre – Tamworth, £21,652,555
- Sunderland City Centre – Sunderland, £25,000,000
- Sutton – Sutton, £11,346,704
- Bishop Auckland – Durham, £19,856,853
- Blyth Town Centre – Northumberland, £11,121,059
- Kidderminster – Wyre Forest, £20,510,598
- Old Kent Road – Southwark, £9,605,854
- Swindon – Swindon, £25,000,000
- Stockport – Stockport, £14,500,000
- Winsford – Cheshire West and Chester, £9,980,000
- Sheffield High Street – Sheffield, £15,817,001
- Blackfriars, Northern City Centre – Worcester, £17,939,000
- Birkenhead – Wirral, £24,581,011
- Brierley Hill High Town Centre – Dudley, £9,985,689
- Stretford – Trafford, £17,605,674
The 57 places receiving provisional funding offers are:
- Leamington Town Spa, Warwick (Warwickshire) – £10,015,121
- Nuneaton Town Centre, Nuneaton and Bedworth (Warwickshire) – £13,362,736
- Wolverhampton City Centre – £15,760,196
- Walsall – £11,439,967
- Newcastle-Under-Lyme – £11,048,260
- Stafford – £14,377,723
- Tottenham, Haringey – £10,019,648
- Woolwich Town Centre, Greenwich – £17,150,964
- Wealdstone, Harrow – £7,448,583
- Putney Town Centre, Wandsworth – £1,058,706
- Elland Town Centre, Calderdale (West Yorkshire) – £6,310,812
- Northallerton, Hambleton (North Yorkshire) – £6,085,013
- Rotherham – £12,660,708
- Halifax – £11,762,823
- Barnsley Towns Centre – £15,624,456
- Scunthorpe – £10,675,323
- New Ferry, Wirral – £3,213,523
- Wigan – £16,633,691
- Crewe – £14,148,128
- Rochdale (Greater Manchester) – £17,080,458
- Farnworth, Bolton (Greater Manchester) – £13,306,817
- Oldham – £10,750,237
- Kirkham Town Centre, Fylde – £6,290,831
- Maryport Town Centre, Allerdale – £11,527,839
- Carlisle City Centre – £9,129,874
- Plymouth City Centre – £12,046,873
- Barnstaple, North Devon – £6,548,876
- Newton Abbot, Teignbridge – £9,199,364
- Paignton, Torbay – £13,363,248
- Kingswood, South Gloucestershire – £12,555,464
- Salisbury City Centre – £9,355,731
- Penzance, Cornwall – £10,403, 112
- Trowbridge, Wiltshire – £16,347,056
- Yeovil – £9,756,897
- Taunton, Somerset – £13,962,981
- Loftus, Redcar and Cleveland – £5,833,628
- Middlesbrough Centre – £14,170,352
- Stockton – £16,543,812
- South Shields – £5,959,187
- Derby City Centre, St Peters Cross – £15,034,398
- Sutton-in-Ashfield (Nottinghamshire) – £6,279,872
- Grantham, South Kesteven (Lincolnshire) – £5,558,818
- Grimsby (North East Lincolnshire) – £17,280,917
- Nottingham City Centre, West End Point – £12,523,981
- Heanor, Amber Valley – £8,592,837
- Northampton – £8,442,730
- Buxton, High Peak – £6,608,223
- Dover Town Centre and Waterfront – £3,202,226
- Newhaven, Lewes – £5,004,939
- Chatham Town Centre, Medway – £9,497,720
- Ramsgate, Thanet – £2,704,213
- Commercial Road, Portsmouth (Hampshire) – £3,122,375
- Fratton, Portsmouth – £3,858,489
- High Wycombe – £11,886,876
- St Neots, Huntingdonshire – £3,748,815
- March High Street, Fenland – £6,447,129
- Great Yarmouth – £13,774,430
The outputs listed are locally reported and will undergo further quality assurance before being finalised and confirmed in grant offer letters.