First Pilot Areas To Receive Future High Streets Fund

03/01/2020

First 14 pilot areas to receive Future High Streets Fund

The government has named the first 14 pilot areas to benefit from the Future High Streets Fund, which will support local areas’ plans to make their high streets and town centres fit for the future.

The first 101 places to benefit from up to £25 million each were announced over summer. In the latest step of the £3.6 billion Towns Fund, 20 pilot areas across England will lead the way in rejuvenating town centres.

They will be supported by the High Streets Task Force, which will give face-to-face support, access to cutting-edge research, new online training and local footfall data.

The first 14 areas, which were announced by Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick on 30 December 2019, are as follows:

1. Salford – Swinton Town centre
2. Croydon – Thornton Heath
3. Staffordshire Moorlands – Cheadle
4. Rushmoor – Aldershot Town Centre
5. Birmingham – Stirchley
6. Hyndburn – Accrington Town Centre
7. South Lakeland – Kendal
8. Preston – Friargate
9. Coventry – Coventry City Centre
10. Hartlepool – Hartlepool Town Centre
11. Cheshire West and Chester – Ellesmere Port Town Centre
12. Sandwell – West Bromwich Town Centre
13. Knowsley – Huyton Town Centre
14. Manchester – Withington District Centre

Commenting is Communities Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick. “This government is investing £3.6 billion in our great towns, including £1 billion to help our high streets to adapt and evolve while remaining vibrant and safe places at the heart of our communities.

“Having announced the first 101 high streets that can benefit from £25 million each back in the summer, I am announcing support from our new High Streets Task Force for a further 20 places and naming 14 of these. The Task Force will provide the tools they need to get the best advice possible and a dashboard of key local data.

“Central to the mission of this new government is levelling up towns and regions, ensuring prosperity and opportunity are available to everyone. Over the course of 2020, we will invest hundreds of millions into projects to transform our town centres and support bespoke plans to meet the needs of individual local communities.”