Housing secretary Robert Jenrick has announced that more than 100 towns in England will share £80m to boost regeneration and help them “build back better”.
The funding, which ranges from £500,000 up to £1m per town, will be used to support schemes such as adding new green spaces, creating pop-up business areas, pedestrianising streets to encourage walking or cycling, and community hubs to support those living alone.
Unveiling the fund, Jenrick said: “This £80m funding for immediate investment is a real boost for our towns and will help them thrive with investment in transport, technology, skills, and culture.
“It will give towns [the] opportunity to drive economic growth and improve prospects for their communities, which will be vital as the country responds to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.”
The £80m regeneration boost represents a portion of the government’s overall £3.6bn Towns Fund.
This initial round of funding has been released now to get some projects off the ground and give local areas the boost they need, the government has said.
All 101 towns selected to work toward a Town Deal were given a funding allocation with proposals submitted to the MCHLG in August, before being reviewed by officials and a final decision made by ministers.
A Town Deal is an agreement in principle between government, the lead council, and the Town Deal board that aims to set out a vision and strategy for the town in question and what actions each party agrees to take to realise that vision.
Read next: Stock revaluation boosts provider’s balance sheet by £100m
Are you a social housing professional? Sign up for a FREE MEMBERSHIP to upload news stories, post job vacancies, and connect with colleagues on our secure social feed.