The UK Government will provide up to £830m from the Future High Streets Fund to support areas to recover from the pandemic.
The money will be invested in 72 areas across England, Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick announced on 26 December 2020.
The funding will enable the delivery of 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.
Confirmed plans include:
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 £830m 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.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said: “We are supporting our high streets to get through this pandemic through business grants, paying people’s wages and tax deferrals. The Future High Streets Fund will help areas bounce back through regeneration projects that level up opportunities and create jobs right across the country.”
The Future High Streets Fund was launched in December 2018 as part of the government’s plan to renew and reshape town centres, making them more attractive places to live, work and visit.
Some £107m of the Future High Streets Fund has been allocated to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to support the regeneration of heritage high streets.
Jenrick said: “The Future High Streets Fund is just one of the ways the government is supporting the retail and hospitality sector. During the pandemic, we made it easier for areas to adapt to the challenges they faced. This included making it easier to demolish and rebuild unused buildings to create homes with our High Street Homes Permitted Development Rights; providing restaurants, pubs and cafes with the freedom to offer takeaway services; and making it easier for businesses and communities to host markets and stalls so customers can be served safely.
“In May we launched a fund to help councils reopen high streets safely and we recently announced that retailers will be able to extend their opening hours over the festive period to help keep shoppers and staff safe. This month we extended protections from the threat of eviction for businesses unable to pay their rent until March 2021, taking the duration of these measures to one year.
“Our recent proposals for the new Parking Code of Practice will support shoppers visiting their local high street by introducing a tiered approach to private car parking fines and ensuring a fair appeals process.We are also reviewing the provision of public toilets to ensure that there are appropriate facilities for visitors to town centres.”
The funding allocations
Fifteen areas across England have been awarded a confirmed £255m from the Future High Streets Fund. A further 57 areas have received a provisional funding offers totalling up to £576m.
The 15 places receiving full funding are:
The 57 places receiving provisional funding offers are:
The outputs listed are locally reported and will undergo further quality assurance before being finalised and confirmed in grant offer letters.
TransportXtra is part of Landor LINKS
© 2021 TransportXtra | Landor LINKS Ltd | All Rights Reserved
Subscriptions, Magazines & Online Access Enquires
[Frequently Asked Questions]
Email: subs.ltt@landor.co.uk | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7091 7959
Shop & Accounts Enquires
Email: accounts@landor.co.uk | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7091 7855
Advertising Sales & Recruitment Enquires
Email: daniel@landor.co.uk | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7091 7861
Events & Conference Enquires
Email: conferences@landor.co.uk | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7091 7865
Press Releases & Editorial Enquires
Email: info@transportxtra.com | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7091 7875
Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | Advertise
Web design sussex by Brainiac Media 2020