Harlow Council is preparing to bid for up to £25million worth of funding from the government’s Towns Fund and, as part of this, is inviting residents to view proposals for four projects.
The council has already secured £1m from the fund, which will be invested in improvements to Harlow town centre, but is now preparing to submit the full bid at the end of October.
A Town Investment Plan has been put together as part of the final stage of the bid. The plan is made up of four proposed projects, which focus on:
· Improving the transport links and connectivity in the Harlow town centre. This includes improving public spaces to make the town centre safer and more attractive and a new transport and commercial hub in Terminus Street.
- Improving Staple Tye neighbourhood through providing new workspace for businesses and creating new jobs.
- Developing the Templefields Enterprise Zone through improving access via a new Cambridge Road and River Way junction.
- Increasing local skills opportunities through Harlow College’s plans for the Institute of Technology (a reserve project which we will look to fund if we are able to).
You can view the full details of these four projects at www.harlow.gov.uk/business/regeneration/towns-fund
These projects have been based upon many years of town centre consultation, wider economic and regeneration plans and the recent feedback through the government’s MyTown initiative.
The council would like to get the thoughts of local residents and businesses on these proposals and are inviting feedback by email [email protected] and through the council’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
The government’s Towns Fund is a £3.6 billion fund created to help develop towns and cities and recover from the impact of COVID-19.
The government expect this to be achieved through investment in urban regeneration, skills and enterprise infrastructure and connectivity.
The council has worked with the newly established Harlow Growth Board – a partnership of key stakeholders from the public, private and third sector which have a strong presence in Harlow – to help shape the bid, coordinate regeneration activity in the town and put together the Town Investment Plan.
The Town’s Fund bid follows the council’s work with the Future High Streets Fund which is also focussed on the town centre, as well as our bid to the South East Local Enterprise Partnership for the Getting Building Fund to accelerate our Harlow Science Park development.
Councillor Mark Ingall, Leader of Harlow Council, said: “We are working closely with partner organisations to secure much-needed investment in improving our town and creating opportunities for residents and businesses. We have already secured £1m from the Towns Fund and we are hopeful of securing more funding to support further projects. At the end of July we also submitted proposals to the Future High Streets Fund to support the regeneration of Harlow town centre with proposals to improve Market Square and Playhouse Square.
“This funding could make a real difference to our town, creating job and training opportunities for residents and supporting business at a vital time in our town’s recovery from coronavirus. We will continue to work with partners to pursue other regeneration opportunities to secure an exciting future for Harlow.”
Dr John Keddie, Chair of the Harlow Growth Board, said: “The Town Investment Plan and the proposals for the bid have the backing of all of the Growth Board members who are working together to ensure the Harlow gets the very best deal it can from government. We think that Harlow with its location at the heart of the UK Innovation Corridor between London and Cambridge and planned growth as part of a Garden Town makes it a great investment opportunity. Not only would the regeneration of Harlow benefit our own town’s recovery it would benefit the recovery of the eastern region too.”
