Council to benefit from £16 million in Levelling Up Fund after Budget announcement

BARROW is to benefit from a £16 million boost from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund it was revealed today. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak made the announcement as he delivered his…

BARROW is to benefit from a £16 million boost from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund it was revealed today.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak made the announcement as he delivered his Autumn Budget to the House of Commons this afternoon.

The news heralds a bright future for Barrow, according to the leader of Barrow Borough Council, Cllr Ann Thomson.

She said: "We have great ambitions for Barrow town centre and its future development. The announcement today that our Levelling Up Fund application has been successful is cause for huge celebration.

"An enormous amount of effort went into producing a compelling bid. Our focus now will switch to delivering the very exciting projects that we identified, including: adding a food hall, improved stall spaces, and a soft play area to Barrow Market; creating a new exterior and façade on Duke Street, creating a link between The Forum and Barrow Market and improving connectivity in the town.

"Coupled with the Town Deal funds we have already secured, Barrow now has more than £40m of inward investment earmarked for a series of very exciting projects. The future looks very bright."

Barrow was the only authority in Cumbria to earn a priority one status from the Government’s list of applicants for the £4.8bn Levelling Up Fund.

The fund’s goal is to regenerate town centres in the country, assist cultural and heritage institutions, and build up transport projects.

Projects included in the fund bid were:

• Work to the Market Hall which would see the ground floor of the building regenerated to include improved stall spaces, a food hall, soft play area for children

• A new look exterior offering a shared entrance with improved access to The Forum and Barrow Market

• Better connectivity with the rest of the town through improvements to transport infrastructure and the public realm