100 towns prepare to submit Town Investment Plans

The 100 places selected for the government’s £3.6 billion Towns Fund will now be able to draw up their proposals for a multi-million pound investment

The 100 places selected for the government’s £3.6 billion Towns Fund will now be able to draw up their proposals for a multi-million pound investment, the Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government Simon Clarke MP has announced this week.

On 27 July 2019, the Prime Minister announced that the £3.6 billion Towns Fund would support an initial 100 town deals across England. 

A Town Deal is an agreement in principle between government, the Lead Council and the Town Deal Board. It will set out a vision and strategy for the town, and what each party agrees to do to achieve this vision

The government latest announcement provides further Towns Fund guidance which sets out the key information local leaders need to prepare for a Town Deal and develop proposals in the form of a Town Investment Plan.

It comes in the week that non-essential retail begins to reopen in our towns as they look to recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Through the guidance, communities, businesses and local leaders will now be able to work together and draw up ambitious plans to transform their town’s economic growth prospects with a focus on improved transport, broadband connectivity, skills and culture.

Simon Clarke MP, Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government said: 'Ensuring that every part of this country has the opportunity to grow and prosper is at the heart of the mission of this Government, and our Towns Fund is an essential part of making sure that our communities have the level of investment they need to drive jobs and economic growth.

'Investment in our towns is needed more than ever as we move to the next stage of the economic recovery from Covid-19, and the Fund will play an important part in the kick-starting of our economic recovery and levelling up our regions.

'With this new guidance, communities, businesses and local leaders will now be able to work together to draw up their ambitious plans bring investment and growth to their local area.'

The 100 selected places will now have 4 weeks to decide whether or not to submit a Towns Investment Plan by 31 July 2020 or, in a later cohort, by either October 2020 or early 2021.

All 100 places will be supported throughout the development of their Town Investment Plans by the Towns Hub, which consists of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Towns Fund Delivery Partnership led by Arup.

The Arup-lead consortium has been selected by the UK Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to help authorities in assessing the £3.6bn Towns Fund. The consortium includes Copper Consultancy, Grant Thornton UK LLP, FutureGov, Nichols and Savills. The 100 places that have been selected for the government’s Towns Fund, will submit their proposals for a multi-million-pound investment, in the form of a Town Investment Plan.

The Town Investment Plan involves ambitious ideas required to transform their towns with a focus on improved transport, broadband connectivity, skills and culture. All the 100 selected places will be supported by the Towns Hub, which comprises the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Arup-led Towns Fund Delivery Partnership.