14 pilots receive funding to boost town centres

The first 14 of 20 pilot areas, many of them in the North, to receive tailored expert support to assist in rejuvenating their town centres has been announced by by Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government.

The first 101 places to benefit from up to £25 million each from the Future High Streets Fund were announced over summer. In the latest step of £3.6 billion investment in towns and high streets, 20 pilot areas across England will lead the way in rejuvenating town centres with expert and tailored support from the High Streets Task Force before this offer is rolled out across the country later this year.?

The first fourteen places that will take part in the pilot are:

1. Salford - Swinton Town centre

2. Croydon - Thornton Heath

3. Staffordshire Moorlands - Cheadle

4. Rushmoor - Aldershot Town Centre

5. Birmingham - Stirchley

6. Hyndburn – Accrington Town Centre

7. South Lakeland - Kendal

8. Preston - Friargate

9. Coventry - Coventry City Centre

10. Hartlepool - Hartlepool Town Centre

11. Cheshire West and Chester - Ellesmere Port Town Centre

12. Sandwell - West Bromwich Town Centre

13. Knowsley - Huyton Town Centre

14. Manchester - Withington District Centre

During 2020, hundreds of millions of the £1 billion Future High Streets Fund will be invested across the country in projects emerging in the initial towns that have already been announced. Industry experts will join forces with local leaders initially in up to 20 areas across England to breathe new life into town centres – with the first 14 of these areas announced today (Monday 30 December). This programme of support is being piloted and the full offer from the High Streets Task Force will be rolled out across the country in 2020.

Backround

In July the £3.6 billion Towns Fund was announced, including the £1 billion High Streets Fund to help high streets adapt and evolve while remain vibrant places for their community.

The first 101 places to benefit from up to £25 million each were announced over summer, and now training and support for a further 14 places is being announced, with six more to follow in the pilot phase.

These places will benefit from bespoke support and guidance from the new High Streets Task Force, announced by the government in response to recommendations of an expert panel on the high street chaired by Sir John Timpson.

The High Streets Task Force will give face-to-face support, access to cutting-edge research, new online training, and local footfall data to give businesses that vital edge and transform local town centres.

The government is also providing additional funding to further support the 101 high streets announced over summer in planning for how to best use the £25 million funding available to them.

Communities Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick said: 'The Task Force will provide the tools they need to get the best advice possible and a dashboard of key local data.'

Central to the mission of this new government is levelling up towns and regions, ensuring prosperity and opportunity are available to everyone. Over the course of 2020, we will invest hundreds of millions into projects to transform our town centres and support bespoke plans to meet the needs of individual local communities.

Minister for the Northern Powerhouse, Rt Hon Jake Berry, said: 'Every place has its own unique strengths and challenges but all our town centres and high streets have one thing in common – they are the lifeblood of communities.

The tailored support from our new High Streets Task Force and up to £25 million each from the Towns Fund for 100 places gives communities the money and support they need to unleash the potential of their towns.

This people’s government is backing people across the Northern Powerhouse and every part of the UK to succeed no matter where they live.'

The High Streets Task Force was announced by the government in response to recommendations of an expert panel on the high street chaired by Sir John Timpson.

The High Streets Task Force will give high streets and town centres advice, training and information to adapt and thrive, piloting a range of products and services with 20 places before rolling out across the country next year. The first 14 of the 20 areas are announced today.

The Task Force, run by the Institute for Place Management on behalf of government, is holding an open recruitment for a Board Chair to provide expert leadership to this programme.

The Task Force brings together a range of expert groups on reinventing and restructuring places, including the Royal Town Planning Institute and The Design Council.

Today the government is also announcing an extra £1 million dedicated to providing further support to the 101 high streets announced over summer in planning for the

£25 million of funding that is available to them, ensuring the vibrance of these high streets for years to come.