Multi-million cash boost for Southwater scheme

A MAJOR £250m regeneration project has received a boost after the Homes and Communities Agency committed £9.5m to the scheme.

The Southwater project is a partnership between Telford and Wrekin Council and the Southwater Event Group and will see the construction of new offices, shops, bars, restaurants, a cinema, hotels and accommodation.

It will transform the area of Telford which runs from the shopping centre to the International Centre which is owned by the Southwater Event Group.

This latest cash boost provides the final element in a £28m funding package to deliver the first phase of the regeneration.

The decision to invest in the scheme was initially approved by the HCA in April but formal ratification had been to put back because of the General Election.

The agency and council will be signing funding contracts by the end of next month to enable major engineering works to start on site in December.

These will remodel the site and provide new infrastructure to establish plots ready for the development of buildings.

In June, Telford and Wrekin Council announced it was looking for a company to take on the lease of Telford Ice Rink and give it a multi-million pound revamp as part of the Southwater project.

Nicola Marshall, head of housing for the Homes and Communities Agency West Midlands, said: “We are delighted to be supporting this project to transform the Southwater area and will continue to work with the council to deliver this exciting vision for the communities in and around Telford town centre.”