Lancashire receives £84m boost for housing and jobs
HOUSING regeneration programmes across Lancashire are among the beneficiaries of two new funding agreements with a combined value of £84m.
The Housing and Communities Agency (HCA) has signed a £64m local investment plan with councils from across Pennine Lancashire.
The North West Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has also signed a separate joint investment plan worth £20m with the authorities bringing other economic benefits.
These benefits include: high value jobs and growth within the advanced manufacturing sector; better skills provision; and better transport links across the area.
The £64m package from the HCA includes: £48m housing market renewal pathfinder funding; £10m for the National Affordable Housing Programme; £5.6m decent homes funding; £375,000 ‘property and regeneration’ funding; £450,000 ‘places of change’ funding.
Deborah McLaughlin, regional director at the HCA, said: “We now have a set of important agreements in place that will bring about great benefits for local communities, including better and more affordable homes for local people.
“This has been achieved by all partners working together and looking at what would benefit the people of Pennine Lancashire most.”
The £20m package of NWDA support includes: £10.8m to support advanced manufacturing, key sectors, innovation, enterprise, business finance and the low carbon economy; £475,000 to support digital and physical connectivity; £1.5m to support skills and education; and £7.7m to support ‘place’ and physical regeneration.
Steven Broomhead, chief executive of the NWDA, said: “The joint investment plan signed today sets out what the partners’ key objectives are, and how the NWDA will continue to invest for the benefit of the area.
“Pennine Lancashire has regionally significant sectors, including aerospace and advanced manufacturing, and potential to improve levels of skills and higher education.
“Along with improving digital connectivity and transport connections, and investing in physical regeneration, these four areas are key to securing the area’s economic future.
“I am delighted Pennine Lancashire and the NWDA can commit to these objectives which will support ambitions and aspirations by making the strategic investments needed here.”
