Towns to share over £600 million in Town Deals

The government has announced that 26 towns in England will share over £610 million to boost their local economies, create jobs and help them build back better from the pandemic.

The new Towns Deals range from seaside towns like Hastings and Hartlepool to the historic market towns of Bedford and Bishop Auckland. The funding will help them to grow their local economies, while also carving out new opportunities to reshape the look and feel of their areas.

The Town Deals will help breathe new life into neglected areas or unused buildings by creating vibrant spaces for businesses, community events or much needed new homes. Projects also include renovations to attractions like Hastings Castle helping to boost the cultural and tourism offers of towns.

Sustainability is at the heart of many of the schemes with new greener transport infrastructure including cycle paths and pedestrian walkways that will connect areas in the greenest way possible. Today’s announcement means that 79 Towns Deals have now been agreed - totalling over £2 billion investment in communities across England.

Communities Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said: “We are levelling up towns and cities across the country by building stronger and more resilient local economies, boosting prosperity and opportunity in our communities, and helping them build back better from the pandemic. Today I am announcing new town deals in 26 areas, backed by over £610 million investment from the Towns Fund. This will support locally-led projects to transform disused buildings and public spaces, deliver new green transport and create new opportunities for people to develop new skills. This is a boost for communities and businesses across England.”