Burnley and Padiham’s MP Antony Higginbotham has secured a further £20 million package of investment for Burnley as part of a new long-term Plan for Towns announced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Using a ten-year endowment-style fund, 55 towns including Burnley will benefit from the investment which totals more than £1 billion across the country.
Mr Higginbotham, who lobbied for the funding with the Prime Minister and Ministers at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, called the announcement “yet another game-changer” for the area.
The Long-Term Plan for Towns will give local people across Burnley and Padiham the opportunity to have their say on where this long-term funding will be invested through new Town Boards. A new toolkit of regeneration powers will also be utilised to unlock more private sector investment, by auctioning empty high street shops, reforming licensing rules on shops and restaurants, and supporting more housing in town centres.
The Conservative Government is also launching a Towns Taskforce to support towns, helping the newly formed Town Boards to develop their plans, and advise them on how best to take advantage of government policies, unlock private investment and engage their communities.
This is just the latest step in local MP Antony’s mission, and the Government’s mission, to deliver on the levelling up agenda, spreading opportunities and prosperity across the country.
The new £20 package comes on top of the £32 million Antony Higginbotham previously helped to secure for Burnley through the government’s Levelling Up Fund round 1 (£20 million) and round 2 (£12 million). It also comes on top of more than £3.5 million to get Pioneer Place built, expansion funding at Burnley College’s £115 million campus, and the Padiham Flood Defence Scheme which is costing around £18 million.
Commenting, Antony Higginbotham MP said:
This latest news of an extra £20 million for our area is absolutely brilliant!
The mission to Level Up our borough is already seeing the tens of millions of pounds secured making a difference in our town centre and wider area, with major regeneration and transformation taking place.
What this further £20 million will do is allow us to develop a long term plan for driving growth and transformation in our area, backed by the Government. With a huge uplift in funding, more powers, and greater involved of residents.
I’ve always said that my job is to be Burnley and Padiham’s voice in Westminster. Getting government focused on us and what we need. This is just further proof that we’re delivering on that.
Commenting, Minister for Levelling Up, Jacob Young MP said:
The Conservative Government’s new £1.1 billion Long-Term Plan for Towns will transform many of our towns that have been left behind for far too long.
This first wave of 55 towns will receive £20 million in funding to help deliver their new long term Town Plans as we secure a brighter future for local residents as part of our levelling up mission.
