A raft of ambitious proposals totalling nearly £40m, have been submitted to Government today (June 18) by Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, to help deliver major capital regeneration projects across the area.
The two bids to Government include:
- £5.5m to redevelop Redcar central station
- £2.9m to regenerate Guisborough town centre
- £5m for new leisure facilities in Eston
- £4m for a new footbridge at South Bank railway station
- £3.5m for a pedestrian and cycle route between South Bank and Nunthorpe
- £4m for a pedestrian and cycle route between Skelton and Brotton
- £2m for the regeneration of Coatham
- £5m for a new roundabout junction and road infrastructure improvements in Newham Grange, Middlesbrough (in partnership with Middlesbrough Council)
- £7m for urgent highway repairs including bridges in East Cleveland
- £1m to develop a business case for track and station works on the East Cleveland and Esk Valley railway lines.
Around £600m is being released by Government in the first round of funding from an overall pot of £4.8bn. All bids for the first round of funding are due today (June 18) with the decision likely to be made on the bids in the autumn.
Leader of Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, Cllr Mary Lanigan said:
“Having recently secured £25m for Redcar, as part of the Town Deal scheme, and £5.8m for Loftus, as part of the Future High Street Fund, we are hopeful that these ambitious bids will be equally successful.
“We are passionate about driving growth and securing investment in all of our communities and these bids will help complement and build upon the investment and opportunities that are being created right across the borough."
All bids are made on a parliamentary constituency basis and require the endorsement of the local MP with each area able to request up to £20m. Joint bids can be made with one local authority taking the lead.
Jacob Young, Conservative MP for Redcar, said: "We're putting forward an ambitious plan, to level up across our borough, with an additional focus on the TS6 area.
“Last week we had the fantastic announcement that Redcar was awarded its full Town Deal, and now our bid for almost £20 Million from the Levelling Up Fund will deliver investment outside of Redcar.
"If successful we will see our new swimming pool at Eston, as well as active travel links from Nunthorpe, through Normanby, and to our Freeport and some much needed improvements to South Bank train station. It will also have the added effect of freeing up existing Council funding, to make much-needed improvements to Eston Square.
"In Redcar town, we've asked for £5million towards the complete redevelopment of Redcar Railway Station, some further works to complement the Town Deal, but probably most exciting is the seed funding to look at the possibility of building a new proper pier on the Redcar esplanade - something many people have asked for.
"Working alongside elected members and officers at the Council, I believe we have put together a bid that will make the kind of lasting change that will benefit all of Redcar & Cleveland for generations to come."
Simon Clarke, Conservative MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, said: "Our bids to the Levelling Up Fund have been drafted to bring lasting, positive change where it's needed most.
"They include £2.9million to regenerate Guisborough town centre as well as £5million for a new roundabout junction and road improvements in Newham Grange, Middlesbrough.
"The £3.5million plan for green transport links from Nunthorpe, across the Eston Hills and all the way towards the budding Teesworks site is an investment that will improve access to the jobs that are already being created in our region.
"We have included £1million funding to develop a business case for track and station works on the East Cleveland and Esk Valley railway lines which would dramatically mitigate against the traffic rush hour congestion known as 'the Marton Crawl'.
"And in East Cleveland we have included £4million plans for a safe footpath between Skelton and Brotton, improving links to the industrial estate.
"We've already seen the success of bids from Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland Councils to the Towns Deal and Future High Street Fund. They resulted in Middlesbrough receiving £36million, Loftus £5.8million and, most recently, £25million for Redcar. As a result I have every confidence that we have worked together to put forward a bid that will hugely benefit the people of Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland and beyond."
Following approval by the Council's Cabinet earlier this month Redcar & Cleveland Council is submitting a bid for the Redcar constituency area and the South Middlesbrough and East Cleveland constituency area totalling nearly £40m.