Black Country councils seek multi-million pound slice of high street fund
High streets and town centres in the Black Country and Staffordshire could receive a big cash boost through new Government funding.
A share of £675 million is being made available to local authorities through the Government Future High Street Fund.
The scheme has been set up to help regenerate town centres through a range of initiatives, which could include improving transport networks, converting retail units into new homes, or restoring historic high street buildings to create new work spaces or cultural venues.
Sandwell Council has submitted a bid for £25 million to make improvements to West Bromwich town centre, including building more than 700 new homes.
The plans could also include an arts and culture provision, to re-invigorate the indoor market area and improve the town’s green and public spaces.
The council’s cabinet member for regeneration, Councillor Paul Moore, said: “It is vitally important because the aims of the fund are to invest in high quality town centre living, diversify the experience of the town and improve accessibility.
"Those are things we need to improve in West Bromwich and we have put in a very strong submission to get some of the available funds for town centre regeneration.”
While Dudley Council has also submitted a bid for up to £16 million to breathe new life into Brierley Hill High Street.
Stafford Borough Council has also made a bid for cash to address empty buildings, revitalise the north of the town centre and improving links into the town.
Will Conaghan, from Stafford Borough Council, said: “We are seeing a huge amount of investment already coming in to our borough and one of the key areas we are looking to improve is the town centre. High Streets are evolving and we have to be alive to this.
“We need to try and ensure our town centres have the right balance of retail, leisure and employment, as well as residential provision, to make our High Street fit for the future.”
Walsall Council has also submitted an expression of interest for cash as part of the Future High Street Funds for its town centre masterplan, and Wolverhampton Council is also making a bid to support their work on ‘re-imagining and reinventing’ the city.
Richard Lawrence, Wolverhampton Council’s director of regeneration, said: “The bid focuses on the area of the city centre to the west of, and including, Victoria Street.
"Support through the Future High Street Fund would build on the strong delivery that is already underway in the city centre, it will enhance and connect an area of the city centre that has, over recent years faced a number of challenges.”
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has also pledged his support to local authorities bidding for a share of the cash.
He added: “From my own experience in the retail industry, I know how important it is for high streets to be lively, busy places that people want to go to.
"When town centres have large, empty shop fronts in key locations, this starts a downward spiral, with fewer people visiting and more businesses closing as a result.
“We need to reverse this decline. Successful bids for the Future High Streets Fund will give our member authorities further support to deliver the innovative, transformational change that is so much needed to benefit more of our communities. We will work with them to develop business cases and a range of investment opportunities.”
