A dozen “shovel ready” South West development projects are a ready to “go live” after receiving £21million of funding.
The Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership (HotSW LEP) has allocated the cash from the Government’s Getting Building Fund (GBF) to projects in Devon, Somerset, Plymouth and Torbay.
The projects have all been contacted and another 12, that have secured £14million from the fund between them, are expected to be contracted and go live in the Spring.
The HotSW LEP secured a total allocation of £35.4million in the summer of 2020, the highest allocation in the South West, from the Government’s GBF campaign, designed to restart the economy after the Covid-19 pandemic.
So called “shovel-ready” projects were chosen to receive funding having proven a solid business case, and that they would create jobs and contribute to a green recovery.
Projects that are now live include:
Torquay Gateway: a £6milion project supported with £2millon from the LEP’s GBF allocation. The project will unlock a key strategic employment site at the gateway to Torquay by funding necessary infrastructure to bring forward employment space, modern business premises, jobs and economic growth. It will create 23 jobs immediately and generate £7.2million for the economy, with a further 135 jobs in the medium term. Completion date March 2022;
Firepool and Taunton Station Access: a £1.27million project with £400,000 from the GBF. A new signalised junction on Trenchard Way, Taunton, will serve both the Firepool Development and new multi storey car park that is part of Taunton rail station redevelopment. It includes pedestrian and cycle crossing facilities as well as the widening of an existing signal-controlled crossing. The Firepool development has a key role to play in the town’s growth and comprises 7.1hectares of land, including retail, office space, hotel and leisure uses, and will deliver 210 jobs and 698 housing units. Completion date March 2023.
Exeter Science Park Grow-Out space: this £5.3million project is being supported with £5million from the GBF. The Grow-Out building will form part of a growing continuum of the science park’s workspace provision, helping to attract and grow innovative science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) businesses. It will provide space for businesses in the Science Park Centre, the site’s incubator building, to expand and free up space in the incubator building. Completion date March 2023.
The Welding Centre of Excellence, Plymouth: a £460,000 project with £350,000 of GBF that will enable City College Plymouth to set up a Welding Centre of Excellence to enhance and extend welding facilities. It will address the skills gaps and shortages in the profession across the region, with high demand coming from developments such as at the Hinkley Point development and marine and advanced engineering firms. Modernised facilities and innovative equipment will enable specialist trainers to provide welding training from entry level to higher level specialised and bespoke training. Completion date March 2022.
Karl Tucker, chair of the HotSW LEP, said: “This is great news for our area, and we can’t wait to see the work getting underway in the coming weeks. Each of these projects has a role to play in contributing to the economic recovery and longer-term growth in our area.
“The funding we have been able to award to these projects through our allocation of the Getting Building Fund will help to get projects underway or accelerate their progress, creating jobs and economic stimulus.
“We also recognise there are other important projects that still need funding and we will continue to work closely with Government to secure further funding in the future so that we can continue to provide support where it is most needed in our area’s recovery.”
Projects were selected from a call through local authority partners to submit quality assured, ‘shovel-ready’ schemes that would support recovery across the Heart of the South West area.
The selection considered areas hardest hit by Covid-19 and projects that could complete within the timescales for the funding. The final list was agreed with the Government.
