Member Article

Fleetwood, Warrington and Widnes share in £2.2m funding boost

More than £2.2 million in government funding is to be invested on developing a chain of attractions along the Fleetwood coastline, and attracting new businesses along the Sankey Canal between Widnes and Warrington.

Wyre Borough Council will receive £1.55 million from the government’s Coastal Communities Fund, which is expected to create 72 jobs and support another 400.

Hugh Evans, Deputy Chief Executive of North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce welcomed the award.

He said: “This is excellent news. Fleetwood has seen more than its fair share of economic decline in recent years and this funding will provide the catalyst to deliver something special that puts the town back on the road to recovery.

“It will provide a much needed boost to local businesses because they need to be confident that things are happening before they invest and create jobs. This will generate that confidence.”

A £654,000 grant will be awarded jointly to Warrington Borough Council and Halton Borough Councils in order to promote and support economic growth on the section of the Sankey Canal between Widnes and Warrington.

The successful partnership funding bid was made by the two local authorities in conjunction with the Sankey Canal Restoration Society (SCARS).

It will finance a new, permanent Marsh House Bridge for the Riverside Trading Estate, create apprenticeships and training opportunities and improve marketing, signage and branding in order to protect and grow existing businesses and help create new ones along the Sankey Canal.

Twelve apprenticeships will be created along with two direct jobs and, it is anticipated, up to a further 23 indirect jobs.

Wider than the current temporary bridge and its predecessor, the new Marsh House Bridge will be a lift bridge which can be opened for water traffic as and when the aspiration to clean and open up the canal to the west of the bridge is realised.

The council is also contributing £225,000 capital funding to the grant sum to enable high quality bridge to be installed.

Cllr Linda Dirir, executive board member for highways, transportation and climate change at Warrington Borough Council, said: “I am proud that our joint funding bid has been successful.

“Our historic Sankey Canal has been a neglected asset and this funding this will give us the opportunity to work with our colleagues at Halton to maximise its potential to create and enhance employment and leisure opportunities.

“It is great news that we can now look to deliver a permanent solution to the issue of Marsh House Bridge. As soon as the grant is formally made available we can work on a programme of construction to build the new bridge that minimises disruption to businesses.”

Cllr Ron Hignett, Halton Borough Council’s executive board member for the physical environment, said: “This is excellent news and a prime example of partnership working between two local authorities and a community lead organisation. This will bring important regeneration to Halton.

The Coastal Communities Fund was created to direct regeneration investment to seaside towns and villages to help rebalance their local economies, reduce unemployment and create new work opportunities for young people from the local area.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .