Published: 15/07/2021
THE community of Millom is celebrating being offered multi-million-pound funding for the town.
The Millom Town Deal Board, with the support of Copeland Council, has been successful in its initial application to the Government’s Towns Fund and has been offered investment of £20.6m.
Copeland Council was invited to bid for funding on behalf of Millom (incorporating Haverigg) in January last year, and a Town Deal Board made up of community representatives has worked with the support of the council to produce its Town Investment Plan.
The Government announced the funding offer for Millom today (Thursday). The Town Deal Board and Copeland Council now have a short window to formally accept the outline offer, followed by a further year of work to develop the projects to the point of investment.
Mike Starkie, Mayor of Copeland, said: “I am thrilled that this significant investment for Millom has taken a major step forward, and I’d like to congratulate everyone from the Town Deal Board and Copeland Borough Council who have worked so hard on the bids thus far.
“I firmly believe that this will help create a sustainable – and prosperous - future for this wonderful town. Millom has huge opportunity to build its visitor and experience economies and this plan is focused on building a platform for investment and private sector growth on the back of Millom’s unique location on the Lake District coast.
“There is an incredible community in Millom; they are rightly proud of their town and have tremendous ambitions for its future. In terms of what we set out to achieve in order to meet local priorities, the plan ticks every box; encouraging employment, growth and innovation, improving health and wellbeing, facilitating regeneration, and enhancing transport and accessibility.
“We now look forward to working with the Town Board to work up the project detail.”
Trudy Harrison, MP for Copeland, said: “I am absolutely thrilled that Millom has been successful in obtaining Town Deal funding from the Government.
“I congratulate the Millom Town Deal Board, chaired admirably by Robert Morris-Eyton, for all their hard work, commitment and endeavour which have been instrumental in this success story for the town.
“Millom was identified as one of over 100 towns that could bid for a share in the £3.6 billion pound Towns Fund that was established to level up towns across the UK, create new jobs, help train local people and boost growth.
“I look forward to seeing the imaginative projects being delivered which will help to transform Millom for the benefit of residents and visitors for present and future generations.”
Robert Morris-Eyton, Chair of the Millom Town Deal Board, said: “We are delighted to be offered £20.6m, which will be life-changing for Millom. It will provide a much-needed uplift to our town with investment in the fabric of the town and what will be a game-changing visitor attraction. We will now progress the work up of the projects including full financial assessments as directed by Government.”
For more information on the Millom Town Deal Board, including the full Town Investment Plan, visit www.copeland.gov.uk/towns-fund-millom and https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-strategy-to-regenerate-high-streets
