£100k for improvements to Staffordshire town
A £100,000 pot of money is heading the way of a town in Staffordshire, it has been announced.
The cash will be spent on making improvements to Rugeley town centre and also on restoring properties in the town's conservation area.
Cannock Chase Council leader George Adamson today welcomed the news, saying Rugeley would be following in the footsteps of Hednesford which has seen significant investment in recent years.
He said: "Half of the money will go on the conservation area in Rugeley.
"There are a number of properties in the town that date back to the 18th and 19th century. Owners can apply for money to renovate their properties.
"The other half of the £100,000 will go on making improvements to the town centre."
Further details of the improvement works that will take place have yet to be revealed as discussions at the council over how to spend the cash are ongoing.
But Council Adamson added: "There has been a lot of work carried out in Hednesford in recent years.
"We would like to enhance the town centre in Rugeley and make it more appealing. It could also involve making improvements to attract more businesses into the town centre."
The £100,000 has been funded by Staffordshire County Council, Cannock Chase Council and also English Heritage.
Cabinet member for economic development and planning at the council, Councillor Gordon Alcott, added: "We would like to smarten the town centre up a bit.
"I'll be asking members of the cabinet how the money should be spent."
In September last year, a £500,000 project in Horse Fair, which is the main gateway into Rugeley, finished after being delayed by overrunning by five months.
The carriageway was reduced to single-lane traffic, traffic lights were replaced with roundabouts and parking spaces were created within a central reservation. The scheme was to improve access into the town.
Meanwhile, Hednesford town centre has undergone a £50 million transformation recently.
The 10 acre regeneration project has involved the creation of two shopping and leisure areas called Chase Gateway and Victoria Shopping Park boasting high street names including Tesco, Costa Coffee and Pets Corner.
