£10 million Brierley Hill high street funding confirmed
The areas across the West Midlands that will benefit from the Government's £1 billion Future High Streets Fund have been revealed.
Brierley Hill and Kidderminster have been awarded a combined £30m funding in a bid to save their high streets.
The areas are among 15 given confirmed funding as part of the fund - while Walsall, Wolverhampton and Stafford have been granted provisional funding.
A total of £10 million will be invested in Brierley Hill High Street to create more public space for the community to enjoy, enhance the look of their town centre and support the development of 250 homes, more than 80 per cent of which will be affordable.
And £20.5m investment has been earmarked for Kidderminster to improve access to the town centre, in a bid to bring more footfall to the high street while delivering a new space for food and beverage facilities.
The announcement comes after MP Robert Jenrick confirmed allocations of up to £830m funding to regenerate high streets as part of the Government's flagship high street program.
The money aims to help areasrecover from the pandemic while also driving long-term growth, supporting large and small scale businesses.
The funding will also help to protect and create jobs in a range of industries, delivering opportunities and prosperity to the local community.
Minister for High Streets Kelly Tolhurst said: "As we look ahead to a big year for the high street in 2021, the Government is investing in local areas to help create vibrant places that communities are proud of."
"Today I'm confirming up to £146 million of investment for innovative local plans to drive growth, reinvigorate public spaces, improve transport and build the homes that communities need as well as deliver on our plan for jobs.
"We're levelling up every part of the country to deliver opportunity and prosperity.
"I am proud that the West Midlands will benefit from this investment and look forward to watching these impressive plans materialise."
Other areas which will receive funding include Tamworth, which will get £21.7m towards redeveloping unused space and Worcester, which will get £7.9m to transform Worcester town centre by renovating the Scala Theatre and Corn Exchange.
This funding is part of wider support that the government is providing to communities and businesses, to protect jobs and support the most vulnerable.
