The town of Kirkby to the north east of Liverpool city centre has received a boost of £20m from the Levelling Up fund. Liverpool Business News reports that the funding has been secured by Knowsley Council as part of a share of £1.1bn for 55 towns revealed by the Levelling Up minister Michael Gove.
Kirkby has already benefited from significant investment and regeneration, thanks to funding from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (CA). So far, £33.8m has been allocated towards the development of the Morrisons Superstore, a Home Bargains and fast food drive-thru restaurants and a multi-screen cinema.
A Town Board will be established to bring together relevant parties to devise and deliver a long term plan for the funding. The funds will be made available over a period of 10 years and be prioritised for the regeneration of high streets and establishing public safety features.
Cllr Graham Morgan, leader of Knowsley Council, said: “We welcome the £20m investment in Kirkby, which is one of the towns in our borough which has been forgotten about by the national Government as far as previous funding support is concerned.”
He added: “The emphasis on this latest round of funding is local people and ensuring the investment is used to address their priorities. We are continuing to deliver the priorities identified by our communities who will once again be pivotal in deciding how this latest investment will be used.”
The new Town Board will use its powers to encourage more private sector investment, through selling empty retail units, reforming licensing rules on shops and restaurants and developing more housing in the town centre.
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