Sefton Council have been celebrating a boost for their plans to regenerate the Strand in Bootle, after a surprise award of £20m from the government’s levelling up fund. The Liverpool Echo reports that the Council’s initial funding bid in October 2021 was unsuccessful, and it was again overlooked earlier this year.
However, it was third time lucky for the council, who will now receive £20m from the Levelling Up pot to allow it to go ahead with plans for regenerating key commercial areas of Bootle. The surprise announcement was made as part of Jeremy Hunt’s Spring Budget, when £279m was allocated to ‘near miss’ funding applications.
Leader of Sefton Council, Cllr Ian Maher, said that he was ‘delighted’ with the outcome, after previously expressing frustration and disappointment at the previous decisions. It is thought that the two unsuccessful bids cost the council in the region of £120,000.
He commented: “Of course, we were naturally disappointed about the outcome of our bids for Levelling Up funding in both Bootle and Crosby. However, we are delighted to have received notification of the intent to award Sefton Council £20m of capital funding for the first phase of the repurposing of the Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle town centre.”
“This award reflects the quality of the Levelling Up funding bid submissions we made to Government, the vision we developed for the future of the town centre, and the strength and breadth of consultation and engagement with stakeholders and communities across the town.”
He added: “It also reflects the need in Bootle for such funding, given the continued economic challenges the town faces, that have only been exacerbated by the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis in recent years.”
Plans for Bootle include a greater diversification of the town centre with more food and drink outlets and leisure and entertainment facilities to encourage a night time economy, and more integrated health and social care facilities. There are also plans to create more public and open green spaces within the town.
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “Devolution has given regions like ours the opportunity to chart our own course and invest in projects that will make a genuine difference to people’s lives.”
He added: “Despite some setbacks and disappointing decisions via the Levelling Up Fund, today’s announcement is a big step in the right direction and it is fantastic to see that Sefton’s ambitions for the future of Bootle Town Centre are finally being realised.”
“This is the difference devolution makes – we are helping to open doors to projects that are rejuvenating parts of our communities which have been starved of funding for decades. I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for Bootle Town Centre.”
Sefton Council have also committed to carrying out a comprehensive public consultation to ensure that their plans best serve the needs and wants of the local community.
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