Plymouth is making a business case for four ‘shovel ready’ projects it is hoping to receive £10million to turn into reality.
The city council said it has received “some pretty strong signals” that cash is on its way to get the construction projects off the ground.
It come after the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership (HotSW LEP) wasto spend on projects ready to go.
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The local authority said £10million could be given to support city projects chosen, which would enhance employment, regeneration, skills and innovation and play an important part of the city’s economic recovery programme, named Resurgam.
The projects are:
An additional £4.17million for Phase 2 of Brunel Plaza/train station concourse development.
The city has ambitious plans to transform this gateway, creating a thriving entrance with public realm, office and retail.
A series of phased developments is planned including modernising and refreshing the concourse.
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Phase 1 of the concourse entails moving and expanding the ticket gateline. Phase 2 is about enhancing the look of the concourse for visitors.
£1.9million for City Business Park, in the Stoke area of the city, to help fund a new sustainable building providing 10,000sq ft of flexible workspace for start-ups and businesses looking to expand.
£1.03million for Plymouth Science Park, to go towards development of a new health technology innovation centre to drive the growth of the health tech sector.
The hub will support businesses, becoming a focal point between them, the University of Plymouth’s world-class research and the University Hospital’s Plymouth NHS Trust.
£350,000 to refurbish the welding facilities at City College Plymouth. There is currently high demand for skilled welders across the South West and the funding will enable the college to double the number of welding bays and specialist trainers.
A business case will now be completed for all the projects by the end of August.
Plymouth is also bidding for £1.7million from the HotSW LEP’s Green Housing and Business Programme to deliver 68 net zero carbon homes and help retrofit homes.
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Tudor Evans. leader of Plymouth City Council, said: “This is cracking news. We responded quickly with a number of shovel ready projects and the case on each was very compelling. If there are further calls, we have a pipeline of projects lined up and ready to go.
“Through Resurgam we set out our stall that economic recovery for Plymouth is massively important to us - this approach is already paying off.”
The Plymouth wish list has been announced as almost £50million was allocated for 19 “shovel ready” projects across the South West.
The region’s share of the Government’s £900million Getting Building Fund for England will go to schemes ranging from the space sector to renewable energy, infrastructure, food manufacture, and “green” housing.
They include: a geothermal lithium recovery pilot plant near Redruth and a space institute and factory at Goonhilly Earth Station on the Lizard, in Cornwall; a watersports centre in Ilfracombe in North Devon; a boost for the Torquay Gateway transport improvement scheme, and new centre at Exeter Science Park helping start-up businesses.
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Business leaders said the investment would aid the recovery and help reinvigorate and grow the economy.
Earlier this summer, the Government invited LEPs – the public-private sector bodies – to put forward bids to the Getting Building Fund for projects that could bring rapid benefits under three headings: work hubs and fit out, retrofit and low carbon, and other individual schemes.
Now 12 projects in the Heart of the South West (HoSW) LEP, that covers Devon, Plymouth, Torbay and Somerset will get £35.4million from the fund.
In the pipeline are Exeter Science Park’s “grow-out building”, a £5million project to help new businesses, and enhancement of Future Skills Centre at Exeter Airport, which will get £1million.
The other HoSW area schemes that will receive funding are: Torquay Gateway;
Firepool and Taunton Station Access; Ilfracombe Watersports Centre; Burrows Centre, Torridge; Exeter Bus Station; Taunton Digital Innovation Centre.