Please note: Following a change of Government after the General Election on 4 July 2024, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) changed to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
The funding formerly known as Levelling Up is now New Levelling up and community investments. This collection brings together four investment programmes which aim to level up communities.
We sought bids from organisations wishing to deliver projects as part of the Levelling Up Fund, a £4 billion government funded programme to invest in regeneration, culture and transport schemes across local authorities in the UK.
Peterborough was identified as one of the 123 Priority 1 (from 3) areas for investment by the Government.
The Government was interested in bids that deliver visible impact, and project proposals that align with long-term strategy plans for local growth and regeneration. Our bids for Peterborough were located within the Peterborough constituency and North West Cambridgeshire constituency.
The UK government is committed to levelling up across the whole of the United Kingdom to ensure that no community is left behind, particularly as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
To support these objectives, the UK government has launched four new investment programmes to support communities right across the country. All share common challenges and opportunities, which the UK government is determined to address in collaboration with local partners. These investment programmes are:
- The UK Community Renewal Fund
- The Levelling Up Fund
- The Community Ownership Fund
- The UK Shared Prosperity Fund
Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) Peterborough Living Lab and Cultural Quarter Hub project
In October 2021, £20 million was successfully requested from the Levelling Up Fund. ARU Peterborough is a partnership between the City Council, The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and Anglia Ruskin University (ARU). The University opened its doors, on time and on budget to students in September 2022.
The funding has provided a huge boost to the development of phase three for ARU Peterborough - the city's new university. The money has been invested in additional teaching and new cultural facilities at the campus and a new £32 million building called 'The Living Lab'. The building provides STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) education, combining learning with an interactive public science facility.
Successful bid for Peterborough Station Enhancements and Connectivity
A total of £48million is on its way to Peterborough, following a successful Levelling Up Fund bid for the first phase of regeneration of the area around Peterborough Train Station – known as Station Quarter.
The funding is ring-fenced and we can only spend it on the Station Quarter regeneration. The approval means that, pending to the Government’s forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review, the funding will be unlocked to begin construction on the first phase of works ‘City Link’ in late autumn this year.
Additional match funding to bring the total funds up to around £65 million. This enables future private investment in commercial and residential development as a further phase of the Station Quarter programme.
Project overview and aims
The project involves creating a new western entrance to the station with a car park - to create a double-sided station. This will alleviate pressure on city centre roads and make it easier and safer to travel around the city by bicycle. Green areas with biodiversity, community spaces and better connections to the city centre will make it safer and more attractive for bikes and pedestrians.
Contact
For further information, please email stationquarter@peterborough.gov.uk.