Peterborough City Council sought bids from organisations wishing to deliver projects as part of the Levelling up Fund, a £4 billion government funded programme announced in the budget to invest in regeneration, culture and transport schemes across local authorities in the UK.
Peterborough has been identified as one of 123 Priority 1 (from 3) areas for investment by government.
The Government was interested in bids that deliver visible impact, and project proposals that align with long-term strategic plans for local growth and regeneration. Bids for Peterborough were located within MP Paul Bristow or MP Shailesh Vara's constituencies.
What the Levelling Up Fund is for
The first round of the Fund will focus on three themes: smaller transport projects that make a genuine difference to local areas; town centre and high street regeneration; and support for maintaining and expanding the UK’s world-leading portfolio of cultural and heritage assets, in particular:
- Transport investments including (but not limited to) public transport, active travel, bridge repairs, bus priority lanes, local road improvements and major structural maintenance, and accessibility improvements. We are requesting proposals for high-impact small, medium and by exception larger local transport schemes to reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality, cut congestion, support economic growth and improve the experience of transport users.
- Regeneration and town centre investment, building on the Towns Fund framework to upgrade eyesore buildings and dated infrastructure, acquire and regenerate brownfield sites, invest in secure community infrastructure and crime reduction, and bring public services and safe community spaces into town and city centres.
- Cultural investment maintaining, regenerating, or creatively repurposing museums, galleries, visitor attractions (and associated green spaces) and heritage assets as well as creating new community-owned spaces to support the arts and serve as cultural spaces
Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) Peterborough Living Lab and Cultural Quarter Hub project
Following some excellent submissions in response to our call for projects, a panel of civic, business and community leaders evaluated those projects and ultimately chose the £28 million ARU Peterborough Living Lab and Cultural Quarter Hub project to go forward for submission on Friday 18 June 2021. This was based on how well it responded to government’s Levelling Up agenda and its ability to deliver swiftly and maximise investment into our city. £20 million of this cost has been requested from the Levelling Up Fund.
We would like to thank all applicants for the time and energy spent on putting bids forward to this fund. Now we wait with interest the outcome from government.
View the case study for the ARU Peterborough Living Lab on the GOV.UK website.
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.
We received official confirmation from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) on 19 January 2023.
The funding is ring-fenced and we can only spend it on the Station Quarter regeneration. The Government will release it to allow the Peterborough Station Enhancements and Connectivity project to move forward.
Additional match funding to bring the total funds up to around £65 million is expected to come from Peterborough City Council and other partners. 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 - with a new wider footbridge over the train lines. 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.
The enhancement of Peterborough Train Station will improve rail passenger journeys and encourage more rail travel. This will have a positive economic impact on the city and regionally, as the city is already well connected to key areas of Eastern England and the rest of the UK. In addition, it will support Peterborough in attracting more knowledge-intensive and high-level employers through its transport links.
Next steps
We will submit an outline business case and planning application for the Peterborough Station Enhancements and Connectivity project next year.
Construction work on the first phase could take place between 2024 and 2026, with wider development of the Station Quarter continuing up to 2028.
Contact
For further information, please email townsfund@peterborough.gov.uk.
