19th April 2023
A CHANCE for residents and businesses to hear regular updates about the Cleator Moor Town Deal as it moves forward is to take place every month.
Cleator Moor secured a Town Deal worth £40.9m last year – with £22.5 million coming from the Government’s Towns Fund and a further £18.4m from match funders.
Now, Bob Metcalfe, Chair of the Cleator Moor Town Deal Board, is to provide monthly updates at an iSH and Town Deal Community Meeting.
The iSH meeting, which has been taking place every month, provides updates on iSH (Industrial Solutions Hub), a wider project of international significance designed to create jobs and opportunities for businesses and organisations to collaborate and enhance skills while harnessing a range of economic and social benefits on behalf of the community.
From now on the meeting will also include a Town Deal update so the community is kept up to date on developments. The first iSH and Town Deal Community Meeting will take place between 9.30am and 11am on Thursday, April 20 at Cleator Moor Civic Hall.
Bob Metcalfe said: “As a board we want to make sure the Town Deal and its projects are rooted in the community – and we hope this monthly meeting will help to make the programme as accessible as possible to everyone.
“It will offer an opportunity to hear about how things are progressing as well as for people to ask any questions they have.
“Everyone is welcome to attend and I look forward to meeting those who come along.”
The Cleator Moor Town Deal will oversee the delivery of four projects that will provide a long term boost to levels of health and economic prosperity in Cleator Moor, as well as employment opportunities and inward investment.
With the funding secured, work has been ongoing in recent months to satisfy Government assurance requirements and to procure the specialist sector skills required in order to develop the plans in more detail.
The four projects included in the Town Deal are:
- Enterprising Town – the redevelopment of the existing Leconfield Industrial Estate to create an iSH Enterprise Campus, providing employment and training opportunities for residents in Cleator Moor as well as helping to diversify the local economy. The proposal will create new buildings on site including an iSH Enterprise Campus Hub, the refurbishment of existing units and extensive landscaping. The development of the site forms part of the wider regeneration programme being delivered across West Cumbria by iSH.
- Revitalised Town – to increase activity and footfall around the Town Square by bringing vacant and under-utilised buildings back into active use while creating an attractive new public realm. Uses will include a new cultural community hub and enhanced business space.
- Healthy Town – To enhance existing sports and leisure provision to create a modern multi-purpose centre including an indoor sports hall, flexible studio space, gym and café, alongside wider health and well-being provision. This will improve population health and generate more reasons for people to visit and spend time in Cleator Moor.
- Connected Town – this scheme will deliver a high-quality integrated and sustainable transport network which improves connections between employment, education, amenities and leisure and transforms the accessibility and attractiveness of Cleator Moor.
For more information about Cleator Moor Town Deal visit cleatormoortowndeal.org.uk