HARLOW Council has welcomed the news that £23.7m of government funding has been awarded today (8 June 2021) to the town to support local regeneration projects.

In late 2019, Harlow was one of 101 towns across the country invited to apply for up to £25m from the government’s towns fund. Funding has been confirmed today for 30 towns.

Harlow’s towns fund bid, submitted in November 2020, was led by the Harlow Growth Board and will support the following projects:

• Harlow Town Centre – there are three projects to improve the transport links and connectivity in the town centre. This includes improving public spaces to make the town centre feel safer and more attractive and a new transport and commercial hub in Terminus Street replacing the existing bus station. 
   
• Staple Tye regeneration – improving Staple Tye neighbourhood through providing new workspace for businesses and creating new jobs.
   
• Cambridge Road and River Way junction – developing the Templefields Enterprise Zone through improving access via a new Cambridge Road and River Way junction.
   
• Institute of Technology – improving  local skills opportunities through Harlow College’s plans for the Institute of Technology focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

More details on the projects will be released as details are now finalised.

Brian Keane, Chief Executive of Harlow Council , said: “I am really pleased for the council staff and growth board partners who have worked so hard to put together a successful towns fund submission and we welcome the government’s support. This multi-million pound funding on top of the £1m funding secured by the council last year is going to make a real difference to Harlow and it will be matched with even more funding from Harlow Council, private sector contributions and our partners such as Essex County Council and Harlow College. The projects, which this funding will help support, aim to create job and training opportunities for residents, transform public spaces and support businesses at a vital time as Harlow recovers from the pandemic. By working with partners I am hopeful that there is much more funding to come, which will support Harlow’s ongoing regeneration and transformation.”

The Harlow Growth Board which is made up of local public, private and voluntary organisations has developed a Harlow Investment Plan and vision.

The government’s announcement can be read at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/thirty-towns-to-share-725-million-to-help-communities-build-back-better

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