Eight projects across the West Midlands will benefit from a share in a new £155 million funding round from the Government's Levelling Up fund. These include new housing, a leisure centre, theatre and market halls in areas which have been "historically overlooked".
This latest allocation for the region comes from the second round of the Government's flagship fund, worth a total of £2.1 billion across 111 projects, which is intended to create jobs, drive economic growth and help to restore people's pride in places across the UK.
However, Birmingham does not feature in the list of eight successful projects, meaning five separate bids for £82 million in total missed out, something the city council leader described as a "kick in teeth" as they would have supported some of its most deprived areas.
And West Midlands Tory Mayor Andy Street has blasted the way the fund is dished out, branding it a "begging bowl culture" and calling for a re-think on how it is done.
The eight West Midlands projects to receive money are:
- £20 million to help deliver more than 500 houses in Willenhall, part of the area's wider £210 million regeneration plans
- £20 million for a new leisure centre in Rowley Regis to replace the old Haden Hill Leisure Centre
- £19.8 million for major road works in Staffordshire, including the A38 and A511, to unlock housing and improve bus lanes and journey times
- £20 million to remodel the Palace Theatre in Telford and improve the sixth form college
- £17.1 million to modernise Leek's Victorian market halls, upgrade the local library, museum and exhibition space and build a new swimming pool
- £19.9 million to boost public transport in Hereford along with better cycle lanes, improved station facilities and new safety measures for pedestrians
- £18.7 million to regenerate brownfield land into a new waterside development in Shrewsbury along with better transport links into the railway station
- £19.9 million for a new outdoor theatre and studio spaces in Malvern
Of the 12 UK nations and regions which were allocated funding, the West Midlands received the eighth highest amount - the North West received the most at £354 million.
The first round saw £1.7 billion handed to 105 projects in October 2021, including £196 million in the West Midlands.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: "Through greater investment in local areas, we can grow the economy, create good jobs and spread opportunity everywhere.
"That's why we are backing a number of projects with new transformational funding to level up local communities in the West Midlands.
"By reaching even more parts of the country than before, we will build a future of optimism and pride in people's lives and the places they call home."
Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove added: "We are firing the starting gun on more than a hundred transformational projects in every corner of the UK that will revitalise communities that have historically been overlooked but are bursting with potential.
"This new funding will create jobs, drive economic growth and help to restore local pride. We are delivering on the people's priorities, levelling up across the UK to ensure that no matter where you are from, you can go as far as your talents will take you."
The Government has also confirmed there will be a further round of the Levelling Up Fund.
