Nelson’s £25 million Town Deal win honours Levelling Up promise, says Pendle MP

The announcement was part of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s keynote speech on the government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda, with a focus on high streets and regenerating local communities.

In the speech the Prime Minister talked about creating a more balanced economy with great jobs in every part of the UK, investing in infrastructure and skills, restoring pride in place and putting local needs at the heart of the Government’s approach.

Mr Stephenson said: “A key pledge in the Conservative 2019 General Election Manifesto was to revive towns across the country as part of the Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Levelling Up agenda. This massive investment in Nelson and in Pendle delivers on that pledge and shows how serious he is at seeing all parts of our country succeed.

“The Nelson Town Investment Plan developed as part of the Town Deal bid, will deliver over 500 new jobs, huge investment in Nelson’s town centre, commercial floorspace and better walking and cycling routes too.

"The £25 million will also pay for a new Digital Skills Academy Hub and Youth Employability Service. This is great news for Nelson and will also benefit the wider Pendle and East Lancashire area.

“Having been a part of the Nelson Town Deal Board who prepared the bid I would like to pay tribute to the other members of the Board for their contributions. I would also pay tribute to all the residents who took part in the public consultations. "

Pendle Council leader Coun. Nadeem Ahmed said: "This is fantastic news for Nelson, which will allow us to reverse years of decline, support existing businesses and help create new ones. This money will help us transform the town centre of Nelson, boost skills and provide much needed support for our young people."

Stephen Barnes, who chairs the Town Deal board, said: “This is fantastic news not just for Nelson but for the whole of Pendle and East Lancashire.

“Well done to a great team approach from all those involved.

“It will mean we can get to work making Nelson’s future brighter and focusing on much needed regeneration, skills development, enterprise and better transport networks, digital skills and connectivity.”

The Towns Fund will be invested in eight key projects:

- A revitalised Nelson - bringing high profile and long-term vacant and under-used buildings and sites into the town back into use for residential and commercial purposes

- A Healthy Town – with new leisure facilities for young people at Pendle Wavelengths and improvements in Nelson’s three parks to help address the issue of poor health and wellbeing in the town’s community including childhood obesity

- This is Nelson – a five year arts and culture programme

- Advanced Digital Skills Hub and Academy - creating a new skills facility at Nelson and Colne College and in the town centre

- Pendle Youth Employment Service (YES) Hub – a one-stop shop to support Pendle’s 16-24-year olds to provide training and other opportunities to help young people get into work and training

- Modernising Nelson’s Industrial Offer – acquiring and redeveloping sites for new employment uses

- Business Resilience and Improvement – by providing grants to support expansion projects including premises, plant and machinery to help create sustainable jobs and improve productivity in our manufacturing sector

- Accessible Nelson – improving traffic flow and parking around the town centre, creating a quality environment including at key gateway routes and better walking and cycling opportunities for sustainable transport in the town.

Coun. Ahmed added: “Over 400 local people took part in the consultation to shape this plan which will give new hope to our community.

“The investment is also designed to help us move forward in an area which has been severely impacted by the pandemic."