Exciting news for Leyland as up to £25 million town centre improvement proposals get government funding approval

Leyland is to receive up to £25 million in funding, the Government has announced. The award follows a funding bid submission in October 2020 by Leyland Town Board to the Government’s Town Fund.

The bid includes three key projects in Leyland Town Centre:

• Leyland town centre improvements including a new public square and commercial and residential developments
• Improvements to Leyland Market
• BASE2 – a business hub for skills, events and workspaces

Leyland Town Board is made up of local and regional businesses and stakeholders including Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, Maple Grove Developments, Stonecreate, Job Centre Plus, UCLAN and Runshaw College. The board is supported by South Ribble Borough Council and is chaired by Jennifer Gadsdon of Birchall Blackburn Law.

The bid was developed by Leyland Town Board following consultation with local residents and businesses in September, with very positive feedback for the plans from over 2,000 respondents.

Jennifer Gadsdon, Leyland Town Board Chair, said: “It is brilliant news for Leyland. The funding will allow the improvement plan to become a reality and help to address the economic growth potential with a focus on digital connectivity, skills, enterprise and improved transport links.”

Councillor Paul Foster, Leader of South Ribble Borough Council, said: “This is fantastic news for businesses and residents across South Ribble as the funding will help to bring the vision to life for Leyland to be a digitally connected town centre, where enterprise thrives and skilled residents have good jobs. The town centre can now develop a revitalised culture, leisure, retail and hospitality offering, which is great timing as we begin to move out of the pandemic restrictions.

“The Council was really well placed for our bid being successful given the huge amount of progress made on the Leyland Town Masterplan over the past two years. We pushed Government hard as we had the scheme ready to go, and I am really pleased we have been successful. I cannot thank the Leyland Town Board, our Officers and my Cabinet colleagues enough for the tremendous work in achieving this huge inward investment.  We have worked really hard for years for this project to be realised; for our community and for our town.”

The next steps will see the Leyland Town Board enter detailed discussions with Government to spend the funding. Alongside this, work will commence on preparing and submitting a planning application for the proposed developments and seeking partners to deliver and occupy the uses proposed.

For more information about the proposals, please visit www.southribble.gov.uk/leylandtownfund