Partner Article

Five Gloucestershire projects in the running for £8.4m

Five projects have been shortlisted by Gloucestershire LEP’s £8.4m Infrastructure Investment Fund.

The projects have been approved by the LEP’s Board for the next stage of consultation, and business cases will now be prepared for consideration by the LEP’s Investment Panel, made up of local business and Local Authority representatives and LEP members.

David Owen, chief executive of economic development company GFirst, which drives Gloucestershire LEP, said: “We have had a lot of interest in the GIIF since July when we asked our businesses to come forward with proposals and we are pleased that we have now selected a shortlist which can go through to the next stages.

“The GIIF is a real opportunity for Gloucestershire to unlock significant development and jobs, which may not have been able to proceed due to a shortage of cash investment. We hope that through this revolving fund we will be able to boost Gloucestershire’s economic growth now and for many years to come.”

The projects include: a flood defence scheme, developed as part of Gloucester City Football Club plans to construct a new stadium; a proposal for highways infrastructure to serve a housing and business area near Lydney East; site clearance works for the regeneration of Greater Blackfriars; and a proposals for construction of a new Cinderford Northern Quarter Relief Road to open up regeneration of a former coalmining area.

The money has come from the Government’s Growing Places Fund, designed to create new jobs and drive economic growth.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .