ESSEX is to receive a further £55m of government cash to help create jobs, support businesses and create new growth opportunities.
Andrew Percy MP, Minister at the Department for Communities and Local Government, who has responsibility for local growth, today announced a government cash injection of £102 million for capital projects for the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP), which covers East Sussex, Essex, Kent, Medway, Southend and Thurrock with seven projects across Greater Essex set to benefit.
Minister, Andrew Percy said: “From Southend to East Sussex, today’s £102 million investment will support the delivery of new homes and jobs right across the South East Local Enterprise Partnership.
“In fact right across the South East, people will benefit from £492 million extra investment thanks to these Growth Deals to create jobs and infrastructure projects of the future. These growth deals are a crucial part of our efforts to create an economy that works for everyone, and will ensure every region of the country has the chance to realise its full potential.”
The package of projects to be funded through this round of Local Growth Fund will improve educational attainment, create new jobs and provide the enabling infrastructure to support the delivery of new homes and employment, and will leverage an additional £16.2m in private sector funding.
The projects in Essex, Southend and Thurrock set to receive funding are:
• Southend Airport Business Park Phase 2 (£19.89m)
• Gilden Way upgrading, Harlow (£5m)
• Technical and Professional Skills Centre at Stansted Airport (£3.5m)
• Innovation Centre (Phase 1) at University of Essex Knowledge Gateway, Colchester (£2m)
• STEM Innovation Campus, Colchester Institute (£5m)
• A127 at Fairglen (£6.235m)
• M11 jn8 improvements (£2.73m)
• Grays South (£10.84m)
SELEP Chairman Christian Brodie said: “This Growth Deal settlement is a huge boost for the economy across the whole Essex area.
“We have secured funding to channel significant investment into the projects, which are of highest priority to our businesses and local areas.”
George Kieffer, SELEP Vice Chairman for Essex, said: “This investment enables us to drive forward our shared growth agenda delivering economic growth, new jobs, facilitating housing, improving connectivity and boosting skills.
“The additional funding that will be leveraged into the South East as a result of these investments is testament to the continued success of our area.”
This latest award of Local Growth Funding is on top of £488 million of Growth Deals monies already awarded to the SELEP. This latest investment of £102m will deliver an additional 6,129 new homes, create or safeguard 30,785 jobs and secure a further £141 million of private sector investment across the region.
In total the SELEP Growth Deal from 2014 – 2020 now stands at £590.8m which is set to deliver 78,000 jobs, 29,000 homes in total and attract a further £960 million extra investment into the South East over the next five years.
Projects in Essex that have previously received funding have included the STEM Innovation Centre in Braintree which has supported the delivery of specialist training to strengthen industry links within manufacturing, construction and engineering.
For more information on Growth Deal projects please visit www.southeastlep.com.
