£25m Towns Fund bid for Morley submitted

Leeds City Council has submitted a £25m bid to the government’s Towns Fund to help transform Morley.

Developed by the Morley Town Deal Board with support from Leeds City Council, the town investment plan will now be reviewed by Whitehall, with a decision expected in the coming months.

If successful, the money will help fund work on Morley Town Hall and town square, delivering a high-quality refurbishment of the Grade I listed building and developing a cluster of arts and culture spaces.

It will also target improvements to prominent town centre buildings through restoration and re-use, and a new and upgraded greenspace across Morley, tackling local air quality and health challenges.

If accepted, the Morley Town Deal Board will develop the projects in further detail over the next 12 months to deliver on local priorities like skills, jobs, sustainable travel and bringing cherished buildings back into use.

It comes after Wirral Council submitted a £45m bid to the government to help with plans to regenerate Birkenhead.

‘Developed from the ideas generated through public consultation, it is great to see this series of projects to better connect the town, develop the skills and opportunities for its people, and enhances its green spaces and public realm officially submitted to the government for funding,’ said Leeds City Council’s executive member for climate change, transport and sustainable development, Cllr Lisa Mulherin.

‘It is a testament to the ambition of businesses and residents in the Morley area to present a series of proposals that builds brightly on the town’s history.

‘If the government delivers this funding it will represent a major investment in the area, and I am sure we all hope that the potential for transforming Morley through these proposals sees the bid succeed in the coming months.’

Morley and Outwood MP Andrea Jenkyns added: ‘Ever since Morley was selected as one of the 101 towns that could bid for the Towns Fund, I have been extremely excited by what it could mean for the people of Morley. From developing jobs and skills in the area to growing our greenspaces and developing our transport connectivity, I am delighted by the diverse range of projects found in this submission.’

Photo Credit – Pexels (Pixabay)