Burnley Council bosses urged to take advantage of £10m regeneration fund (From This Is Lancashire)

Burnley Council bosses urged to take advantage of £10m regeneration fund

7:00pm Saturday 9th February 2013 in News

COUNCIL bosses in Burnley have been urged to take advantage of a a regeneration fund which has already seen nearly £10million invested in the borough.

Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle has called on the borough council to draw up a bid for the next round of the Regional Growth Fund process.

The borough has already seen major benefits from the first two rounds of the initiative, he told a full council meeting.

Nearly £9million was announced in the second round of RGF applications to reinstate the Todmorden Curve, slashing journey times to Manchester.

The rebuilding of Burnley Manchester Road station and links through to the Weavers Triangle complex are other linked benefits.

And the third wave of RGF saw a package, drawn up with aerospace giants Aircelle, for a suppliers village at the former Michelin site, receive £1.4million.

Mr Birtwistle said: “The Regional Growth Fund has already brought a number of benefits to Burnley and now we have a fourth round.

“If the borough council can decide on a scheme, I will chase it up with government ministers and hopefully we can succeed again.”

Coun Andy Tatchell, deputy council leader and executive member for regeneration, said he would be exploring RGF possibliities.

He also saw a £1million business support programme, over three years, win the backing of borough councillors.

Coun Tatchell said that with the Burnley Bondholder scheme proving to be such a success with the private sector, it was important that the public sector offered support to create and sustain jobs locally.