Levelling Up Fund Success

26 January 2023

It was great to hear of the success of the Levelling Up Fund bids for Colchester, Folkestone and Hackney last week.

Collectively, the bids secured £58.5m of funding to deliver much needed improvements, including:

£19.66m for overhauling outdated transport infrastructure and creating new public links to reveal Colchester’s rich heritage and connect its communities to the city centre
£19.79m for supporting better walking and cycling connections in Folkestone, and the complete re-imagining of its bus station to create a new town centre square for residents, visitors and businesses to enjoy
£19.05m for tackling air quality and environmental issues in Hackney Central, alongside celebrating and upgrading its characterful civic and community assets.

In the context of over 500 bids to the fund of which only 111 were successful, we’re delighted that all three of the applications that we’ve been directly responsible for have been chosen. It’s a testament to our clients and our great team of colleagues and collaborators at PRD, Steer, Civic Engineers, Stockdale and HAT Projects.

“This award is great news for Colchester. It will help the look, feel and regeneration of the city centre and allow us to continue with ambitious plans to improve inequality and deprivation in the city.”

Cllr David King, Leader of Colchester City Council (Lib Dem)

“We have an exciting and ambitious scheme to bring forward and I am over the moon that this has been acknowledged by central government. Our plan will breathe new life into Folkestone and radically improve the complicated road network, making it much easier for residents and visitors to access the town centre. We are ready to go and we look forward to getting on with this project.”

Cllr David Monk, Leader of Folkestone and Hythe District Council (Con)

“Hackney Central is the beating heart of the borough and this successful bid is a win for the thousands of people who have told us about their priorities for the area. It will help us in ensuring that it continues to grow in a way that benefits residents by offering a greener, safer and more inclusive town centre.”

Philip Glanville, Mayor of Hackney (Lab)

“It’s rewarding to have specific moments where it really feels that our work is making a difference in places that need it. Of course, there’s plenty to say about the Levelling Up Fund, its processes and its pitfalls, but for now, we are celebrating much needed investment to make healthy, fair and well-designed places.”

Holly Lewis, Co-founding Partner, We Made That

Header image: Warm Shores by artist Thomas J Price outside Hackney Town Hall