Future High Street Fund
As an essential part of the Government's 'Our Plan for the High Street', the Future High Streets Fund (FHSF) was launched in December 2018 and is a key part of the government’s plan to renew and reshape town centres – making them a more attractive place to live, work and visit.
The fund provids co-funding towards capital projects that will bring transformative change and see the regeneration of town centres through innovative proposals around transport, housing delivery and public services.
Fifteen areas across England have been awarded a confirmed £255 million from the Future High Streets Fund. A further 57 areas, including Nuneaton, have received a provisional funding offers totalling up to £576 million and we will be working with them to finalise their proposals.
- Download the Future High Streets Fund Prospectus - published 26 December, 2018
- See Government Award Press Release - published 26 December 2020
Our bid
In March 2019, an expression of interest was submitted to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) by Nuneaton and Bedworth Council, with support from Warwickshire County Council, the West Midlands Combined Authority and other key partners and stakeholders.
Unsurprisingly, the fund was heavily oversubscribed with every eligible area in the country submitting an expression of interest. In July the government announced those Councils that had been shortlisted for the next stage and unfortunately Nuneaton and Bedworth was not shortlisted at that stage.
However, on 26 August 2019, MHCLG announced that the FHSF was being expanded to £1bn, using funds from the recently announced £3.6bn Stronger Towns Fund. Applications from an additional 50 councils, including Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, were shortlisted to go through to the next stage.
In preparation for the second round of the bid and using the capacity funding awarded, the Borough Council developed plans to renew and reshape Nuneaton Town Centre, in line with the national initiative, and also aligning with the Transforming Nuneaton project, with the focus on Abbey Street, Bridge to Living (Bridge Street), flood alleviation works and highway improvements/transport hub. The final business case was submitted at the end of July 2020.
On 26 December 2020, the government gave provisional approval of £13 million-plus of funding to boost development of Nuneaton town centre. Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council and its partners will now work on finalising the proposals.
Support from MHCLG would enable the Council to work with partners to transform locations as part of the Abbey Street Development, provide further security for town centre sites against the threat of flooding from the River Anker, and help delivery of the ambitious ‘Bridge to Living’ scheme in the town centre. In doing so it will help deliver the Transforming Nuneaton vision.