Details of £10 million funding to be set aside for Haverhill town centre projects will be announced by St Edmundsbury Borough Council's Leader on Wednesday evening (9 February).
Cllr John Griffiths is set to announce that Cabinet will be asking full Council for the go-ahead for £10 million to be put in the council's capital programme to help turn the Haverhill town centre masterplan into reality.
Cllr Griffiths said:
"Following the launch of the Masterplan and the enthusiastic and constructive contributions of people and our partners in Haverhill, it is time to put our money where our mouth is. We are setting aside these funds specifically for Haverhill to help turn plans into reality and make things happen.
The council cannot do this alone but by showing we are serious about investing in Haverhill's future, I hope it will encourage others to work with us and come forward with significant funding as well. These are exciting times for Haverhill."
The funding has not been set aside for any specific project but will be put into a pot to be drawn on when projects linked to the masterplan come forward. The idea is that the funding could be used as "pump priming" to help kick-start a project, to match the funding from other organisations, or to step in and provide initial funding to unblock any barriers to progress, perhaps by buying a crucial building or piece of land.
The Cabinet has made the development of Haverhill a major commitment and in 2003 set up the cross-party Haverhill Area Working Party. Members focused on the town centre as a priority and last year produced a draft masterplan, setting out a vision for Haverhill. Representatives from local businesses were also involved in helping to put the masterplan together.
The announcement will be made at the first anniversary meeting of the Haverhill Chamber of Commerce and Industry at 6.30pm in the Haverhill Arts Centre on Wednesday (9 February).
The masterplan went out to consultation last autumn and responses are now being analysed, with the aim of it becoming adopted as the way forward for the town centre later this year. The idea is to make the town centre an attractive shopping environment, a place where business thrives, where people can enjoy themselves and an environment where people want to live.
More work is still needed on the masterplan - design briefs need to be drawn up for the sites identified in the town centre, for example, and a marketing plan will be needed to bring Haverhill to the attention of potential developers.
Haverhill Area Working Party Chairman Cllr Jeff Stevens said:
"A tremendous amount of hard work has gone into putting our ideas down on paper - now we hope to get the backing of the full Council to turn that vision into reality. Haverhill has always looked to the future rather than the past - as can be seen by the growing number of high-tech industries which are keen to expand or move to the town. With £10 million set aside for investment in the town centre, that future is looking even more exciting."
Cllr Griffiths added:
"Throughout this time I have been in close contact with many interested parties including Richard Spring MP who has very much supported and encouraged the work undertaken by the Council leading up to this announcement. I know how delighted he is with this announcement of a real financial commitment to the future of Haverhill, and know he will assist us in securing partners, additional support and finance and joint development schemes to make sure things happen."
Cabinet will consider a report on the £10 million funding at its meeting on Thursday 17 February. Its recommendation will then be considered by full Council on Thursday 24 February.
Click here to find out more about the Haverhill Masterplan.
ENDS
Note to news editors: You are welcome to send reporters/photographers to the Chamber of Commerce event.
Contacts: Council Leader, Cllr John Griffiths, 01284 757136, mob: 07958 700434
Haverhill Area Working Party Chairman, Cllr Jeff Stevens, 01787 277327, mob: 07876 560853
ISSUED BY MARIANNE HULLAND, COMMUNICATIONS UNIT, ST EDMUNDSBURY BOROUGH COUNCIL. Tel 01284 757034. marianne.hulland@stedsbc.gov.uk
