Community projects along the new High Speed Two railway route
will receive more than £245,000 as part of a £45million pledge by
the government to provide a legacy of improvements for
generations to come, HS2 Minister announced today.
A Northamptonshire pre-school, a 900 year-old Warwickshire church
and an environmental awareness charity in London are amongst the
first recipients of the Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and
Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF) - a £40m fund to support
local economies and communities affected by the Phase One
construction of HS2 between London and Birmingham.
Today HS2 Minister visited Crewe station to
announce an extension of the scheme – with a further £5m being
made available to help communities along HS2 Phase 2a route from
the West Midlands to Crewe.
HS2 Minister said:
“HS2 will be the backbone of our national rail network –
supporting growth and regeneration and helping us build a Britain
fit for the future. Whilst we know there will be disruption as we
deliver one of Europe’s biggest infrastructure projects, we are
absolutely committed to minimising the effects of building the
new railway.
“That is why I am delighted to see this significant funding
helping to unlock the potential of communities and businesses
along the route, ensuring the legacy of HS2 extends beyond the
railway. These diverse and empowering projects will help
regenerate local areas and bring people closer together, and I
look forward to seeing more grants being funded in the future.”
These funding allocations highlight the government’s
determination to ensure HS2 is more than just a railway, but a
catalyst for economic growth, driving regeneration as well as
improving the transport landscape around the rail line.
The cash will be spent on public projects such as the
refurbishment of community centres, nature conservation and
measures to support local economies and employment.
Cathy Elliott, independent chair of CEF and BLEF said:
“We have had a fantastic response so far and are proud to be
supporting a variety of projects which will bring huge benefits
to their communities for many years to come.
“More funding is available for eligible applicants in the HS2
Phase One area and throughout the construction of Phase One. We
look forward to announcing more funded local projects for Phase
One and the launch date for Phase 2a applications.”
Mark Thurston, HS2 Ltd chief executive, said:
“As we deliver HS2, we have the opportunity to leave a positive
legacy for the communities along the route of the railway. Our
Community and Environment Fund, and its twin Business Fund, are
starting to support important local initiatives, including
building renovations and environmental projects. We’re
encouraging local people to come forward with other
opportunities, such as community-led nature projects which could
contribute to the ‘green corridor’ we’re creating alongside the
railway.
“This grassroots activity is in addition to the national benefits
of HS2, which will rebalance the economy by connecting eight out
of our ten biggest cities, increase rail capacity on the current
system and reduce journey times, while also creating thousands of
jobs across the UK.”
The first organisations to secure CEF Local grants are:
· Castlehaven Community Association in Camden, London, receiving
£73,591 to support ‘Greengage’, a local community initiative to
get more residents engaged in environmental issues.
· Helmdon Acorns pre-school in Northamptonshire, receiving £5,442
to improve the safety and accessibility of the children’s play
area.
· Thorpe Mandeville Village Hall Trust receiving £4,600 to
resolve damp issues at the village hall.
· Steeple Claydon Methodist Church in Buckinghamshire, receiving
£12,000 to make a number of improvements to the church
premises.
· West Euston Partnership in London, receiving £74,804 to support
‘Healthtrain’, a community-led local health initiative.
· Wormleighton Parochial Church Council in Warwickshire,
receiving £74,982 to install toilets and catering facilities in
St Peters Church.
~ Ends ~
Editor’s notes
- For further information and to apply for funding, visit the
website
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/hs2-phase-one-how-to-apply-for-community-and-business-funds
- For digital content to use alongside your story, visit this
link https://extranet.dft.gov.uk/cef-blef/. The password is
cef$1234
- CEF and BLEF offer four types of grants: CEF Local grants for
under £75,000, CEF Strategic grants for £75,000 - £1million, BLEF
kick-starter grants of up to £75,000 and BLEF strategic grants of
£75,000 - £1million.
- There are over 300 CEF and BLEF applications currently in
progress from across the line of route for Phase One.
- A combined total of £45 million has been made available for
these two funds. £40m is linked to the Phase One construction
period and the first year of operation of HS2 services (11 years
in total). The additional £5m will cover the Phase 2a
construction period and first year of operation
