Projects that have received part of the £35.8m Local Growth Deal expansion funding in Coastal West Sussex are-
- New Engineering and Digital Technology Park at the University of Chichester site in Bognor, providing cutting edge skills to 500 students per year.
- Gatwick Airport – Secures the redevelopment of the railway station at Gatwick Airport a strategic local, national and international transport hub.
- Improvements to the A2300 Burgess Hill Link Road relieving congestion and unlocking up to 3,000 new homes and 5,000 jobs.
This adds to the projects that were announced in July 2014, that received part of the £202.4m Local Growth Fund :
- Shoreham and Newhaven Flood Defence Scheme
- Redevelopment of Circus and Edward Street Quarter in Brighton
- A29 re-alignment in Bognor Regis
- Advance Engineering Centre at Shoreham in partnership with Ricardo and the University of Brighton
- Growth is Digital Programme to rolling out superfast and ultrafast broadband and support for SMEs to access the digital economy
Local Enterprise Partnership estimates that from 2015-2021 the Growth Deal will-
- Create up to 21,000 new jobs
- Build 9,000 new homes
- Potential to generate £390m public and private investment
The Coast to Capital Growth Deal is part of a long term plan to devolve at least £12 billion from central government to local economies. The plan aims for every part of the country to be a motor of growth for the national economy.
The Prime Minister said:
“Giving local communities the power and the money to unlock growth and development and make the spending decisions that work for them is a key part of our long-term economic plan to secure a brighter future for Britain and ensure a recovery for all.
“And this is happening right here in the South from Chichester to Lewes and Croydon to Brighton, with more money announced today for key projects to boost the local economy as part of the multi-million pound expansion of the Government’s Growth Deals.