Todmorden Town Deal Board is pleased to confirm that Full Business Cases for all eight Town Deal projects have now been submitted to Government for final approval for funding from the £17.5M allocated to Todmorden’s Town Investment Plan.
The business cases submitted to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, show how each project contributes to the vision for a 21st Century market town as set out by the Board in the Town Investment Plan. The programme will harness and enhance the unique landscape, impressive heritage, and the creative and enterprising spirit for which the town is already known. Key priorities are providing more and higher quality opportunities to improve health and wellbeing, to develop enterprise, learning and skills and to take part in outdoor leisure, arts and cultural activities.
The final five Full Business Cases submitted focus on: the redesign of Bramsche Square to create an open, flexible, welcoming town centre space, that will boost customers to local retail, hospitality and trade and host Todmorden’s calendar of events and festivals; the creation of a brand new enterprise centre to incubate and support budding entrepreneurs, start-ups, micro and scalable businesses; the extension of the popular community owned Hippodrome Theatre; investment into the underused green space and outdoor facility at the Riverside Centre in Walsden; and improving pedestrian access and signposting to facilitate more active everyday travel.
This follows the three Full Business Cases submitted earlier in September, which focus on improvements to sports, leisure and performance facilities in Centre Vale Park, works to Todmorden Town Hall to create a more accessible, user friendly building for modern day use, and building refurbishments to Todmorden College, Learning Centre and Community Hub.
Following the submission of final business cases, an Open Day will be held on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th November, 10.00am – 2.00pm at Todmorden College to share with and update local people on the plans and proposals for the Town Deal programme.
Pam Warhurst, Chair, Todmorden Town Deal Board said:
“I’m delighted that all our projects have made their final cases for funding to Government after huge amounts of work by our project partners and look forward to sharing this progress with local people at the upcoming Open Day. The projects are shaped by numerous consultations over the years in Todmorden, and those contributions by local communities are evidenced in the positive impact the programme aims to achieve. This event is an opportunity to continue the conversation, as promised, with local residents and businesses on what the proposed projects will achieve and how they can benefit the town. Some of the details are still being discussed, and there’s still a way to go before works get underway on site, but it’s important to keep talking as the process moves forward.”
Calderdale Council is the Accountable Body for the community-led Board and for the Todmorden Town Investment Programme as a whole. Cllr Sarah Courtney, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Towns, Engagement and Public Health, said:
“It’s fantastic to reach this major milestone in Todmorden’s planned transformation. The town already has so much to offer, and with the boost provided by the investment proposals, the Town Deal projects look set to drive forward our Council priority for thriving towns across Calderdale.”
“Please come along to the Open Day to continue the conversation about the plans and share the excitement.”
Following submission of the programme’s Full Business Cases, feedback is anticipated from Government by the end of the year at the latest. Consultation and planning permission processes as required, will follow if and when projects are given final approval.
Update on Town Deal Projects, Open Day, will take place on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th November, 10.00am – 2.00pm, Todmorden College, Learning Centre & Community Hub, Burnley Road, Todmorden. All welcome. For more information on Todmorden Town Deal, visit: www.todmordentowndeal.co.uk(external link)