Millions of funding pledged to major Derbyshire projects

More than £7 million has been pledged to multiple different projects across Derby and Derbyshire with the aim to boost economic growth for the region. The funding is set to be approved at a meeting on Monday, December 16, by the East Midlands Combined Authority in Mansfield.

Subject to final approval, the funding would be given to projects across the East Midlands in a bid to improve the local economies, with a total of up to £7.75 million allocated to different important projects across Derby and Derbyshire.

In the proposals, up to £1.5m is currently earmarked for South Derbyshire's Growth Zone - facilitating a new junction on the A50, which would allow new plans for 4,500 new homes to be built paired with supporting infrastructure including a new secondary school.

Derby's Infinity Park is also set to receive up to £1.5 million in funding for a research and development facility within the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) investment Zone. The aim of this is to support the existing advanced manufacturing industry and nuclear sectors within Derby - promising to create more jobs in the sector.

Derby city has also been pledged up to £3.75 million, the largest of all investment pots in order to transform top priority areas and create a vibrant, sustainable and accessible urban quarter. The objective of which is to revitalise Derby's historic buildings, create a more enhanced inner city infrastructure as well as an additional goal of building more homes in the city.

While in North East Derbyshire up to £1 million has been put aside out of the fund for The Avenue (Wingerworth), which over the years has delivered an ambitious project to revitalise one of the most polluted sites in Europe into sports pitches, a nature reserve and a housing development. The funding going towards this project would allow for a southern access point to the site to create a more streamlined path for traffic and pedestrians.

Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, said: “These projects have been chosen for funding this year because their delivery will help boost the region’s economy. They will create jobs, help towards building homes, boosting local businesses and manufacturing and produce cleaner energy.

“We want to invest in vital projects, we can’t achieve the vision on our own, we need to work with partners across the region to invest in the right projects, projects that will make a real difference and this funding is just the start for the East Midlands.”

The EMCCA announced the funding for multiple projects across the East Midlands, with £9.5 million for projects across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.