Grants awarded to help support businesses and promote cultural sites.
Towns and local centres across Greater Birmingham and Solihull are set to get a £325,000 funding boost from Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership.
Over the past 24 months GBSLEP has provided revenue funding to support the development of projects that look to create places where people want to visit, work and live. Six towns and local centres have been awarded grants in the current round of 
Bromsgrove District Council, Lichfield District Council, North Worcestershire Economic Regeneration Development, Jewellery Quarter Development Trust, Colmore and Retail and Southside Business Improvement Districts in Birmingham city centre, are all set to benefit. The money awarded will go towards supporting solutions to unlock derelict sites, creating green infrastructures, 1:1 business support and the formation of cultural hubs.
The funding is part of GBSLEP’s ongoing work through the Towns and Local Centres Framework which takes a coordinated view of regeneration in towns and local centres and delivers the LEP’s strategic ambition of creating the best city-region to live in by 2030. This is the 4th round of funding. Since March 2019 a total of £1.48 million has been allocated to 36 projects across the GBSLEP region.
Chair of GBSLEP, Tim Pile said; “Now is the time to show commitment to the development of our towns and local centres. Covid-19 has wreaked havoc in many areas but as a LEP we recognise that thriving, vibrant local centres are vital to the growth and development of our region.
“The grants awarded will enable organisations to move forward, creating plans to help local businesses recover and to create attractive offerings for visitors and residents. It is great to see projects putting low-carbon at the heart of regeneration as well as looking at the value of investment in the creative and visitor industries.
“I am certain that foundations are being laid to help bring people back into our local centres as we all look towards inclusive economic recovery.”