WORK will start on the new £23.1m Workington Town Deal project- after the government has agreed to the funding.

Business plans were agreed earlier this year by Allerdale Borough Council’s Executive, after they were devised by the Workington Town Deal Board, now funding has been confirmed work will start on the five major pprojects.

The funding is being provided under the Government’s Town Deal funding pot.

Plans for the town include a new sports village on the Derwent Valley and the current site of Workington Reds ground at Borough Park, the creation of a new office block and shared creative working space in the centre of the town, remediation of the land around the Port of Workington to allow further expansion of this important transport hub, the creation of a new digital skills programme to help employment in the high-tech industries, and the improvement of pedestrian areas at several key locations across the town.

Times and Star: Cllr Mike JohnsonCllr Mike Johnson

Leader of Allerdale Borough Council, Councillor Mike Johnson said: “This is a very exciting time for the Workington area, and this investment meets our commitment in our Council Strategy to invest in our communities and have thriving towns and villages.

"I’m delighted to see that the Town Deal Board have received the funding to bring the plans set out in the Town Investment Plan to life.

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The Board’s plans for Workington will be a game changer for the town and I’m excited to see what opportunities these investments bring. I’d like to thank everyone who has got us this far. Now the exciting work can really start.”

Times and Star: John CoughlanJohn Coughlan

John Coughlan, Chair of the Workington Town Deal Board, said: “This is really welcomed progress for the town, the people of Workington and indeed the whole region.

“We all want Workington to be a lively, lived-in and commercially active Town. This brings all of this one step nearer.”

Welcoming the latest milestone, Mark Jenkinson MP said: “This is great news for Workington: we are one step closer to realising this multi-million-pound vision for our town. I have been involved in this aspirational project from the time I served as a deputy leader of Allerdale Borough Council – when the initial Town Deal allocations were announced. I have worked closely with the council as a sitting member of the Town Deal Board to help shape the winning bid.

Times and Star: Mark Jenkinson MPMark Jenkinson MP

“A key plank of my plan is to support our fantastic town centres, which have undoubtedly faced huge challenges. This also helps to deliver a commitment I made to two of the town’s sporting clubs – Workington Town and Workington Reds. This huge cash injection will not only improve the public realm: it will also support the creation of a Sports Village and a logistics and renewable energy hub."

On hearing the news, Phil Norman, Chairman of Workington Reds Football Club and Chairman of Workington Rugby League Football Club, John Pleasants, said: “We would like to thank everyone involved for their hard work in getting the project to this stage and look forward to moving to our potential new home in the not-too-distant future.

“In the meantime, both clubs will endeavour to keep fans fully informed, as the project progresses.”

Having received the funds from the government, the projects will now move into the more detailed design phase before building works can begin.

 

  • The council is encouraging local businesses – especially those in the construction business - to drop-in on its ‘Meet the Buyer’ event it is staging on June,30.
  • Attendees can also find out the tender process to bid for work. It is a drop-in event, so no booking is required. Just turn up at the Council’s main office in Workington between 10am and 2pm on Thursday 30 June 2022.