Funding of up to £25million which will be used to regenerate a town centre has been approved by the Government. 

Leyland is to receive up to £25million after a funding bid submission was made in October 2020 by Leyland Town Board to the Government's Town Fund.

The bid includes three key projects in Leyland Town Centre:
•    Leyland town centre improvements including a new public square and commercial and residential developments
•    Improvements to Leyland Market
•    BASE2 - a business hub for skills, events and workspaces

Leyland Town Board is made up of local and regional businesses and stakeholders including Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, Maple Grove Developments, Stonecreate, Job Centre Plus, UCLAN and Runshaw college. 

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The Board is supported by South Ribble Borough Council and is chaired by Jennifer Gadsdon of Birchall Blackburn Law.

Leyland Town Board Chair, Jennifer Gadsdon, said: "It is brilliant news for Leyland, the funding will allow the improvement plan to become a reality and help to address the economic growth potential with a focus on digital connectivity, skills, enterprise and improved transport links"

Leader of South Ribble Borough Council, Councillor Paul Foster, said: "This is fantastic news for businesses and residents across South Ribble as the funding will help to bring the vision to life for Leyland to be a digitally connected town centre, where enterprise thrives and skilled residents have good jobs.

"The town centre can now develop a revitalised culture, leisure, retail and hospitality offering which is great timing as we begin to move out of the pandemic restrictions. 

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"The council was really well placed for our bid being successful given the huge amount of progress made on the Leyland Town Masterplan over the past two years.  

"We pushed the Government hard as we had the scheme ready to go, and I am really pleased we have been successful.

"I cannot thank the Leyland Town Board, our officers and my cabinet colleagues enough for the tremendous work in achieving this huge inward investment.  

"We have worked really hard for years for this project to be realised, for our community and for our town."

The next steps will see the Leyland Town Board enter detailed discussions with the Government to spend the funding.

Alongside this, work will commence on preparing and submitting a planning application for the proposed developments and seeking partners to deliver and occupy the uses proposed.

The proposals will aim to create:

  • Public realm improvements including new bus stops on King Street, the frontage of the Commercial Vehicle Museum Hough Lane (subject to agreement with the museum), and to Chapel Brow and Station Brow e.g. shared spaces, shop forecourts, outdoor seating, wayfinding, and tree planting;
  • Commercial development opportunities to diversify the town centre's offer including commercial units for food and drink and town centre living;
  • The upgrade and provision of new sustainable connectivity including:
  • the relocation of Ecroyd Street car park to create central space and open up pedestrian and cycle access from the north;
  • car parking upgrades including provision of electric charging points and cycle parking. This includes the existing King Street Car park with serves nearby businesses as well as the town centre;
  • improved connectivity along Hough Lane/Chapel Brow/Station Brow and to the station;
  • improved walking and cycling facilities and links to the King Street Car park from Hough Lane where air quality is currently poor, to reduce reliance on cars; and
  •  improved connectivity to strategic employment and leisure hub development sites, unlocking potential developments 

Lancashire Telegraph:

Proposals to make improvements both inside and out to Leyland's market have also been put forward.

With the funding the interior of the market building will be refurbished, updating the branding/signage for the existing stalls and upgrading the central stalls.

It is also proposed to invest in the existing market hall structure, using the funding to retain the internal historic building structure (formerly a Leyland Motors building), and replace the long-term problematic roof with a new sustainable structure, ensuring that this building is fit for its long-term future and embracing innovation.

In addition, there are proposals to expand the market facility creating new external stalls to wrap the market building and have a direct relationship to a new market square.

The servicing area for the market will be relocated to accommodate this.

A business hub development for business for workspace, events and skills called BASE2, has been put forward also, which will be located in a new, modern building at the Iddon's factory site, adjacent to the existing market car park.

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This area will be transformed into a Market Square, a new focal heart for Leyland the BASE2 building will be a key element of this transformation.

The BASE2 will create space for local people and businesses to learn, work and grow together, including a mix of start-up, learning, events and commercial space. It will also house a café for informal meetings.

The proposals cover the area of Hough Lane, Church Brow and Stanifield Lane and include the creation of a new Market Square.

The bid was developed by Leyland Town board following consultation with local residents and businesses in September with very positive feedback for the plans from more than 2,000 respondents.