Govt hands out £100m of regeneration cash 

Oldham, Rochdale and Maryport are among nine North West towns to be awarded a combined nine-figure sum from Whitehall’s Future High Streets Fund. 

Scroll down for full list of winners

Last December, the Government announced it would award 72 areas across the UK a share of £831m in a bid to level up the regions. 

The nine North West towns were among 57 places that received provisional funding offers late last year, which have now been finalised. 

Oldham has been awarded almost £11m to make improvements to public realm, boost active travel and pedestrianise the lower end of Lord Street and High Street. 

Meanwhile, Wigan’s £16.6m allocation is to support the £130m transformation of the Galleries shopping centre, and in Rochdale the £17m it received will go towards the town’s ongoing regeneration, which includes the second phase of the Rochdale Riverside mixed-use scheme.

In Cumbria, Carlisle city centre and Maryport town centre in Allerdale are both set to see improvements after being awarded £9m and £11.5m respectively. 

Wigan’s £16.6m could support the £130m Galleries regeneration project

In Maryport, the money is to be spent on creating a multifunctional space available for markets and events, while in Carlisle, sites including the former Hoopers Building, Central Plaza, and 6-24 Castle Street could be redeveloped thanks to the funding. 

The full list of North West winners: 

1. New Ferry – £3m
2. Wigan – £16.6m 
3. Crewe – £14m 
4. Rochdale– £17m 
5. Farnworth – £13m 
6. Oldham – £10.75m 
7. Kirkham, Fylde £6m 
8. Carlisle – £9m 
9. Maryport – £11.5m 

The latest round of funding comes after Stockport, Winsford, Birkenhead, and Stretford were awarded £67m for town centre improvements just before Christmas.