Team Barrow sets out 10-year ambitions
A partnership between Westmorland & Furness Council, central government and BAE Systems has published its vision for the town’s revitalisation.
Recognising Barrow’s role in national security, the partnership is seeded with £200m of government investment.
BAE, which already employs more than 14,500 people locally, needs to grow its workforce to enable delivery of the Astute, Dreadnought and SSN-AUKUS submarine programmes.
The firm is currently amid arranging a deal for 14,000 sq ft of training facilities in the town.
The Plan for Barrow masterplan outlines how BAE’s ambitions will be supported, while the diversification of the local economy is also pushed forward. Improvements are expected across the town centre and housing stock.
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Local growth minister Alex Norris said: “Visiting Barrow last year I saw the huge impact Team Barrow is having in revitalising, strengthening and supporting the community. Establishing a new independent board is a vital step in ensuring every penny of the government’s £200m funding is well spent, and I urge the community to get involved in having their say in shaping Barrow.
“All local leaders have a part to play in our Plan for Change and Barrow plays a crucial role in our national security, I look forward to working with the Board to make sure the people of Barrow benefit from this investment and renewed partnership.”
The roster of projects includes some already live.
This includes Marina Village, featuring 800 new homes across 64 acres. Redstart Northwest was appointed last year to complete a two-stage design and build contract for the remediation work, and has this year been awarded the stage two construction contract, worth up to £16.5m.
Homes England has committed £24.8m to this second phase, with the Towns Fund ‘Brilliant Barrow’ stream also a contributor.
Phase one, completed in November 2023, covered the remediation of 15 acres and was funded by £5.5m secured from the Government’s Getting Building Fund, administered by Cumbria LEP.
There is also the Learning Quarter. This includes improvements to Furness College and a new campus for the University of Cumbria, inked in to open this year. As far as courses offered are concerned, mechanical engineering will be a focus.
The masterplan also includes the Heart of Barrow, a town centre improvement plan centred around remodelling the market. BAE has acquired three shop units as part of the overall plan.
In December, Place reported on the need to find more cash, as rising costs troubled the £17.5m Market Hall project.
Barrow and Furness MP Michelle Scrogham is a member of the board responsible for managing and overseeing the £200m fund, along with the leader and chief executive of Westmorland and Furness Council, and MD of BAE’s submarines division.
She said: “It is great to see these plans moving forward at pace, and to see projects already getting under way. This is a massive opportunity for our whole area with the aim of delivering growth for our town and making it an even better place to live, work, and raise a family.
“These plans will help us build vibrant local communities through improvements to transport infrastructure, housing, education, health and wellbeing, and developing local facilities.”
Phil Drane, Team Barrow programme director, said: “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the town. Its regeneration is already underway, with projects such as the Marina Village and new university campus providing solid foundations for us to build upon.
“It’s a really exciting time for our town and our community and we want to work side-by-side with them to understand what matters most, to ensure their views influence our decision-making and inform the design and delivery of our work.”
The Plan for Barrow can be read on a new website called Barrow Rising. which can be viewed here.
Five workstreams come under the Team Barrow umbrella: economy, masterplanning and place; transport; education, employment and skills; health, equity and wellbeing; and community and social impact.