Plans for new homes, businesses and a multi-storey car park on disused land in Stafford have taken a step closer after the Government backed the borough council’s £20 million funding bid.
Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, visited the town to announce that the borough council’s bid for funding for the Stafford Station Gateway project was successful.
Mr Gove came to Stafford on the day the Government announced that nationally 55 local projects were being awarded a share of nearly £1 billion from the third round of its Levelling Up Fund.
Stafford Borough Council Leader Aidan Godfrey said the announcement was further testament of the confidence the government and private sector had in the borough council and partners to deliver for the town.
Proposals for the ‘Station Gateway’ scheme include a hotel, up to 900 new homes, 30,000 square feet of commercial space, a 350-space multi-storey car park, along with retail and leisure facilities on ‘underutilised brownfield land’ around the railway station.
The project is a partnership between the borough council, Staffordshire County Council, placemaking and regeneration expert LCR, and Network Rail.
A new Institute of Technology for Stafford College, supported by £13 million of government funding and backed by Keele University, Siemens, and Dell among others, is already being built on part of the Gateway site.
Councillor Godfrey said: “Yet again this is testament in the confidence that the government has in the borough council and partners being able to deliver on significant investment that is coming to our area.
“That the Secretary of State has chosen Stafford as the place to make this announcement sends a clear message about our strong position on the national map.
“And I told Mr Gove that we were perfectly placed by road, rail and air for new businesses to flourish and the Stafford Gateway will be a thriving, vibrant new community within the town where people want to live, work and visit and all sustainably connected to the railway station.”
The funding is part of significant investment being made in the county town with other projects underway or recently delivered.
These include the Staffordshire History Centre and the business hub at Shire Hall, the refurbishment of the Market Square and work due to begin soon on the approach and entrance to the railway station and plans taking shape around the Eastgate area of town.
The masterplan for the ‘Gateway’ can be found here.
