James Duddridge MP has welcomed the announcement that both Southend and Rochford will benefit from £4.9m of investment, under the Government’s Getting Building Fund.
The £900 million fund was announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in June as part of the Conservative Government’s New Deal for Britain.
It's an ambitious economic strategy to rebuild the country after coronavirus, by putting skills and infrastructure investment at the heart of our economic recovery.
More than 300 projects, which have been determined as ‘shovel-ready, have been allocated a share of the fund. In total, the investment is expected to deliver up to 45,000 homes, create up to 85,000 jobs and reduce around 65 million kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions across England.
Projects in Rochford and Southend East to benefit are:
Better Queensway - £4,200,000
Funding sought is for a capital sum to upgrade local electrical networks to provide capacity to meet new government guidelines on energy use in new homes and to enable sufficient resilience in the local grid to provide the required level of electrical vehicle charging to future proof the town centre.
Rocheway - £713,000
The building had been vacant since the college relocated in 2013. A development of 14 new private homes which acts as a facilitating first phase, providing site infrastructure for phase 2 - 60 independent living (Extra Care) apartments for older people. Providing jobs in the construction sector alongside jobs in the care sector through the independent living provision to meet the growing demands of Essex’s ageing population. The scheme also protects and improves community facilities on the wider site with new changing and parking facilities being provided for ongoing use of the sites green space by local sports clubs.
It builds on the commitments made by Boris Johnson and the Conservatives during last year’s General Election to level up the whole country, investing in infrastructure and communities across the whole country. The Prime Minister’s New Deal accelerated more than £5 billion of investment on infrastructure projects, including the Getting Building Fund, while the Chancellor has also recently set out a Plan for Jobs, to support people in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
Commenting, James Duddridge, MP for Rochford and Southend East, said:
“As we look to begin to recover from coronavirus, this multi-million-pound investment in Southend and Rochford is a big boost for our local economy. Through important funds such as this, we can future proof our towns with better, greener infrastructure, while also supporting jobs over the months and years ahead."
Also commenting, Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said:
“As we get Britain building we are also laying the foundations for a green economic recovery by investing in vital infrastructure for local communities, creating jobs and building environmentally-friendly homes with a huge £1.3 billion investment announced today.
“This Government is determined to level up all parts of the country and this funding will not only give a much-needed boost to our economic recovery, it will help build the good quality, affordable homes the country needs.”
