The Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership (SWLEP) has secured £28.1m in local growth funding from government. The announcement was made by Communities Secretary Sajid Javid yesterday while on a visit to the area. 

151869-large 

           L-R  SWLEP Chairman John Mortimer and Communities Secretary Sajid Javid 

The Local Growth Fund 3 investment provides further impetus to the area’s growing economy, paving the way for 1,470 new jobs, 200 new homes and 3,730 new learners.  The SWLEP will support the achievement of these economic outcomes by funding three prioritised projects;

  • The construction of  Life Sciences, Engineering and Higher Education facilities at Wiltshire College, Salisbury

  • A new Agricultural Technology Centre at Wiltshire College, Lackham

  • Redevelopment of the Central Car Park and Maltings area of Salisbury

Bids into LGF are highly competitive and to be successful, Local Enterprise Partnerships need to work with partners to agree strong and accountable governance and put forward proposals that boost growth and bring in private sector funding. 

218012-large

L-R-   John Mortimer, Chairman, SWLEP Board, Amanda Burnside, Principal-Wiltshire College, Cllr. Fleur de Rhe-Philipe, Wiltshire Council and Sajid Javid, Communities Secretary

The government’s Local Growth Fund is a major funding stream for the SWLEP, with two of its earlier rounds securing £140.8m investment for a range of transport and regeneration projects. The completed projects from this investment include:-

Greenbridge roundabout Swindon, part of the New Eastern Villages, A350 dualing around Chippenham, A429 Malmesbury roundabout to support better access to the town; some projects under construction  include; the M4 Junction 16 and a Science Park at Porton in South Wiltshire. 

The new funding will support Wiltshire College’s ambitious plans for growth at their Salisbury and Lackham campuses. In Salisbury the college plans to build a 3,500 sq.m. Construction, Life Sciences and Engineering Centre, enabling it to vacate leased premises off campus, as well as a 2,200 sq.m. higher education centre. These additions will allow the college to introduce new curricula and accommodate more learners. In Lackham plans are for a 2,400 sq.m. Agricultural Technology Centre and a higher education centre also to house incubation space for land based businesses. The funding will also regenerate the Maltings site in the heart of Salisbury to reinforce its position as a regionally important shopping and visitor destination.