Lancashire nervously awaits Levelling Up decisions on Eden Project North and more as Rishi Sunak takes charge
Councils, communities and businesses across Lancashire will be waiting to see how local Levelling-Up bids and other northern projects fare amid the latest government changes surrounding Rishi Sunak’s appointment as prime minister and the changing economic climate.
In recent times, Lancashire councils have worked with MPs such as Rossendale’s Jake Berry, Pendle’s Andrew Stephenson and Morecambe and Lunsdale’s David Morris on their specific bids for government cash. But the Levelling-Up scene at Westminster has witnessed some disruption recently and the economic backdrop has changed. Councils and the government face a range of considerations including investment, budgets, costs and northern regeneration beyond the big cities.
Rossendale Borough Council recently submitted multi-million pound Levelling-Up bids to the government, seeking support for Bacup and Rawtenstall town centres. The bid was developed through a local Levelling-Up Board with the council’s Labour leader and Conservative opposition group leader, plus MP Jake Berry and others.
Elsewhere in Morecambe, there are hopes for government funding to support the Eden Project North eco-attraction. Eden gained planning permission from Lancaster City Council early this year. A government decision on cash support was due in the autumn but then pushed back towards the winter.