Stoke-on-Trent City Council awarded Green Space funding

Stoke-on-Trent City Council awarded Green Space funding

Green Spaces in Stoke Town Centre are set to be spruced up thanks to £500,000 of Government funding.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council has been awarded funding following a successful bid for Green Spaces funding, through the High Street Accelerator Programme originally announced in March 2023.

The programme encourages communities and businesses to join up with local authorities on long-term plans to tackle vacancy rates, run down properties and declining footfall.

The Green Spaces Funding is in addition to the £237,000 the council was previously awarded through the High Street Accelerator scheme last year.

The purpose of this Green Space funding is to deliver projects to improve the Stoke Town Centre environment all with a view to encouraging footfall whilst ensuring a safe and pleasant high street environment

In Stoke-on-Trent, this money will be spent to improve areas of Stoke town complementing work which is already ongoing through the High Street Accelerator initiative, including the use of CCTV cameras in the town, clearing up litter, a year round events programme including a regular food festival.

Michael Escolme, Chair of the Stoke High Street Accelerator Board, said: “I’m delighted that Stoke town has been successful in bidding for this significant sum of money to assist in the regeneration and revitalisation of Stoke’s High Street. It will help to bring wider attention to the many fantastic cultural events and small businesses that make Stoke town their home.”

Councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker, Cabinet member for Transport, Infrastructure and Regeneration, said: “We are very pleased to have been awarded this funding for Stoke town centre that will help revitalise the town and take our city one step closer to being a cleaner and greener place to live.

“It is important that the money we have secured is used well, and for the benefit of our local communities and residents, so we want to hear from you about how you would like to see this money spent. Please get in touch if you have an idea.”

Greening projects can bring a number of benefits to the high street, including helping to increase its vibrancy and visual appeal and providing new social spaces that increase the time spent by visitors in the area.

The aim of these projects is to increase the number and diversity of people using Stoke town high street, improve the biodiversity and provide greater opportunities for people to engage in the heritage of Stoke Town.

Anyone who has a project idea is now being invited to bid for Green Spaces Funding. All projects will be assessed on their own merits based on available funding.

For more information, or to discuss any project ideas, please email StokeHSA@stoke.gov.uk

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Thursday 12th September 2024.