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Growth Deal

Local Enterprise Partnerships are playing a vital role in driving forward economic growth across the country, helping to build a country that works for everyone.

By 2021 Government invested over £12bn through the Local Growth Fund, allowing LEPs to use their local knowledge to get all areas of the country firing on all cylinders.

NOTE: The fund has closed.


Since 2016, Cumbia LEP has invested £60.32m in 34 individual economic growth projects across Cumbria, creating new jobs, homes, infrastructure and supporting the expansion of local skills provision.

The Local Growth Fund Programme ended on 31 March 2021 with;

  • 2,200 jobs created or safeguarded.
  • £86.63m public/private investment delivered.
  • 11,223 premises with access to superfast broadband.
  • 160,201m2 premises created or refurbished.
  • 3,000 new learning opportunities.
  • 2,299 new homes delivered.

With investments from £0.215m through to £7.178m, the Programme has supported a range of projects across the public, private and third sectors including;

  • Lillyhall North – £1.789m delivering enabling infrastructure works and securing planning permission to unlock future development at the site. Lillyhall north is a strategic employment site in West Cumbria adjacent to A595 East ow Workington.
  • Southern Windermere Trail – £0.444m investment creating an off-road cycling and walking train from Newby Bridge along the south western shore of Windermere.
  • Kendal Business Hub – £0.44m, investment in transforming South Lakeland House Ground Floor into affordable business space for use by start-ups and SME’s.
  • MEC – £0.979m grant awarded to create the M-Sport Evaluation Centre, delivering a state-of-the-art R&D facility to complement the 2.5km test track recently completed at its Dovenby HQ.
  • Civil Engineering Facility – £0.9m to support delivery of a civil engineering & plant operatives training facility at the Lakes College West Cumbria Campus at Lillyhall. The project will address critical skills gaps and support the delivery of T-Levels.
  • Dressed to Impress – £0.213m of grant to create two new viewing galleries that benefit from restored Victorian architecture. The galleries will showcase a range of outstanding costume and textiles from 1720 onwards, presented using contemporary and innovative interpretation, fit for 21st century audiences. The restored galleries will exhibit around 40 fully conserved garments.

For more information, please contact David Hughes, Head of Infrastructure and Programme Closure: david.hughes@thecumbrialep.co.uk.

Local Growth Fund

Local Enterprise Partnerships are playing a vital role in driving forward economic growth across the country, helping to build a country that works for everyone. By 2021 Government will have invested over £12bn through the Local Growth Fund, allowing LEPs to use their local knowledge to get all areas of the country firing on all cylinders.

The government has awarded £9.1bn in three rounds of Growth Deals to local areas to drive economic growth. LEPs have invested in a wide range of projects including transport, skills, business support, broadband, innovation and flood defences.

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