Cumbria Investments
Making economic development happen
Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (CLEP) has successfully invested £60m of funding from the Government’s Growth Deal programme in a range of projects designed to accelerate economic growth in the county.
Key areas of strength in the county include advanced manufacturing capabilities, specific expertise in nuclear and energy industries and their supply chains, a visitor economy which attracts millions of people to the county each year, and a growing, diversifying network of rural businesses.
Transport infrastructure is also a major priority, with Cumbria LEP working alongside partners, local and national government to bring about much needed improvements to road, rail, port and airport facilities. Other priorities are facilitating housing developments and business growth.
The creation of key employment sites, from improving access facilities and opening up new workspace, to the reclamation of derelict land for development of commercial office and manufacturing space, is all designed to boost economic output and attract new business and networking opportunities in Cumbria.
We are investing in better ICT and broadband coverage, aiming to achieve 100% superfast broadband coverage across the county.
Ensuring we have a workforce to meet the future needs of our local employers is an integral part of Cumbria LEP’s economic strategy too, and we are investing in state-of-the-art training facilities, with a strong focus on science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) related disciplines, as well as civil engineering. The aim is to provide businesses with a local supply of skilled staff and a workforce fit for today and tomorrow.
Flagship Investments
Infrastructure funding – devolved majors
£7,600,000
Local transport schemes to support the movement of workers across Cumbria, provide better access to sustainable travel facilities and underpin the rail led strategy for major new investments within the county. This project includes delivery of new transport ‘hubs’ in Maryport and Workington, with extended parking facilities and improvements to vehicular, pedestrian and cycle access to the railway stations.
Flagship Investments
Optimising Connectivity 1 & 2
£2,750,000
Increasing the range of sustainable transport options available in the Lake District to improve transport links and connectivity to support business growth and a more diverse economy. The £2.75m investment over two programmes is increasing the range of sustainable transport options available in the Lake District, including highway improvement schemes in key tourist hotspots at Grasmere and for the Glebe in Windermere, the upgrading and reopening of the Keswick to Threlkeld Trail, cycleway improvements on Dunmail Raise and the creation of an off-road trail at Southern Windermere.
Flagship Investments
Cumbria Skills and Capital Programme
£3,160,000
Meeting the skills needs of employers in the county by upgrading or creating new learning spaces and enlarging the local workforce in line with the Skills Investment Plan. The programme includes targets to increase apprenticeships and investments in training provision and facilities for advanced manufacturing, STEM and agricultural disciplines, as well as niche skills such as overhead power lines training.
Flagship Investments
Connecting Cumbria
£3,600,000
Extending availability of Superfast Broadband technology across the county to encourage more rapid business growth, especially in rural areas.Phase 1 deployment has reached over 100,000 premises, whilst Phase 2 will extend availability to an additional 5,000 premises in more isolated rural areas with more complex technical needs. This will extend broadband coverage to approximately 95%.
Flagship Investments
Business flood recovery grants
£2,000,000
Flood recovery work and investment in flood resilience measures following the 2015 storms, working with Cumbria County Council, the Cumbria Growth Hub, and other partners to help businesses adversely affected by flooding. This has included additional money for a Flood Recovery Grant Scheme to help hundreds of local businesses recover more quickly and start trading again.
Flagship Investments
Furness College Advanced Manufacturing Centre
£1,126,000
Enabling students to develop skills on real-life projects for companies ranging from major employers to SMEs, it includes a metrology lab for the study of materials, learning hub, computer-aided design classrooms and an industrial-size workshop. It has space for up to 450 higher education students and 1,150 apprentices on STEM apprenticeships and HNC and degree programmes in engineering manufacturing and electrical and electronic engineering.
Flagship Investments
Carlisle College Advanced Manufacturing Centre
£900,000
A high-tech refurbishment with a simulated production line for training, the centre will cover three distinct disciplines: Manufacturing & Fabrication, Process & Control, and Design & Prototyping. It has been designed with input on layout from key local advanced manufacturing firms to deliver an integrated, employer led curriculum in the engineering, manufacturing and processing sectors.
Flagship Investments
M-Sport Evaluation Centre
£1,300,000
Investment supported the development of a state-of-the-art 10,723m2 Evaluation Centre. The multi-million-pound development will be the only one of its type in the UK and will see M-Sport create over 100 additional new high-value jobs once operational. In addition to the 2.5km testing track facility completed in 2017, the overall investment impact in terms of Gross Value Added (GVA) to Cumbria is estimated at £24.4m by December 2025.
Flagship Investments
SIS Pitches
£274,305
The company needed to grow both its premises and its workforce to meet increasing UK and international demand for its products. This project allowed SIS to invest in and expand its manufacturing and warehousing facilities at their factory in Maryport. The project aimed to safeguard the 42 FTE gross jobs on the site at present, as well as safeguard an estimated £1.8m in gross GVA per annum for the Cumbrian economy. In addition, future investment by the company over 5 years is expected to create 15 gross direct FTE jobs.
Flagship Investments
James Walker Flood Defences
£2,600,000
The project installed flood defences around the James Walker & Co Ltd site in Cockermouth, Cumbria. These measures have significantly reduced the business continuity risk of a future flood event, safeguarding the 406 jobs currently employed at the site, and leading to increased investment resulting in the creation of 30 new jobs and an additional £9.8 million of capital expenditure investment in the site by James Walker over the next 5 years.
Latest News from Cumbria LEP
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Cumbria LEP launches Today’s Talent Tomorrow's Leaders Development Programme...
18th March 2024Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (CLEP) has launched an innovative programme for 18-35 year olds, which is designed to develop Cumbria’s next generation of leaders. The programme is...
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Women In Business - International Women's Day
8th March 2024To celebrate International Women's Day, we've collated some interviews with business women in Cumbria to motivate and inspire the next generation of makers and leaders. Watch them below:...
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Thought Piece: Why Cumbria’s Economy Matters
5th March 2024It would be quite easy to lose sight of Cumbria with its population of just under half a million people and its economic contribution, which is 6.2% of the North West but that would be a mistake...
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