Blow for housing expansion plans in Ashington

Posted by Richard Fletcher on Dec 12, 08 07:13 PM in Councils

An ambitious project to transform the east of Ashington has won only a fraction of the government cash asked for to fund the regeneration.

It was included in a bid for government cash along with projects in Morpeth, Cambois, Blyth, Cramlington and Ellington as part of the area's Growth Point status, designed to accelerate growth.

But a bid for £8,175,000 has received less than one third of the amount requested. The £2.7m received from the government's New Growth Points initiative will have to be shared with the five other areas.

County Council Conservative group leader Peter Jackson said: "It's really disappointing on several levels. It knocks a big hole in what the plans were for those Growth Point areas.

"The main issue is the lack of funding and the real threat to the regeneration. There will have to be re-prioritisation."

The council aims to complete the eastward urban extension of Ashington. The Growth Points money is intended to help project bosses pay for the infrastructure associated with new-build houses such as schools, parks and health care services.

A county council spokeswoman said: "The funding bid identified specific projects but as the award represents only one third of what was bid for, fresh consideration will need to be given to which projects are progressed so we cannot identify them at the moment."

Council leader Jeff Reid said the council never expected to get the full amount and said he was pleased to have the money, which was more than they expected.

He said the council put forward many bids and the government choose which to support. The council will then decide where the money will be allocated.

A spokesman for the Department of Communities and Local Government said money was allocated across the country according to each area's plans for house building, and would depend on whether the projects were on the right scale and were appropriate for the area.

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