Two bids for Levelling Up funding, each comprising of three projects, will be submitted to central Government by North Northamptonshire Council (NNC). The bid for funding across the six projects totals £30.8m. Bids have to be submitted by August 2.

NNC’s Levelling Up fund bid 1 is named ‘Transformation through green growth’ and covers the following projects:

• Development of a rail overbridge to gain better access to Stanton Cross and release more housing development
• The construction of a segregated active travel link between Wellingborough and Rushden which will extend the current Greenway
• The repair and refurbishment of the historic Victorian Greenhouse and an events building at the Chester House Estate which will help provide an important local amenity for existing and new residents in the area, including Stanton Cross

NNC’s Levelling Up fund bid 2 is named ‘Improving life chances and facilities for local people’ and comprises the following projects:

• A new stadium and training facility to be built at Adrenaline Alley
• Completing the construction of a segregated active travel route between the town centre and railway station in Corby
• Environmental improvements to Kiln Way and Minerva Way on the Queensway estate in Wellingborough

Cllr David Brackenbury, the council’s executive member for growth and regeneration, said: “It is great that, following a public consultation and extensive discussions, we are in a position to submit two strong bids for Levelling Up funding. We believe that the projects that are being put forward have the strongest chance of success, in what is sure to be a competitive bidding process.

“The impact and benefit of these projects will mean we can attract additional visitors, spend and investment into the whole of the North Northamptonshire area.”

Cllr Jason Smithers, leader of the council, said: “The Levelling Up fund is a central Government fund of £4 billion available across England to support economic prosperity and North Northamptonshire has been categorised as a Priority 1 area for this round, meaning it is of high importance to receive funding. With this in mind, I am delighted that six projects have been identified that stand a chance of receiving a portion of this funding.”

Projects submitted for funding must be capital, i.e. involve spending on a physical asset, and delivered by the end of March 2025.