6. Leigh Town Centre Levelling Up Fund Bid

The Levelling Up Fund (LUF) presents an opportunity to attract up to £20 million of government funding to start to transform Leigh town centre and stimulate further private sector investment.

LUF is a competitive bidding process. Bids will need to meet a series of tests, including:

• fit with policies and strategies;
• deliverability; 
• value for money.

Not all bids will be successful. Bids that can meet these tests and demonstrate support from local people will have the best chance of success. 

Click through the following pages to learn more about the projects and give us your views.

Through the Leigh Town Centre Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) we already have an established long-term vision for the town centre which was informed by extensive consultation with local people with over 1,700 comments/contributions. 

Your feedback during the preparation of the SRF highlighted some of the key challenges facing the town centre, such as: a lack of things to attract people (limited range of shops and places to eat/drink); building and streets that seem uncared for; and anti-social behaviour. But Leigh also has many positive features that can help form a positive future for the town centre. The SRF set out a range of actions under 8 objectives that set the foundation for our Levelling Up Fund bid. 

In March 2022, we asked your views on a long list of projects could form part of the funding bid for Leigh town centre. Over 200 responses were received and were overwhelmingly positive towards the list of possible projects. We considered how the projects are likely to perform against the LUF criteria above (fit with policies and strategies; deliverability; and value for money) and selected a package of projects that we consider to best to drive sustainable regeneration in Leigh town centre. 

The following information boards summarise the LUF package bid. Further information is available on our Commonplace site [QR code], please complete the short questionnaire and share your views. 

The bid will be submitted to government by 6 July 2022. Government will evaluate all the bids received and make an announcement about successful bids in autumn 2022. 

This project is about making the Civic Square a more active and attractive space for cultural and community events and better connecting it to the core of the town centre through improving pedestrian and cycling links along King Street/ Market Street/ Market Place. 

Improvements will include:

• More planting and greenery, including along King Street, Market Street and Market Place
• Improved accessible planters for Turnpike Centre Garden Club
• Flexible square for events and activities
• Improved street furniture, lighting and surfacing including the 'community stars'
• Garden play trail for young people
• New crossings at Spinning Jenny Way, Bradshawgate, Railway Road and Lord Street
• Reducing road width to create more space for pedestrians and cyclists

This project is about enhancing the attractiveness of trading space in Leigh town centre by improving run-down shop fronts and vacant space which detract from the look and feel of the town centre.

The grant scheme would provide business owners with the opportunity to apply for funding to contribute towards improvements to their buildings.

The grants would be used to improve a building’s visual appearance and/or help to bring vacant and under-used space at ground and first floor back into active use.

The principles of the scheme include:

• A financial contribution would be required from the building owner to match the grant being offered

• Schemes would need to be well designed and high quality

• Grant funding would be targeted towards certain buildings or areas where the impact would be greatest

• Use of local contractors would be encouraged

Examples of how shopfronts on Bradshawgate could be enhanced - for illustration only

Why do we need to do anything to the market?

Leigh market is successful and well-loved, but without investment, the fabric of the building will continue deteriorate and without attracting new customers its future is uncertain.

The roof leaks and needs to be replaced and the market often feels too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter.

The Levelling Up Fund provides an opportunity fund improvements to the physical fabric of the market for the benefit of customers and traders.

Last year specialist market consultants Quarterbridge were commissioned by the Council to consider what is needed to improve the market and they consulted with traders and the wider community.

The refurbishment of Leigh Market is likely to include: 

• New roof with ventilation and solar panels
• Windows and roof-lights to increase the amount of natural light
• New flooring and fresh paint on walls
• Glazed entrance foyer to increase views into the market whilst providing protection from the elements
• Bigger entrances to Spinning Gate shopping centre enhancing visibility of the market
• Creation of a seating area
• High profile branding and signage
• Upgraded Wi-Fi
• New boiler system including stall specific heating controls

Example of how the exterior of the market could look with new windows, roof with roof lights and glazed entrance foyer - for illustration only

The exact specification of improvements and the configuration of the internal space will be designed in greater detail in consultation with traders and the wider community once the outcome of the LUF bid is confirmed. 

Example of what a new seating area could look like - for illustration only