The Gosport MP has welcomed a £18 million Government investment into her constituency.
Gosport Borough Council is set to receive £18,117,915 from the Government’s Levelling up Fund.
The money will transform Gosport’s historic waterfront, create space for skilled marine employment and reconnect the town centre to the waterfront.
It will include the renovation of the Rum Store, a derelict Grade II listed building located in the heart of the historic waterfront.
The money will also be used to create new mixed-use space and enhancements to the waterfront route between the town centre and the waterfront.
It aims to increase footfall between the areas and provide a new route connecting Gosport’s historic fortifications.
Reacting to the news, Caroline Dinenage said: “I am thrilled that Gosport has finally received the Levelling Up Funding it so desperately deserves to help reinvigorate our town, create jobs and attract visitors to our area and help realise our huge potential.
“I was delighted to support the Council’s Reconnecting Historic Gosport Waterfront project and look forward to working with them to move this forward.”
Ahead of the Autumn Statement, Caroline had written to the Levelling Up Minister, Jacob Young MP, expressing her disappointment that Gosport was only one of two constituencies to not receive Levelling Up funding, despite its Priority 1 status.
In the letter, she said: “I think it is imperative that Gosport is prioritised when considering future Levelling Up funding.
"It is hugely disappointing that, whilst the Government has now recognised Gosport as a place deserving of support, it has not followed up with the desperately needed investment.”
However today the minister announced that the Borough would be receiving over £18m from the Government’s Levelling Fund.
Jacob Young said: “I am delighted to announce that Gosport Borough Council has been provisionally awarded up to £18,117,915 for project Reconnecting Historic Gosport Waterfront as part of the third round of the Fund.
“The provisional award of funding is for this specific project so the money cannot be used to support activity that is substantially different.”
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