STROUD town centre could be transformed by Levelling Up Fund money if a bid due for next spring is successful.

Stroud District Council is putting together a package of projects for the Government’s Levelling Up Fund.

SDC can bid for up to £20 million focusing on town centre regeneration, active travel and heritage.

Working closely with partners including Stroud’s MP, Stroud Town Council, Gloucestershire County Council, Local Enterprise Partnership and local businesses, the aim is to respond to the vision for the town as being a welcoming, healthy and thriving place whilst also contributing to the partners aims to be carbon neutral by 2030.

Building on the groundwork already established by the District’s Local Plan, Stroud Town Council’s Shaping the Heart of Stroud Neighbourhood Development Plan, and other important feasibility studies and research projects that have been carried out in recent years, the partners are working hard on turning some of those ideas into projects that can deliver change on the ground by 2024/25. 

“This is a very exciting opportunity for not just Stroud but the wider district as improvements to the town will encourage tourism to the area, will bring more jobs and create better accessibility into the town from the wider area for cycling and walking,” said leader of the council Doina Cornell. 

The chairman of Stroud Town Council’s regeneration working group, Stella Parkes said: “The opportunity to bid for this level of funding for the town is one not to be missed and it is great that we are working closely with the district council and other partners to prepare a bid that, if successful, could do so much for the town and the wider district.”

The date for the submission for the bid has not been announced by the Government at this stage but it is anticipated that this will be spring next year.

The partners look forward to sharing further details in the new year about the package of projects and what it would mean for the town and the district once these have been firmed up and as the bid develops.