The East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) is moving forward with six key projects for funding from the 2024/25 Investment Fund. These projects aim to support long-term economic growth, create jobs, and drive sustainability across the region.
EMCCA’s Devolution Deal includes an allocation of £38 million per year for the East Midlands Investment Fund, with £9.5 million earmarked for capital projects in the 2024/25 financial year.
The projects include:
South Derbyshire Growth Zone (SDGZ) (South Derbyshire) – Funding to help facilitate a new junction on the A50 Trunk Road, which would enable plans to build 4,500 homes (with Garden Village status) and 3.45 million square feet of commercial floorspace, plus supporting infrastructure including a secondary school.
Trent Clean Energy Supercluster (Bassetlaw) – Funding to move delivery forward for the Trent Clean Energy Supercluster, which centres on three former coal-fired Power Stations located alongside the River Trent: West Burton, High Marnham and Cottam, all in Bassetlaw. The West Burton power station site will be home to the ground-breaking STEP prototype fusion energy plant.
Derby City Urban Quarter (Derby) – Funding to transform priority areas to create a vibrant, sustainable, and accessible urban quarter. The funding will enable the wider project work to revitalise historic buildings, enhance transport infrastructure, create new homes and improve public realm.
Broad Marsh (Nottingham) – Funding to carry out demolition of part of the frame on the land near to the newly opened Green Heart. This will be an important step in helping to bring forward work on Broad Marsh which will, when complete, provide 1,600 homes and create just over 2,000 jobs, whilst providing a wide range of facilities, entertainment, and attractions.
Infinity Park (Derby) – Funding for a Research and Development Facility within EMCCA’s Investment Zone to support advanced manufacturing and nuclear sectors. The project will provide services, facility hire and collaborative space to attract new supply chain businesses and inward investment. The funding from the Investment Fund will be used to repurpose existing space available on the Investment Zone site to enable the delivery of new research and development activities which would mean more jobs created.
Avenue Site Southern Access (North-East Derbyshire) – Funding for The Avenue (Wingerworth), which continues the delivery of one of the most ambitious and effective remediation projects ever undertaken in the UK. This funding will go towards creating a southern access to the sites to deliver improved access for vehicles and pedestrians and enable future development.
The six projects are part of a broader pipeline of investments that were identified through collaboration with local councils. These projects are expected to play a significant role in boosting the local economy and ensuring that the region remains competitive and forward-looking. EMCCA’s Board recommended that the final approval of these business cases be delegated to the Mayor.
Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward said: “These projects have been chosen for funding this year because their delivery will help boost the region’s economy. They will create jobs, help towards building homes, boosting local businesses and manufacturing, and produce cleaner energy.
“We want to support and enable them to continue their work and help us towards achieving our vision for an East Midlands full of opportunities, from having good jobs, quality education, and thriving local economies.
“We want to invest in vital projects, we can’t achieve the vision on our own, we need to work with partners across the region to invest in the right projects, projects that will make a real difference and this funding is just the start for the East Midlands.”
