Growth Deal funding: call for expressions of interest
Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire LEP Chairman David Frost CBE is today inviting organisations across the Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire LEP area to submit Expressions of Interest for future funding opportunities for “delivery-ready” infrastructure projects that will help drive economic growth.
The LEP has already successfully secured over £97m in the Government’s first two rounds of Growth Deal bidding for projects identified in our Strategic Economic Plan. In turn this will lever in over £30m of private sector funding leading to the creation of more than 5,000 jobs and 1,000 homes.
We anticipate that the next bidding round for Growth Deal funding will be announced this spring. In preparation for the announcement the LEP wishes to have a pipeline of capital projects that can be worked into full business cases should a funding opportunity be announced.
The call is seeking to identify infrastructure projects in the Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire LEP area where investment is focused on:
- Stoke on Trent as a Core City
- Connected County
- Competitive Urban Centres
- Sector Growth
- Skilled Workforce
We welcome expressions of interest from public, private or third sector organisations that have a project with the potential to deliver jobs and growth in the Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire LEP area. This is for capital projects with a minimum grant funding request of £500,000. We strongly recommend that you look at the Strategic Economic Plan and the LEP website in order to see the type of projects that have already been funded. There is no guarantee that projects will be funded.
Click here for the Expression of Interest form in Word and pdf formats: FINALWordExpression of InterestForm FINALpdfExpression of InterestForm
Points to bear in mind if considering whether to submit an expression of interest are:
- Expressions of interest should be for capital projects
- You will need to be in a position to develop a full business case if there is a funding call for Growth Deal bids.
- Projects will need to satisfy the business case requirements set out in our assurance framework and demonstrate clear leverage, and outcomes that demonstrate good value for money.
- When completing the LEP Expression of Interest Template please provide a clear description and a rationale for the proposed project, particularly regarding:
- what the need for LEP funding is and how investment will address issues identified in the SEP and contribute to the growth of the SSLEP economy, and
- evidence to show why the market/private developers/operators cannot progress the scheme without the LEP’s help, and
- Include data to demonstrate there is demand/need for the project
- what stage the project will be at by 2016/17 and 2017/18 – as we are unclear as to when the Growth Deal 3 funding programme will commence.
- the expected milestones for planning, clearance, construction and operation
- the LEP will not be supporting any projects that are looking for 100% funding from the Growth Fund therefore please provide broad costings and funding mix.
A schedule of expressions of interest received to date can be found in the appendix below. Appraisal and prioritisation will be based around four core themes:
- Ambition and rationale (strategic fit with our Strategic Economic Plan)
- Value for money
- Deliverability and risk
- Economic and other benefits.
The LEP will carry out an initial sift of projects from April 2016 and has commissioned Regeneris Consulting Ltd to assist with appraisal and prioritisation.
To enable the LEP to formulate its Growth Deal 3 submission it is seeking the return of completed expressions of interest forms to:
david.nicholls@staffordshire.gov.uk no later than midnight, Friday 29th April 2016.
A draft bid will then be put together and signed off by the LEP Executive Group according to Growth Deal timetables.
If you wish to discuss potential projects please contact: peter.davenport@staffordshire.gov.uk
Click here for the Expression of Interest form in Word and PDF formats: FINALwordExpression of InterestForm FINALpdfExpression of InterestForm
APPENDIX
| Project Title | Proposing Organisation |
| Stoke on Trent University Quarter Phase 2 | City of Stoke on Trent |
| Advanced Manufacturing, Science, Design and Technology Centre | Newcastle Borough Council |
| High Speed Further Education Network, HSFE Network | Staffordshire County Council
City of Stoke on Trent |
| Tamworth Advanced Skills Centre | Tamworth Borough Council |
| Skills Capital Equipment Fund | Staffordshire County Council
City of Stoke on Trent |
| Hanley-Bentilee Link Road | City of Stoke-on-Trent |
| Enterprise Zone Sites Access | City of Stoke on Trent |
| Enterprise Space | City of Stoke on Trent |
| City Centre Ring Road | City of Stoke on Trent |
| Pinch Point Projects | City of Stoke-on-Trent |
| Housing Zone Developments | City of Stoke-on-Trent |
| Heritage-led regeneration/ Spode
|
City of Stoke-on-Trent |
| Station Approach
|
City of Stoke-on-Trent |
| AMRICC (Applied Materials Research Innovation & Commercialisation Centre) | City of Stoke-on-Trent |
| Burton upon Trent Town Centre Transport Package | Staffordshire County Council |
| Chatterley Valley phase 2 Access Works | Newcastle Borough Council / Staffordshire County Council |
| Cheadle Transport Study Delivery (Implementation of Highways feasibility report 2014) | Staffordshire Moorlands District Council |
| Cornhill East (Low carbon business units & business growth scheme) | Staffordshire Moorlands District Council |
| Doxey Road Regeneration | Staffordshire County Council |
| Kidsgrove Rail Station Regeneration and Transport Interchange Project | Staffordshire County Council |
| Leek Rail Infrastructure & Leek cycle route (Heritage line; Station amenities & cycle interchange/route) | Staffordshire Moorlands District Council will be the accountable body |
| Lichfield Southern Bypass (Phase 3) | Staffordshire County Council |
| Newcastle Business Centre | Newcastle Borough Council |
| Newcastle-under-Lyme town centre transport and public realm package | Staffordshire County Council / Newcastle under Lyme Borough Council |
| Redhill Business Park Extension | Staffordshire County Council |
| ROF Featherstone Strategic Employment Site | South Staffordshire Council and Staffordshire County Council |
| Silverdale Enterprise Centre | Newcastle Borough Council |
| South Staffordshire Connect | South Staffordshire Rural Transport Partnership |
| Stafford radial routes improvement package | Staffordshire County Council |
| Stafford Town Centre Transport package | Staffordshire County Council |
| Stafford Town Centre Workspace | Stafford Borough Council |
| Stafford Western Access Route Section C | Staffordshire County Council |
| Stafford Western Access Route Sections A and B | Staffordshire County Council |
| Stone Business Park Extension | Staffordshire County Council |
| Tamworth Enterprise Quarter | Tamworth Borough Council |
| Tamworth Rail Station Access Improvements | Staffordshire County Council |
