COUNCILLORS have backed the first of five business cases for projects which will bring £19.6million of Government investment to Worcester.
The City Council has secured the funding from the national Towns Fund, after drawing up proposals to support five major schemes to boost Worcester’s economy, promote active travel and provide new skills training for local people.
Tory members of the Policy and Resources Committee have approved the business case for the first project, the Severn Centre for Health and Wellbeing. Details will now be provided to the Department for Levelling Up, Homes and Communities, triggering the release of the first funding instalment of £2.5million
That money will support the development of the University of Worcester’s new £20million learning centre in Hylton Road.
This contribution from the Towns Fund will boost the capacity of the new health centre, ensuring it delivers health training to 1,500 students each year and creating 100 new jobs – helping to improve health care in Worcester and the surrounding area.
Coun Marc Bayliss, leader of Worcester City Council, said: “The near £20million of investment the Towns Fund will bring to Worcester represents a major boost for our city.
“It will help us deliver the vision set out in our new City Plan, one of a prosperous Worcester with stronger and connected communities who are healthy and active. It will help us to enhance and sustain our beautiful city for future generations and ensure Worcester is a successful heritage city with a 21st Century culture.
“The Severn Centre for Health and Wellbeing is the first of five projects to come forward and, at a time when health services are at the forefront of our minds like never before, will make a significant contribution to training up the health experts that the NHS and other local services need.”
Professor David Green CBE DL, the University of Worcester’s Vice Chancellor, said: “This completely re-purposed building will create new specialist clinical education facilities which will enable us to educate many more nurses, doctors, paramedics, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and other health professionals who are so badly needed by the NHS and the people of the city and surrounding areas.”
