Fenland town could be transformed with ambitious plans and multi-million pound investment from Government
A once in a generation opportunity to dramatically transform March and make it “fit for the future” has moved forward as part of a £1billion Government plan for high streets.
Fenland District Council is submitting a bid to the Government’s Future High Streets Fund for up £11.3million to bring forward ambitious proposals to revitalise March town centre.
The plans, which have a total price tag of £21.8million, aim to diversify what the town has to offer and support its growth and sustainability by improving it for the wider community and attracting more people to live, work and visit in the future.
The bold scheme includes transforming Broad Street to include much more pedestrian space and reduce traffic and opening up the underused riverside areas, providing improved access and seating.
Other plans include re-developing the historic Market Place to make it more of a community space, regenerating the Acre Road area and bringing vacant buildings back into use.
Coun Chris Seaton, the council’s portfolio holder for social mobility and heritage, who introduced details of the bid at Tuesday's cabinet meeting, did issue a cautionary note, pointing out the government had said towns can expect to receive between £5million and £10million, with smaller towns like March likely to receive the lower end of that scale.
He said: "The bid is compelling in that it highlights benefit cost ratios (BCRs) that will be attractive to Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), and fits in with a strategic vision for March. That said, MHCLG has stated that bidders may expect between £5million and £10million per bid, but that smaller towns – such as March – are likely to receive the lower end of this scale. The project team remains hopeful that the whole ‘preferred option’ will be funded."
However, he added: “We are in a great position to submit a strong bid for March thanks to the council’s recent work on the Growing Fenland project and the emerging March Area Transport Strategy.
“Through this work, residents have said priorities for the town should include reducing congestion, improving the town centre and making more of the river, and we have used these priorities to shape our final bid.
“We’re incredibly proud of these plans, which I believe create a compelling and exciting bid to secure significant funding for the town.
“I’d like to pay tribute to the project team, including council officers, and our partners and consultants Hatch Regeneris, who have worked exceptionally hard to put this bid together, and getting it across the line despite the challenges that the COVID-19 crisis has brought.”
Fenland District Council was told in July last year that it had been short listed for the final phase of its application to the £1billion national pot, having been ranked among the UK’s best initial bids by the Government.
The project team, together with councillors, has spent the past nine months developing the full business case in consultation with stakeholders, residents and partners including Cambridgeshire County Council, March Town Council, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and the Middle Level Commissioners.
It is hoped the Government's cash will help leverage in up to £10.4million of match funding and private investment to see the scheme completed.
The deadline for submissions to the Future High Streets Fund is June 5, with bidding authorities expected to hear more from the Government in late summer.
