The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, has today announced an extra £20 million to rebuild and regenerate Harlow in the Government's Budget. The huge funding boost comes on top of the £20 million Levelling Up Fund and the £23.7 million Towns Fund both awarded to Harlow over the past two years following successful lobbying by Harlow's MP, Robert Halfon, and Conservative-run Harlow Council.
Construction work in the town centre is now underway for the major rebuilding and the new £20 million investment will be ringfenced towards further boosting the town centre regeneration schemes and improving safety and security in the town centre. It is not possible for the money to be used for anything other than rebuilding the town centre.
The announcement comes as part of the Government's Long-Term Plan for Towns which has seen 40 councils in the country granted £20 million endowment-style funding to improve their towns.
Commenting on the announcement, MP for Harlow, Robert Halfon said: "I work hard everyday for our town to ensure we secure all the funding that we need to build an even better Harlow. This is another major boost to make our streets safer and deliver the rebuilding of the town centre.
"Working with Harlow's Conservative-run Council, we have secured tens of millions of pounds over the last two years to deliver on our promises to residents, demonstrating the Government's commitment, my commitment and your local Harlow Conservative councillors commitment to building an even better Harlow.
“Under this Conservative Government, Harlow has had investment like never before, truly worth hundreds of millions. Whether it is the £85 million for junction 7a, the over £30 million I have secured to upgrade Harlow College, our Enterprise Zone, tens of millions more for our schools or now the tens of millions for the town centre, I have kept my promise to work hard for Harlow, champion Harlow, fight for Harlow and deliver for Harlow. We are regenerating our town for our residents, building an even better Harlow, tackling anti-social behaviour and making it a great place to live, work and grow up.”
The Leader of Harlow Council and the Harlow Conservatives, Cllr Dan Swords, said: "We promised to rebuild our town and secure investment into Harlow and today's announcement is yet more proof that we are doing that. After decades of Harlow Labour letting our town down and allowing our once great town centre to decline, the Harlow Conservatives are completely rebuilding the town centre.
"When Harlow Labour ran the Council, they secured no investment for the town centre, in fact, in 2020 they lost out on £10.4 million for the town centre because their bid did not meet the "basic value for money criteria". However, in the two years the Harlow Conservatives have been running the Council, we've secured the £23.7 million Towns Fund to rebuild Terminus Street, the bus station, Broadwalk and Market Square as well as the £20 million Levelling Up Fund to build our new Arts and Cultural Quarter. Today, we've secured a further £20 million as announced by the Chancellor which will deliver even more regeneration in the town centre, but also protect our communities by making the town centre safer.
"This comes on top of the investment we have secured through the Harlow Regeneration Partnership to rebuild the northern end of the town centre. Demolitions are already underway on our town centre sites and construction work will ramp up significantly over the coming weeks. This is a fantastic day for Harlow showing what happens when the Harlow Conservatives run the Council."
