Millions for town's revamp confirmed

Multimillion-pound funding to transform a town centre has been confirmed by the government, following what the local council called "12 months of uncertainty".

The £13.5m will pay for regeneration works in Kendal, Cumbria, including revamping its indoor market hall, converting the Westmorland Shopping Centre into a new campus for the local college and connecting the town centre to the River Kent.

Westmorland and Furness Council was provisionally awarded the Levelling Up funding in November 2023 by the then-Conservative administration.

But, following Labour's general election win, council leader Jonathan Brook said he had written to Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner asking for clarity.

The local authority said "millions of pounds' worth of government support for transformational projects to improve Kendal town centre have been confirmed following 12 months of uncertainty".

Describing himself as "delighted", Brook said: "The delay has been frustrating, but we have never lost sight of the vision behind the bid by the Kendal Town Team partners.

"It is great that we can now turn these ambitions for Kendal into a reality."

Brook said the award meant the council could pursue its "original vision" for the indoor market hall.

Called the Heart of Kendal, the scheme is also set to include a revamp of Market Place and Kent Street.

Initial works, paid for with £840,000 from the government's Shared Prosperity Fund, started in December and include perimeter wall repairs, roof replacement, an internal strip out, electric works and redecoration.

The site had been due to shut for about four months, but the Heart of Kendal funding will see a longer closure for what the council said were "further enhancements" aimed at revitalising the site.

Solar panels will be installed on the roof, with measures such as energy efficient LED lighting and an air source heat pump to follow.

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