A steering group chaired by Keele’s Vice Chancellor has helped to secure £23.6 million in funding from central government to improve communications, infrastructure and connectivity in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

The Town Investment Plan (TIP) sets out a vision for Newcastle with digital connectivity at its heart, which will generate an increase of more than £69 million a year in increased gross value added (GVA) for the area; a £2.3 million uplift in land values; and will enable the regeneration of communities across the borough.

Newcastle Borough Council set up a Town Deal Board to help develop the TIP, chaired by Keele’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Trevor McMillan, who represented Keele University and Stoke Staffs LEP on the Board.

Professor McMillan said: “The news of this investment is a real testimony to the Deal’s ambition to develop and support communities across the borough and increase the prosperity of the area. The projects that form part of this will benefit many people and set Newcastle out as an area that is preparing itself well for the new digital and sustainable world we now need to live in, while supporting a real sense of physical communities in the town centre and surrounding villages.”

The Town Investment Plan is centred around three core objectives:

• Opening up growth opportunities through enhanced physical and digital connectivity aligned with clean and sustainable economic development.
• To diversify and enhance the town centre experience by encouraging new uses to increase demand, footfall and boost the dwell time of residents and visitors.
• To channel investment into regenerating communities, ensuring these areas are sustainable places to live and providing residents with the infrastructure needed to improve their quality of life.

Cllr Simon Tagg, Leader of Newcastle Borough Council said: “This is yet more fantastic news for the Council and our partners. The TIP is a shared vision of where we want our town to be in the future.

“Our ambition is to create a more attractive place to live and work, and to support our local economy, creating more jobs for more people and attracting investment and businesses into the area.

“The £23.6 million will kick start a programme of investment that will ultimately total more than £135 million. It will provide transformational change, improve infrastructure and connectivity for all of our communities, improve transport links and boost our heritage and culture.”