Plans are being drawn up to create a brand new Burnham-On-Sea Enterprise Centre with £286,000 of central Government funding aimed at stimulating the local economy.
The region’s Local Enterprise Partnership, called Heart of the South West (HotSW), has sent the Government a huge £121million bid for funding to enable a package of 63 projects to go ahead across the region – one of which is the Burnham project.
The ‘Burnham Enterprise Centre’ could be earmarked for the site of the former Somerset Skills and Learning Centre in Princess Street, Burnham-On-Sea. However, that site has been earmarked by the Town Council as its possible future home when it moves out of its current premises in Jaycroft Road, as Burnham-On-Sea.com reported here.
Proposals for the new Burnham-On-Sea Enterprise Centre are outlined in a document from HotSW, which states: “The project aims to deliver repurposed enterprise centre office, incubation and training space to support local businesses in the Burnham-On-Sea area. The Enterprise Centre will become part of the Somerset Enterprise Centre Network, which offers business space with a business support offer and skills training capacity.”
It continues: “The area is expected to be impacted significantly due to COVID-19 given the town’s dependancy on the local tourism industry. The existing building and site are owned by SCC and will require significant remodelling circa £286k to repurpose to benefit the wider economy. The project links in with existing plans for investment/development – the project plan is supported by Sedgemoor District Council, which has agreed to contribute towards the repurposing of the building.”
Responding to the news, Burnham and Highbridge Town Council Clerk Sam Winter told Burnham-On-Sea.com this week: “The Town Council is delighted that the LEP’s capital funding application includes Burnham-On-Sea.”
“However, we are aware that the funding has not been confirmed and, if granted, will not be building specific.”
She added: “The Town Council’s discussions with Somerset County Council regarding the former SS&L building are ongoing and unaffected.”
The Heart of the South West LEP says that the 63 projects across the region aim to provide an ‘immediate stimulus’ to the economy, “unlocking at least another £171 million of investment and creating over 3,000 jobs.”
The bid for funds comes after the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government invited LEPs to submit a list of projects that could be completed by January 2022.
A summary of the HotSW Covid-19 £121m Economic Stimulus – Shovel-ready Projects bid is available here. The list has been prioritised based on deliverability, strategic fit, economic impact, low carbon impact and inclusivity, including recognising those places hit hardest by the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Chair of the Heart of the South West LEP, Karl Tucker adds: “Our £121m bid to Government will help the national campaign to build back better. We’ve selected our list based on how much these projects can deliver in economic, social and environmental benefits in the short and long term.”
“We’ve put forward a strong case, and we await what we hope to be a positive decision. The LEP has a track record of delivering its projects on budget and on time.”
“This is just the start of our Route Map to Recovery which will see the Heart of the South West Re-start, Revitalise and Grow; and we call on Government to back this and back the Great South West as part of its regional Levelling Up agenda.”
The bid sets out only those investments that can be delivered by January 2022 and forms part of a more extensive investment plan that the LEP is developing under its Route Map to Recovery; which will not only support recovery but help transform the Heart of the South West’s productivity and our commitment to deliver net-zero carbon as part of England’s Greenest economy.
Burnham-On-Sea’s SS&L adult learning centre has been vacant since closing in December 2017 due to funding cuts.
