Skills projects:

• Barnfield / West Herts College, Luton, awarded £4,750,000: This is the largest grant awarded and supported the redevelopment of the college’s New Bedford Road campus, The project was opened in October 2022 providing a new modern 6,000 sqm FE facility, creating learning space better suited to modern courses. It rationalised the existing estate and provided land for 110 new family homes.
• MK:U – Start Up to Scale Up Programme, Milton Keynes, awarded £2,435,000: An innovation Hub in Milton Keynes, known as the Smart City Living Lab (SCLL), provides education and support to scale start-up businesses. This will focus on smart city technologies including robotics, virtual reality, digital twinning, sensor technology, intelligent infrastructure, autonomous vehicles, drones, and advanced communications.
• Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), Bedford, awarded £2,900,000: Bedford College’s facilities have been updated to enable it to start teaching Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), funding a new curriculum and the redevelopment of the existing construction teaching facility. In October 2021 the building was opened by Mark Farmer who was the author of the October 2016 independent review of the UK Construction Labour Market Model entitled ‘Modernise or Die’ .
• Artificial Intelligence Maths and English Learning Platform, Bedford, awarded £440,000: This grant funded a new learning platform which has been designed to improve the achievement rate of learners undertaking Maths and English qualifications, improve the digital skills and improve teacher efficiency and wellbeing. With the project having successfully completed in May 2021, read the press release here.

Green recovery projects:

• Bedford Green Energy Innovation Park, awarded £1,867,500: Located on a 30-ha former landfill site, this innovation park within the Oxford–Cambridge Arc will generate green, low carbon, clean energy to encourage others to reduce carbon emissions, adopt innovative technologies, and improve air quality. The project was formally opened in July 2022.
• Electrical Supply to Millbrook Proving Ground, Bedfordshire, awarded £3.5million: This funded further expansion of the automotive testing facilities at Millbrook Proving Ground by upgrading the power supply, allowing for more onsite employment activity. This project completed early in 2022.
• Innovate Recycle, East Northamptonshire awarded £2.35million This project supported breakthrough technology, recycling end of life polypropylene carpet, enabling around 4,400 tons of waste carpet that would otherwise have gone to landfill to be recycled in the UK’s first plant to be developed in Northamptonshire. The project became operational in November 2022.

Place making projects – investments in local infrastructure:

• GLaM (Kettering Gallery, Library and Museum), Kettering, awarded £3million: Funding will revitalise and extend GLaM by creating flexible work/exhibition space, engaging with educational institutions, and developing a programme of events to strengthen community links. Works are now completed with the opening anticipated in January 2023.
• Flitwick Transport Interchange, Bedfordshire, awarded £2,219,035: Funding supports the development of an integrated transport hub at Flitwick Rail Station to deliver new passenger facilities, increase modal shifts from private vehicles to sustainable travel and support the regeneration of the station area. The project will formally open in January 2023.
• NN Contemporary Gallery Relocation & Renovation, Northampton, awarded £1.2million: Funding will be used to relocate and refurbish NN Contemporary Art (NN), an internationally recognised art space in the centre of Northampton’s Cultural Quarter. The project will create an attractive and innovative contemporary public space for industry and culture, complementing wider investments focused on the long-term health and sustainability of the town centre. The first phase of this development is complete with plans for the 2nd towns funded phase now being developed with all partners.

Business support projects:

• The Business Resilience and Recovery Grant Scheme offered match funding to local businesses to invest in new technologies, plant equipment or machinery to help businesses create employment opportunities. The grants, of between £5,000 and £50,000 were to build resilience for businesses affected by the economic shocks brought about by the pandemic by supporting investment projects that will create a significant, positive impact on the business’ future. The project has awarded £2.688m in grants and has to date supported more than 140 businesses and delivered 182 new jobs and 309 safeguarded jobs.