Businesses and communities in the Coalville area will benefit from nearly £2.5 million of new funding following the district council's successful bid to be part of the Government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) successfully secured £2,414,817 to invest in the district over the next two years.

The council will use the money to support a range of projects across the district, including regeneration work, art and heritage promotion, tourism and visitor experiences, community grants, and employment support.

The initial list of projects earmarked for funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund includes:

• Stenson Square – Feasibility and design work for a regeneration project to transform Stenson Square and the setting of Stenson House at the eastern gateway to Coalville town centre.
• Memorial Workspace – A workspace regeneration project to convert the council-owned former toilet block building on Memorial Square, Coalville. The project will look to renovate and convert the building into lettable commercial workspace designed for start-up businesses.
• Hermitage Recreation Ground EcoPark – Building on the existing consultations for the future of the Hermitage Recreation Ground, enhance the open space, accessibility and use of the space.
• Coalville Heritage Trail and Mother and Child statue restoration – collaborating with the Coalville Heritage Society to create a heritage trail for Coalville town centre including the restoration of the John Roydon Thomas, bronzed Mother and Child statue.
• Mantle Lane Bridge Gateway Improvements – Improvements to the northern gateway to Coalville town centre.
• Heart of the National Forest – Contributions to the Heart of the National Forest Masterplan including new 'green web' to improve accessible walking and cycle routes and the creation of new woodland management volunteer hub in the forest.

• Moira Furnace visitor experience – Collaborations with the Furnace Charitable Trust on the Moira Furnace masterplan to enhance the existing visitor experience and the creation of new visitor attraction that compliments the setting of the furnace and the canal.
• Castle Donington Community Sports Hub – Develop plans for a community sports hub at Castle Donington College, which will include new facilities and 3G football pitches.
• Kegworth cycleways and Active Travel – The creation of new sustainable transport connections to connect communities and key transport hubs into existing and emerging employment opportunities.
• Community Grants Programme – Providing access to grants communities and parish councils to fund local community-based projects.
• Employment support – New programmes to support access to work for those furthest from the workplace and the economically inactive.
• Business start-up support – New programmes to support entrepreneurial activity with a focus on young people, women and the creative sectors.
• Business support activity – New programmes to provide business support including a focus on Zero Carbon, digital skills, tourism and high growth small and medium sized businesses.
• Sustainable tourism support programme – A sustainable tourism campaign that supports tourism and hospitality businesses to reduce their carbon footprints and promote a greener visitor economy.
• Taste the Place – Local food and drink product development and marketing campaign to show case local food and drink producers.

The council will work with community groups, businesses and partner organisations over the next two years to deliver a host of projects by April 2025.

Councillor Richard Blunt, Leader of North West Leicestershire District Council, said: "Securing nearly £2.5 million of investment from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to invest across the district is wonderful news.

"This investment will benefit all of our communities over the next few years, and I look forward to seeing our proposed plans from the funding bid brought to life with the support of partners, businesses and local groups."