In March 2021, the Government invited Local Authorities to bid for the Levelling Up Fund, which focuses on capital investment in local infrastructure that has a visible impact on people and their communities. 

On 18 June we submitted a bid for £15m, to fund a programme of works, with the overarching theme of improving the economic vitality of Kempston town centre. This would be achieved by encouraging people to visit the town centre for retail, employment and social reasons, and to access public services, thereby boosting economic activity.

The bid is focused on the Transport and Regeneration investment themes of the Levelling Up Fund, and includes the following elements:

• Investments in walking and cycling infrastructure, including the reconstruction of two river bridges and structural maintenance of local roads. This will provide enhanced access to the town, particularly for people using bikes, mobility scooters, wheelchairs, prams or pushchairs, and create better connectivity between and within key retail, employment and leisure sites.
• Improvement of the public realm around the Saxon Centre, including the creation of an “event space” at the Saxon Centre Plaza and designing out opportunities for crime and anti-social behaviour,
• Regenerating key sites in order to encourage new businesses and public services to locate there, including the refurbishment of the Saxon Centre office block, to provide a new, flexible space for local businesses.

We hope that these measures will help bring about meaningful change, building civic pride and identity for local people.

Further details about the bid can be found here:

LUF Application form Bedford Borough Council

• Appendix 1 - Letters of Support and Contributions evidence
• Appendix 2 - Delivery Plan
• Appendix 3 - Risk Management Plan and Risk Register
• Appendix 4 - Maps
• Appendix 5 - Bedford Borough Council Project Management Manual
• Appendix 6 - Technical Method Note – Regeneration
• Appendix 7 - Equality Analysis Report
• Appendix 8 - MCCC Strategic Outline Case
• Appendix 9 - Options Assessment Report
• Appendix 10 - Logic Map
• Appendix 11 - AST Active Travel
• Appendix 12 - Active Travel AMAT
• Appendix 13 - Regeneration AST
• Appendix 14 - Regeneration Project EIA
• Appendix 15 - Technical Method Note – Active Travel
• Appendix 16 – LUF Appn Form Tables A- F           

If our bid is successful, we hope to commence the works before the end of 2021, with completion before April 2024. The Government will announce funding decisions in the autumn of 2021. For further information about the funding, visit: Level up fund prospectus .