MP supports plans for Government ‘Investment Zones’ in Barrow and Ulverston

Furness MP, Simon Fell, has written to offer his full support for two applications being put forward by Cumbria County Council for Investment Zones within in the Barrow & Furness constituency.

The Council are submitting the plans as part of the Chancellor’s recent announcement of the creation of Investment Zones in England. In the announcement, Barrow and Furness was identified as a priority place, with Barrow Borough listed for ‘multiple’ schemes.

The MP has backed the council’s plans for investment in the Barrow Waterfront, Barrow Port, and Barrow Waterfront projects, and for a further Investment Zone in and around the GSK site in Ulverston.

Supporting these plans, Mr Fell said:

“These three sites have already been identified by HM Government in The Growth Plan 2022, and rightly so.

“These sites are crucial to the successful delivery of the national endeavour that is the UK’s submarine building programme.”

Furness’ MP says that improving the port programme will support and accelerate the opportunity for jobs, a simplified planning application process, and upgrade Furness’ infrastructure.

Referring to the waterfront (formerly Marina Village) as a ‘key site’ for the future prosperity of Barrow, Mr Fell says that the project will improve Barrow’s housing offer for both families and first time buyers.

Commenting, Simon said:

“Marina Village is a key site for the future development of Barrow, improving the housing offer for families and first-time buyers, and is linked directly to the growth of the shipyard. Significant funding (from Barrow’s Town Deal, Brownfield funding, and Homes England) has already been made available to this site to remediate the land and make it ready for development.

“Its inclusion within the wider Barrow Investment Zone plan will tie together these important projects and remove one of the major barriers for growth – attracting /and retaining people within the local community – good quality modern housing stock.”

In South Lakeland, specifically Ulverston, Cumbria County Council are nominating the GSK site on North Lonsdale Road to be an investment zone.

Commenting, Simon said:

“As Chair of the GSK Taskforce, I have worked closely with GSK, South Lakeland District Council, Cumbria County Council and other local stakeholders to support the GSK workforce and deliver more high skilled jobs to the area utilising the available land on the GSK site.

“An Investment Zone on this site will help to ready this significant parcel of land for new development, and secure the retention of the high-skilled local workforce in a similar or adjacent industry.

“There is significant scope for growth in Ulverston, and the Council have recently led on the development of a vibrant and dynamic masterplan for the site. A successful Investment Zone bid will help us deliver against this promise.”