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The UK government has announced funding of up to £5 billion to revive high streets, parks and public spaces. The investment aims to support people across 339 neighbourhoods to lead the renewal in their local areas as part of the government’s new Pride in Place programme. As part of the fund, 169 areas will receive £2 million every year for a decade to give them certainty when planning for the future, totalling £3.5 billion. This is on top of an existing commitment to 75 areas, costing £1.5 billion. Separately, a further 95 areas will receive an immediate £1.5 million cash injection to upgrade public spaces with new green spaces, play areas and sports and leisure facilities. Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised that local people ‘with real skin in the game’ will decide how this funding is spent. Communities will also be given new powers to save local pubs and libraries, and block unwanted betting and vape shops, as well as fake barbers. Councils will be given the opportunity to seize derelict buildings and boarded-up shops under Community Right to Buy and compulsory purchase powers. Starmer said: ‘For too long, people have watched their towns and streets decline powerless to stop boarded-up shops and neglected parks. That ends now. ‘We’re investing in the UK’s future, by backing the true patriots that build our communities up in neighbourhoods across every corner of the country. Because it’s people who bring pride, hope and life to our communities. ‘This is a huge investment, but what matters most is who decides how it’s spent: the neighbours, volunteers and parents who know their communities best the people with real skin in the game. ‘We’re choosing renewal over decline, unity over division. This is our plan for change in action giving power and pride back to the people who make Britain great.’ Secretary of State for Housing, Communities & Local Government Steve Reed said: ‘Building pride in place starts with people, not politics. ‘Local people know what they want to see in their neighbourhoods and they don’t need government to dictate it. ‘This plan will spark an historic grassroots movement that will restore local people’s power, boost national pride and help people get on in life across the UK as part of our plan for change.’ Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: ‘We’re giving local people the power to transform their home towns. ‘Giving them more control of how money is spent where they live so that together we can invest in Britain’s renewal and build an economy that rewards working people. ‘This £5 billion investment doesn’t just reverse decades of underinvestment in our public infrastructure it cuts through the bureaucracy by giving local people the power to deliver the change they want to see.’ Communities in Eston, Elgin, Ramsgate and Torbay, among others, have already come together to discuss ideas for regenerating their areas, the government said. The announcement has been welcomed by the Northern Health Science Alliance, NHSA, and Health Equity North. Dr Eman Zied Abozied, research associate at Newcastle University Population Sciences Institute, said that the prevalence of ‘unhealthy amenities’ like gambling and vape shops is ‘damaging to health and is widening inequalities, particularly in northern regions’. New community powers to block these businesses ‘marks an important step towards tackling the clustering of unhealthy amenities that too often undermine community health and wellbeing’, she said. Abozied added that it is also key to invest in and incentivise the growth of health and wellbeing promoting amenities, like supermarkets, libraries and pharmacies. By Abbie Llewelyn, PA Political Staff Press Association: News source: PA Copyright 2025 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
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