Dundee City Council leader welcomes UK funding commitment
Dundee City Council could press ahead with plans to improve access to housing and boost regeneration in the city centre after the UK Government provided clarity on a previous commitment that the city will receive its full payment of £20 million in the 2025/26 financial year through the Community Regeneration Partnership.
The £20 million figure was originally allocated following a visit from previous UK Government administration’s Levelling Up Minister Jacob Young who visited Dundee outlining a range of projects that would receive funding.
Following council leader Mark Flynn’s letter of December of last year to the UK Government asking about the spend profile of the allocated sum, the response has detailed the council will have flexibility to move money between approved projects should costs rise or fall, and to use funding for alternative projects within the stated criteria if necessary.
Council leader Mark Flynn said: “I thank the Secretary of State for providing this much sought clarity. Dundee City has many exciting projects which will benefit in a positive way through this funding allocation, and I look forward to the City Council’s continued work on this throughout the next financial year.”
Projects identified for support from the Partnership have included:
- £5m backing for Dundee and Angus College, including £4.5m to build a new campus providing training opportunities in the digital, green skills, energy transition and construction sectors, and £500,000 for a new health and social care training facility;
- £3m towards the creation of new Grade A office development on the Waterfront;
- £2.5m for grassroots projects focused on enhancing opportunities for young people, improving safety, and benefitting the community;
- More than £2m to improve access to housing and boost regeneration in the city centre, including by refurbishing vacant properties, and reviewing the condition of the local private rented sector;
- £2m to develop a specialist centre for protein science in the Life Sciences Innovation District;
- £1.2m to develop a bespoke permanent home for the Dundee Museum of Transport;
- £1.1m to establish a legal tech education centre and workspace;
- £500,000 to complete a 26-mile active travel route around the city, connecting neighbourhoods on the outskirts with each other and the centre.
Cllr Flynn also previously asked for further detail on Dundee’s share of the UK-wide 2025/26 allocation of £900m funding through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). It has now been indicated that Dundee City will receive £2.44m in 2025/26.