Budget 2021: Burnley levelling up funding will be transformative - MP

The bid includes funds for improvements to the route from the town centre to Burnley's Turf Moor stadium

The success of Burnley's bid for nearly £20m from the government's Levelling Up Fund will be "truly transformative" for the town, its MP has said.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak made the announcement in his Budget speech delivered in the Commons earlier.

The money will be used for an expansion of Uclan's campus, upgrades at Manchester Road station and new links between the town centre to Turf Moor.

The town's Conservative MP Antony Higginbotham said he was "delighted".

A Burnley Council spokesman said the funding would help create "a thriving canalside campus" around Sandygate Mill and George Street Mill, a new footbridge and passenger lifts at the station and a gateway between the town centre and Burnley's Turf Moor stadium.

Some of the money will be used to upgrade Manchester Road railway station

"This £20m investment will be truly transformative," Mr Higginbotham said.

He said it would "open up yet more opportunities for young people", improve the "public realm from the Turf to the town centre... and further improve the transport links with a new bridge connecting both platforms at Manchester Road station".

"I've been pushing for the levelling up agenda to be brought to our area since I was elected and so I'm delighted that my mission to level-up Burnley and Padiham is now being reflected in the government's funding priorities," he added.

The town's Labour-led council worked with the MP to submit the bid.

Council leader Afrasiab Anwar said it was "great news for Burnley".

"Having worked closely with our partners in developing the bid, I am so pleased that these projects will now be delivered," he said.

He added that the investment would "help transform the face of Burnley and make it more attractive to residents, visitors, shoppers and investors".