Levelling Up: Catterick Garrison plan in PM's constituency to get £20m

The proposals would refocus the town centre around a community square

A project in the Prime Minister's North Yorkshire constituency is to receive almost £20m in levelling up cash.

The Catterick Garrison town centre scheme is the only one to receive government support in the county.

Richmondshire District Council said the plans would create an attractive, vibrant and inclusive town centre.

The cash comes from the latest round of £2.1bn Levelling Up funds, which the government said would "revitalise communities".

"This is great news for Catterick and the wider Richmondshire community," said council leader Angie Dale.

The proposals, which involve the redevelopment of land around Shute Road, include:

• A new town square

• Landscaping improvements - including upgrading Coronation Park and Shute Road by providing enhanced play/active spaces and enhanced accessibility routes linking into the existing town centre

• Enhancing key footpaths and cycle ways through Coronation Park and on the approach to the town centre

• A new community and enterprise facility with glass pavilion and outdoor seating area.

The government is awarding the £21m scheme a total of £19,008,679.

"We are now looking forward to working with our partners to bring the project to fruition and see the facilities within the town centre improve," Ms Dale added.

Catterick Garrison is in the Prime Minister's Richmond constituency

Catterick Garrison, which is in the Prime Minister's Richmond constituency, has a population of about 13,000 and is the largest garrison of the British Army.

The funding bid was developed by Richmondshire District Council working with the county council and the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The MoD said the scheme would help deliver the infrastructure to provide improved facilities which would benefit "our military colleagues and the wider Catterick community".

County Council leader Carl Les said the cash was "excellent news".

"These ambitious proposals are set to benefit everyone living and working in communities around the garrison, as well as the service personnel and their families who are stationed at Catterick and who play a vital role in the life of our county," he said.

Nationally more than 100 projects will receive funding which Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said would "revitalise" communities that had been "overlooked".

However, Labour said the funding had been "beset by delays and allegations of favouritism".

Shadow levelling up secretary Lisa Nandy said it took "extraordinary arrogance" to expect people to be grateful for a "partial refund on the money they have stripped out of our communities".