The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, today announced plans to invest £41,345,000 to regenerate, transform and restore pride to Tottenham, neglected for many decades before it was so badly scarred by last summer's troubles.
Already earmarked by the Mayor a priority regeneration area before last summer's disturbances, the investment in Tottenham will rebuild its damaged high street and restore its long disused and derelict properties. The money represents the largest share of the Mayor's £70 million Regeneration Fund to go to a single area and will help kick start development of key but dormant sites along the High Road as well as deliver major improvements to the area's wider infrastructure and public realm. In particular it will help maximise the huge opportunities that will arise from Tottenham Hotspur’s plans to invest a colossal £400 million in its new stadium development.
Equally important will be the millions that will be invested into jobs creation and skills development, prioritising local people who have for far too long been denied the opportunity to realise their potential. Together, the investment streams will see the area reborn as a more attractive place to live, work and invest in, raising residents' aspirations and restoring pride and belief in their futures.
The overall programme is predicted to create 500 construction jobs over five years, 2000 long term jobs and 350 apprenticeships, plus 15,000 sqm in new commercial space, and over 100 new businesses. The Mayor’s aim is ensure that all contracts awarded for regeneration work must provide jobs for local people and the project team will be working with local businesses to make sure they are in a good position to bid for suitable contracts.
The Mayor’s Regeneration Fund, set up to help those communities most affected by the 2011 summer riots, includes £20 million central Government funding for Tottenham and Croydon, and the rest from City Hall.
Investment through the Fund will support work and master-planning across the following areas:
• £27 million for North Tottenham/Northumberland Park – to support transport infrastructure and public realm improvements to help unlock proposals for the major stadium-led regeneration scheme.
• £2.8 million into a package of works to improve the High Road, bringing disused buildings back into use, paving the way for growth in terms of housing, employment and community.
• £4 million to support an Opportunity Investment Fund – to purchase key sites to bring forward development on the High Road and at Tottenham Hale.
• £4.5 million for an Employment and Skills programme to provide support for hard to reach young people and problem families in terms of employability, access to jobs and skills training.
• £3 million to transform 639 High Road for community use. Formerly borough planning offices, this listed building, opposite the Carpet Right store, was burnt out during the disturbances. The building will be transformed into a Team London Enterprise and Employment Hub creating a space that will house a number of different initiatives and schemes helping business start-ups and young entrepreneurs, as well as supporting skills and employment opportunities for local people, youth sport projects and volunteering opportunities. It is also proposed that the site will house a social enterprise café. The project team will be working with the local community to involve them in running and managing the hub.
Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: "London is ripe for investment with falling crime, an unparalleled upgrade of our transport system plus all the benefits of a dynamic and creative workforce, and Tottenham in no exception. This is not simply about repairing the damage from mindless violence but turning around the ship of long term unaddressed decline. I am determined that this money will see lasting change, bringing opportunities, growth and jobs, raising the sights of Tottenham’s young and instilling the belief that they have the same opportunities as others to realise their potential. Tottenham should never feel forgotten again as every one of its residents has a crucial part to play in the shining future of this great world city."
Communities and Local Government Secretary, Eric Pickles, said: "Today's money will help Tottenham to get back on its feet and maximise its potential for economic success so it can re-establish itself as an area with a bright future. We are determined that London's success story on growth, enterprise and investment isn’t confined to one or two boroughs but is something shared by all parts of the capital and this investment will give another borough that chance."
A Tottenham Taskforce to oversee the delivery of the Mayor’s Regeneration Fund has been established by the Mayor and the borough to bring together a wealth of experience and expertise to support the development and delivery of the regeneration strategy for Tottenham and to champion the area.
Channelling £41 million from the Mayor’s Regeneration Fund comes in addition to the Transport for London improvement scheme already underway at Tottenham Hale as part of the Mayor’s Great Outdoors Programme representing a £35 million investment from TfL and partners. The Homes and Communities Agency’s has also invested £50 million in the Hale Village development.
Through the Mayor’s £70 million Regeneration Fund the Mayor has been able to lever in match funding from other private and public sector partners raising the total being invested to nearly £95 million across eight different riot affected boroughs. He is also in conversation with additional boroughs to bring forward their plans.
The £20 million Government Funding for Tottenham and Croydon was announced by the Mayor and the Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles last year during a visit to Haringey.
Notes to Editors:
1. The Mayor’s Regeneration Fund is part of a bigger £177 million investment to regenerate the capital, which includes his £50 million Outer London Fund, plus additional match funding captured by both Funds. The Mayor recently announced the second round recipients of his Outer London Fund including over £2 million going to Haringey’s Green Lanes Traders Association to transform the southern entry to Green Lanes, improve shop fronts including conservation work, and the installation of 14 micro squares on street corners.
2. Residents of Tottenham will get to partake in a series of on-going pop-up social events using disused and empty spaces as part of an engagement programme. These events will run for 6 months under the banner "What's Happening in Tottenham" and will provide the opportunity to gather the thoughts, views and ideas from the local community.
3. Mayor’s Regeneration Fund is £70 million - £20m of which was secured from central Government. The worst affected boroughs were invited to apply for funding to support long term improvements with an onus on jobs and economic growth. The successful bids are not about rebuilding like-for-like, but investing in people’s futures with grant agreements awarded on the strength of job, training and apprenticeship opportunities for local people as well as high street renewal. Funding agreements will be finalised for the new financial year.
The ongoing master-planning in Haringey is designed to establish a clear and agreed vision for an area, scoping out the strategy needed to deliver this vision and setting a framework for the future delivery.
The Taskforce, established by the Mayor and the borough, is a strategic group of experts in building and construction, community safety, the business world, design and delivery as well as senior local figures and politicians.
The Taskforce will oversee the delivery of the Mayor’s Regeneration Fund and Outer London Fund in Tottenham, prepare and oversee the wider regeneration Strategy for Tottenham and hold to account those delivering investment in the area.
It is jointly led by the Leader of the Council and Sir Stuart Lipton.
Haringey and Croydon are the two boroughs benefitting from the additional £20 million from Government.Investment for the eight boroughs (including match funding and subject to grant agreements): Haringey: £41,345,000 Croydon: £23,692,342 Camden: £3,323,000 Ealing: £6,850,000 Enfield: £750,000 Hackney: £5,307,500 Merton: £3,000,000 Southwark: £10,600,000Total: £94,867,842 (Total match: £31,964,842). The Mayor's Regeneration Fund team is also in discussions with additional boroughs to bring forward their plans. Those boroughs are: Bexley, Greenwich, Wandsworth, Lewisham, Lambeth, Redbridge, Hillingdon, Richmond and Westminster, plus further discussion with Ealing and Hackney on additional projects.
4. The Mayor’s Outer London Fund was set up in March 2011 is a three year initiative dedicated to strengthening the vibrancy and growth of high streets and town centres. For more information on the Mayor’s latest round of Outer London Fund awards and more details on the recipients of the Mayor’s Regeneration Fund go to:
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5. Team London is the Mayor’s ambitious programme to mobilise an army of volunteers across the capital to improve life in London through programmes aimed at reducing crime, increasing youth opportunities and improving quality of life by cleaning, greening and building stronger neighbourhoods. Visit www.london.gov.uk/teamlondon for more information.