The Government has allocated £85,000 of the Levelling Up Parks Fund to Preston City Council to create new or significantly refurbished green spaces in urban areas that need it most.

The grant is being offered to local authority areas which rate highly on the Index of Multiple Deprivation and have limited access to green space.

Those eligible are pre-approved for funding and only need to opt in by 5 September.

The grant will deliver a project that will improve the quality of the Council’s parks and open space sites covering Friargate South, Queen Street, Avenham Lane, Old Tram Bridge, Preston Bus Station, and Waverley, Moor, Ashton, and Grange Parks.

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The offer letter from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, said: “We are on a mission to improve access to the green space across the UK and we want to work with you to achieve it. We know green spaces deliver the greatest benefits to residents when they are designed using local knowledge.

“This is why we are adopting a wide approach to our definition of “parks” and giving you discretion on which projects to fund. Ultimately, we aim to support projects which respond to local communities’ needs and restore pride in place.”

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The impact statement from service users said: “The grant will deliver a project that will improve the quality of the Council’s parks and open space sites.”

In accepting the grant the Council will receive £85,000 consisting of:

• Up to £47,500 capital for creation or improvement of the park.
• Up to £18,500 revenue for project preparation, creation and maintenance.
• Up to £19,000 ‘tree uplift’ for tree planting and related costs.
• Eligible Councils will also receive an initial site assessment by Green Flag Awards, which the Department has paid for to the value of £450.

Preston City Council is now required to submit a project proposal by 3 October 2022 and must have spent the grant by 5 April 2023.

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