Kent: £15m Grant To Grow Business And Jobs

Kent is to received a further £15 million from the Government’s ‘Local Growth Fund’ to help boost the local economy, grow businesses and create thousands of local jobs.

The funding will help progress four key projects in Kent:

Dover Western Docks Revival: £5 million to open up major port expansion, via junction capacity improvement works to the A20

Westenhanger Lorry Park: £3 million to help manage the economic cost of rising freight by delivering a new commercially operated lorry park off the M20 corridor, relieving some of the pressures arising from Operation Stack and inappropriate overnight lorry parking in Kent

Ashford International Rail Connectivity: £2 million to secure further international rail services through delivery of a modern European rail signalling system at the Ashford International Station

Folkestone Seafront: £5 million to support the development of homes, leisure and jobs in Folkestone – supporting coastal regeneration, providing flood defence works through beach works, and access improvements to Marine Parade

Paul Carter, Leader of Kent County Council, said: “This is a tremendous boost for Kent. The announcement that key projects in Kent will receive Government funding is very good news for our economic prospects.

“We secured the funding package announced today by working with district councils, and local and regional partners in the private sector through the Kent and Medway Economic Partnership and the South East Local Enterprise Partnership.”

Paul Carter said the Local Growth Fund investment package complements funding announced in the summer.

He said: “It adds to the £127 million allocated to Kent and Medway projects in the South East Local Enterprise Partnership ‘Growth Deal’ – which is set to support development of M20 Junction 10a, a new Thanet Parkway railway station, the A28 Chart Road and Sturry Relief Road.

“We have already created thousands of new jobs and boosted business through the first wave of Government ‘Growth Fund’ money and are well set to reap the benefits of more jobs, a stronger economy and improved infrastructure from the latest round of funding.”