Regional Grant Fund, Millions Set for the North West

Businesses across the region have been celebrating after cashing in on £227m-worth of funding from the government's Regional Growth Fund. It is hoped the money will support up to 47,000 jobs with 7,800 directly linked to schemes.

Winning bids included £5.9m for a drug research centre in Liverpool to create up to 250 jobs at Redx Pharma, £10m for the Manchester Airports Group Developments' Airport City scheme, £3m for Bentley to safeguard 200 jobs in Crewe and a small business fund for the Manchester region.

Brian Sloan, chief economist at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, said: "This is welcome news for the region with a much larger share of the fund being allocated to the North West than in the first round of funding.

"Looking down the list of successful bids, it is pleasing to see a number of exciting infrastructure projects that will help spur on further investment and growth into the future, including here in Greater Manchester.

"These second round bids will safeguard or create 7,800 jobs, which is about the same as those that have been shed by local authorities in Greater Manchester alone, so it is essential that the due diligence process is expedited swiftly to get these projects underway and ensure that the 39,500 jobs in the supply chain are safeguarded to tackle unemployment in the area."

Successful bids also included Pirelli Tyres in Carlisle for the development and manufacture of less carbon intensive car tyres.

Gilbert Gilkes and Gordon in Kendal has won cash for the rebuilding and refurbishing a factory manufacturing pumps and hydro-electric turbines.

Getrag Ford Transmissions in Knowsley has won support to expand capacity for the production of transmissions at the Halewood plant.

Other successful round two bids include:

• University of Liverpool

• Harpscreen(GB) Ltd

• Phoenix Court Blackburn Limited

• Crown Speciality Packaging UK Ltd

• Double R Controls Limited

• C&C Baseline Ltd

• Standish Engineering Ltd

• Ronfell

• Double R Controls Ltd

• North West Aerospace Alliance

• Sefton Council

The funding from the £1.4bn national Regional Growth Fund pot follows £27m-worth of funding for the region in the first round.

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