Steering Holbeach

The Holbeach Town Steering Group has officially been launched and its first job is to help secure government funding to improve the town centre.

The creation of Steering Groups was announced by South Holland District Council as part of its pledge to put in £500,000 of funding into Holbeach and Spalding town centres.

Coun Nick Worth is the lead for the Holbeach Steering Group.

They’ve already met with stakeholders from the town including businesses and customers.

And one of the first jobs is helping get ready a bid for the town to receive further funding after its initial £150,000 through the Government’s Future High Streets Fund.

Holbeach’s bid for the money is to be submitted in June and the successful applicants are due to be announced in the autumn.

Coun Worth says it’s hoped the money will be able to renovate the Market Hill junction.

Coun Worth said of the steering group and future for Holbeach: “It’s really exciting.

“It’s taken quite a few years to get to where we are at the moment, a parish plan was drafted in 2009, but in the last two or three years we’ve really gained some momentum.

“We’re coming at this at a slightly different angle from the Spalding Steering Group in that we’re focusing on obtaining the further funding, the bid for which we’re working hard on now.

“We’re working with consultees including the Civic Society and businesses representatives.

“A big focus is on Market Hill and making that more pedestrian friendly. But there’s other areas were looking at, including the area at the back of The Chequers whose new owners we’re working with closely.

“We’re also working with the Food Enterprize Zone and are looking at it as part of one project in a way.

“We want to ensure that people based there can come into Holbeach town centre and spend their money here.

“We have also ringfenced some money for events, £50,000 to be shared with Spalding. We already put on a few events so we’ll look at boosting one of those or creating a brand new one.”