A BID of up to £20 million will be submitted to government's Levelling Up Fund in the hope of creating a town centre for one of the country's two super-garrisons.

A meeting of Richmondshire District Council's corporate board heard councillors enthuse about pushing forward a proposed major regeneration project based around Shute Road in Catterick Garrison.

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The plans could see the creation of a town square and assistance to businesses locating there.

Members said the changes, which would be undertaken in partnership with North Yorkshire County Council and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) could not come soon enough and that serving personnel and residents "deserve the best town centre we can come up with".

Councillors were told there was up to £20 million available for Levelling Up projects and as the authority's most substantial economic development initiative, the Catterick Garrison scheme would maximise the funding from government.

Officers said the regeneration scheme was one of numerous projects affecting the garrison which the MoD was undertaking to help encourage and stimulate growth of the area in which they are developing one of the country's two "super-garrisons".

They said the bid would benefit from a substantial amount of preparatory work already completed.

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Councillor Yvonne Peacock said it was vital the council took full advantage of the available MoD expertise.

She said: "This is a huge amount of of money and it would be the best thing that could ever happen to Richmondshire district is having it spent on Catterick Garrison. It's not just the garrison, it will affect the whole of the district."

 

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