Strategic real estate advisor Avison Young has secured £50m of funding for local authority clients across the UK from the government’s flagship Levelling Up Fund.

Of the more than 100 projects that were awarded a share of £2.1 billion from Round 2 of government’s flagship Levelling Up Fund, Avison Young partnered with clients on the following successful bids:

- Securing £10.9m for the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham to support a strategic development designed to transform residents’ life experience, and remodel public realm to rejuvenate business and pedestrian usage. The projects will deliver 316 new homes, safeguard 241 jobs, reduce crime and make the Heathway an exemplar for green and inclusive growth.

- Securing £3.1m for Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council to support the expansion and upgrade of the F.E. McWilliam Gallery and Studio in Banbridge, which will help the gallery realise its potential as an internationally renowned cultural space.

- Securing £20m for Copeland Borough Council for the Industrial Solutions Hub (iSH) Enterprise Campus in Cleator Moor, Cumbria to develop an enterprise cluster, bringing together academia and businesses of all sizes and providing a network and facilities that will fuel business growth and regenerate communities.

- Securing £15.77m in the south-west of England for transport improvements.

Avison Young also provided property agency support in the preparation of the business case for the Eden Project Morecambe scheme, which secured £50m of grant funding to enable the project to move into its next phase.

These successful bids add to Avison Young’s track record in securing public sector funding, having supported clients to unlock in the region of £1bn of funding over the past few years. The team has secured funding from the Stronger Towns Fund, Levelling Up Fund (Rounds 1 & 2), Future High Street Fund, One Public Estate, Local Growth Funds, Housing Infrastructure Funds and the Brownfield Release Fund.

Dr Stephen Rosevear, Director, Planning, Development and Regeneration, Avison Young, commented:
“Having supported our clients to unlock around £1bn of public sector funding in recent years, we are proud to have used this expertise to secure an additional round £50m of Levelling Up funds for our partners and local economies across the UK. With only around 100 projects receiving Levelling Up funds nationwide, securing public sector funding is not straightforward. The Avison Young team is unique in that it can support delivery of these projects from conception, to bidding, through delivery and ultimately to evaluation. Our understanding of people and place, and our ability to work through the entirety of the process, means that we can support new and existing clients whatever funding opportunities arise.”