The UK Government is on a mission to ‘level up’ the UK, with millions of pounds being invested right here in Aberdeen to bring jobs and opportunities.
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Our city will see more than £20m of funding devoted to culture and regeneration under the wide-ranging plans to ensure we all can live longer, more fulfilling lives and benefit from better living standards.
The Levelling Up cash boosts aim to transform the UK by spreading prospects and prosperity to every corner as part of the ambitious proposals to close its long-standing geographical gaps by 2030.
Here in Aberdeen, people will also benefit from joint UK and Scottish Government investment worth £250m as part of the Aberdeen City Region Deal.
Breathing new life into the city
The allocation of £20m from the Levelling Up Fund will breathe new life into our city centre with the creation of a new Aberdeen marketplace as part of the wider Aberdeen city centre masterplan.
The new marketplace will create a vibrant retail area, promoting local produce and goods to shine a light on local makers and producers alongside continental-style delis, cafes and eateries.
Cllr Jenny Laing, leader of Aberdeen City Council, says it will be a true destination space that will attract new visitors and become an area local people can feel proud of.
“As part of our regeneration programme for Aberdeen, we have committed £150m towards reshaping the city centre as a destination of choice and I am delighted that we have managed to leverage an additional £20m in Levelling Up funding from the UK Government to help deliver this project,” she says.
“Union Street remains the beating heart of our city and the new Aberdeen Market, along with the soon-to-be completed Union Terrace Gardens and our plans for pedestrianisation of Union Street Central, provide everyone with a reason to fall back in love with Aberdeen city centre.”
Driving innovation
Aberdeen is set to become the global centre for offshore renewables with the development of the world-leading Net Zero Technology Centre. The centre, created to develop and deploy technology for an affordable net zero energy industry, aims to inspire creativity, drive innovation, and secure the support needed to deliver sustainable energy for Scotland in the long term.
This £250m investment will create new highly skilled and better paid job opportunities for local people.
Creating more green jobs
In addition, the expansion of Aberdeen Harbour will create new, skilled and highly paid employment opportunities with an eye on the future. The development will create space for renewable energy projects, with the city leading the way as the UK makes the transition to green energy with the goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions.
Investing in new energy tech
The North Sea Transition Deal, which will see up to £16bn invested in new energy technologies by 2030, will have a significant positive impact on Aberdeen’s economy. The UK’s energy sector will work together with the UK Government to deliver the skills and new infrastructure needed to meet challenging targets on cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
More than two-thirds of oil and gas workers in the UK have skills that can be transferred to a future greener energy sector, so this massive investment will futureproof job opportunities for these workers as well as for the next generation.
Giving everyone the chance to thrive
The UK is a fantastic success story in so many ways – but not everyone shares equally in that success. This is why the UK Government has launched its Levelling Up plans to transform our country and give everyone the chance to thrive.
It sets bold targets to change the way government operates, improve public services and empower local leaders and communities to narrow the UK’s geographical divides by 2030.
Radical new policies will form the heart of the government’s agenda for the rest of the decade, including:
- Narrowing the huge inequalities in healthy life expectancy by 2030 then, by 2035, seeing that life expectancy increased by five years
- Improving public transport with more, faster trains and better links for the UK’s more remote areas
- Faster broadband for everyone – with most of us able to access 5G coverage by 2030
- Making sure our homes are fit for the 21st century.
Other plans aim to restore a sense of local community and belonging where they have been lost by investing in our high streets and town centres.
And there is a focus on growing the private sector to increase productivity and bring better, more well-paid jobs to the parts of the UK that need them most.
So what will Levelling Up mean for you?
Where people live unfairly affects their chances of getting on in life – but what will Levelling Up mean for you?
The proposals will see a whopping £4.8 billion invested in regeneration projects across the UK, with cash being injected into transport, education, broadband and much more.
The plans focus on the success of the whole country: realising the potential of every place and every person across the UK by building on their unique strengths and spreading opportunities for individuals and businesses.
Depending where you are in the UK, Levelling Up will mean different things. In one place, it may mean more affordable or social housing while in another area, it might mean it’s easier to access funding to boost your company, a high street to be proud of, or more green space for families to enjoy.
Find out more and have your say at gov.uk/levellingupsurvey.
