Team Barrow has issued a statement following fears raised over plans for the town centre and the future of a replacement for the town’s Forum.
Last week, Michelle Scrogham, MP for Barrow and Furness, launched a scathing online broadside at Westmorland & Furness Council, which she said had not been good enough.
On social media platform Facebook, she called for the Heart of Barrow scheme to be brought ‘out of the hands of Liberal Democrat council leaders in Kendal’ and under ‘proper local control’.
She added: ““For months I’ve been asking for a guaranteed professional-standard theatre to replace the Forum. It is not good enough to talk about ‘a cultural space’, we need a plan for a replacement theatre.
“We also need the council to set out a clear and detailed vision for the next phase of the Heart of Barrow programme, milestones, and timelines for delivery.”
The Heart of Barrow programme aims to transform the town centre, using over £20 million from the Barrow transformation fund, over £10 million from the Government’s local regeneration fund and £1.5 million from the council.
Today, Lord Simon Case, chair of Team Barrow, issued a statement addressing the concerns.
Team Barrow is a partnership of Westmorland and Furness Council, BAE Systems and the Government. Backed by over £200 million in government investment, it aims to regenerate Barrow, support the UK’s Defence Nuclear Enterprise, and boost local education, housing, and the economy.
Lord Case said: “On behalf of all partners in Team Barrow, we want to make clear our ambitions for the future of Barrow town centre – and address concerns regarding a replacement for the Forum.
“We are very aware of the community’s growing frustration at the lack of a definitive answer to this very important question.
For us to succeed and deliver a town centre that the people of Barrow deserve, arts and culture must sit at the heart of any future plans.
“We are very clear about this and our position hasn’t changed, which is why we are prepared to commit a significant amount of the £200m Barrow Transformation Fund towards this scheme.
“This includes a shared ambition to build a new theatre.
“First, though, we need to ensure the whole programme is financially viable – not just now, but in the long term. It would be irresponsible to do otherwise, especially in a climate of reduced public spending.
“Westmorland and Furness Council, a key partner and the delivery lead for this programme, has been open about its financial context.
“Like many local authorities, this is likely to influence the extent to which the council can solely take on the direct responsibility for any new major venues in the future.
“In light of this, we are exploring alternative options for the future operation of any new facilities, and we are engaging with other regeneration projects across the country to understand their approach and find a solution that works for Barrow.
“As the design work for the town centre progresses over the coming months, we will gain a clearer understanding of how a theatre and other cultural facilities could be accommodated, and how they might best be delivered and operated.
“It’s the community’s town centre and that of future generations, so it’s vital we provide residents with the opportunity to help shape the programme’s direction.
“Once more detailed proposals have been developed, residents, businesses and other stakeholders will be actively engaged before we seek a delivery partner to help bring these to life. We anticipate being able to do this in early autumn.
“Successful regeneration takes many years and inevitably comes with a level of disruption.
“There is no avoiding this, so in parallel we are developing a programme of exciting, temporary interventions that will bridge the gap between now and when the full scheme is completed.
“We’ll be sharing these shortly and look forward to hearing the community’s feedback.”
We spoke to Lord Case in January about Barrow – you can listen to the chat with Nigel Thompson on Youtube below:
