Morecambe’s West End is set for a major boost, with £20m of long-term funding secured to improve the neighbourhood and put local people at the heart of decision making.

The funding, part of the Labour Government’s Pride in Place (Plan for Neighbourhoods) programme, will see £2m invested every year for the next 10 years.

This comes alongside new powers for communities to seize boarded-up shops, save derelict pubs and block gambling and vape shops on their high street.

The money will be administered by a board made up of local people.

Lizzi Collinge, MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, in the West End.

placeholder image — Lizzi Collinge, MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, in the West End.

Lizzi Collinge, Labour MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, welcomed the news as a real step-change in how local areas are able to take control and renew themselves:

“This is a huge step forward for the West End,” she said. “I promised to fight for Morecambe and Lunesdale and this is the result.

“Instead of empty words, we now have real money coming in to make a difference.

“To be clear, this is not about the Government telling us how to spend this money, it is for local people to decide how this money is used in their community.

A map showing most of the area covered by the funding, the 'middle super output' area of the West End.

"This is a fund that is designed to put power into the hands of the public. Local people know their area better than anyone else and that is why the Government has decided to do this differently.

“I want everyone in the West End to have their say on what matters most. Together, we can make our area somewhere we’re all proud to call home. I will be supporting the Board to make sure everyone gets their say.”

The investment will be guided by local voices with community board, led by an independent chair, allocating funding but only after proper consultation with local people so that community groups, local organisations and social clubs are included in decisions on how the money should be spent.

Ideas could range from upgrading parks and play areas, to health projects, fixing up empty buildings, supporting the high street, or creating new community spaces.

The £20m pledge is designed to bring lasting improvements, empower residents, and help Morecambe’s West End thrive for years to come.