Rutland County Council has approved the commissioning of work using money awarded to Rutland by the Levelling Up Fund.

Speaking to members of the cabinet of Rutland County Council at a meeting last week, Council Leader Gale Waller (Lib Dem) said: "The levelling up fund gives a wonderful opportunity to Rutland and our partners in Melton Mowbray to use government funding that our officers bid for, and won.

"What we are proposing is that we approve the money for the first stages of the commissioning of the works, which will kick-start the projects. As with all government grants, the levelling up fund is 'time limited', so we can't wait around until we've got lots of staff to work on these projects – which might be the ideal – we've just got to get on with it.

Rutland will be home to a new transport hub following its Levelling Up win. Image credit: RCC.

"We have three projects in Rutland: the first is a £6.5 million 'Mobi-hub', a 500m sq travel anchor that will link all forms of transportation throughout the county focussing on routes between Melton Mowbray and Oakham.

"The second is a £2 million investment to fund the creation of a mobile, digital visitor experience to view two of the area's unique heritage treasures – the largest Ichthyosaur fossil in Europe, and the remains of a stunning 4th Century Roman villa with an exceptional mosaic. Neither of these assets can currently be displayed easily to the public directly, however this funding will enable the council to create virtual models, storage and touring facilities to enable the finds to be showcased.

"The third project at the Rutland Memorial Hospital site will be a £3.5 million, 1000m sq. medi-tech facility providing labs for the development of clinical trials, a continuous professional development centre for clinicians working in the area, and a training base for students involved in relevant disciplines at the local universities, including medical schools and schools of nursing."

Rutland Memorial Hospital will be the site of one investment from Rutland's Levelling Up win. Image credit: Martin Brookes.

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In March 2022, the Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities (DLUHC) launched a competitive grant funding programme for investment and infrastructure to support local communities.

Rutland County Council and Melton Borough Council submitted a joint bid and at the beginning of 2023 were successful, being awarded a total of £26.1 million between them.

Members of the cabinet voted unanimously to approve the commissioning of works for the three projects for Rutland, so that the necessary designs, construction partners be found, and the building of these projects can get underway.