£18 million 'Growing Places' fund to help create thousands of new homes

Over 2,600 new homes will be built across Norfolk and Suffolk as part of an £18 million investment from the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership.
A number of schemes across the counties have been chosen to receive financial support from the partnership's 'Growing Places' fund, including plans for a huge housing development on the former HL Foods site in North Walsham. Over £2.5 million will be donated towards the first phase of the scheme.
Ipswich's flood defence scheme will also benefit from the fund to the tune of around £6.6 million. This could well make the houses to let in Ipswich a far more attractive proposition for those seeking a move to East Anglia. A number of local businesses have also received cash to help fuel growth.

In an interview with eveningnews24.co.uk, New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership's chairman, Andy Wood, stated that it was extremely difficult to decide which projects were the most worthy of funding.

He said: "We were impressed with the quality of proposals that we submitted to the board. The projects we have shortlisted were done on the basis that they most clearly matched our key priorities around job creation, speed of delivery, value for money and prospect of repayment."

According to newanglia.co.uk, around 3,000 jobs are expected to be created as a result of the fund.