The £43 million investment plan to boost Colchester

The programme features investment in things like new homes, the town centre and community facilities, with further investment coming from outside sources.

The total value of the programme is around £50 million and the council also hopes to secure £25 million from the Government's Town Deal fund.

A number of schemes are already going ahead but will receive further investment in the new financial year.

Here is where the investment is set to go:

Existing schemes:

GVs of Leisure World in Colchester.15/10/2015.

• Electric vehicle recharging points – £114k

• Fleet upgrade – £1.2m

• Leisure World pool view cameras – £120k

• Colchester Northern Gateway Sports Park signage – £100k

New schemes:

Mercury Theatre

• Leisure World conversion of artificial pitch – £250k

• Colchester Northern Gateway Sports Park recreational play equipment – £250k

• Colchester Northern Gateway wastewater improvements – £250k

• Mercury Theatre redevelopment additional costs – £1.2m

• Mercury Theatre landscape works – £350k

• Queen Street grow-on facility – £5.7m

• St Mark’s Community Centre – £1.5m

• Rowan House heat source pump – £500k

• Rowan House refurbishment – £1.3m

• Housing Investment Programme – £40m

• St Nicholas Square public space – £671k

• A12 Junction 28 works – £350k

• Detailed planning Colchester Northern Gateway – £575k

• Vineyard car park lift replacement – £130k

• Floating pontoon at Coast Road, West Mersea – £86k

• Garrison Gym playground – £306k

• Cemetery extension summer house, electric gates and solar lighting – £80k

Read more >>> Where Colchester Council is looking to invest £43 million in town

Town Deal

Nov 2019 aerial photography..Firstsite Colchester.

Colchester Council is also one of 100 towns in the UK to bid for up to £25 million from the Government's Town Deal fund.

It will unlock around £94 million of total investment in the town.

Read more >>> Everything we know about £94m investment plan for Colchester

These are the some of the schemes featured:

• Balkerne Gate phase 2 – £1.1m

• Youth Zone – £8.4m

• Holy Trinity Church Community Hub – £540k

• Trinity Square – £500k

• Kerbless and Green Streets – £1.5m

• Heart of Greenstead – £6.7m

• 5G – £2m

• Wilson Marriage digital hub – £1m

• Essex County Hospital new public realm – £500k

• ‘Jumbo’ water tower – £1m

• Highways walking and cycling – £13m

• Liveable Neighbourhoods and School Streets – £2.1m

• Vineyard Gateway – £1m

What have the council said?

Business boss David King said: "Despite the severe pressures on our day-to-day revenue spending, capital investment in our borough is prudent and affordable at a time of low interest rates and is vital to economic and pandemic recovery.

"This council will do all it can to attract and secure investment that will preserve or create jobs – hugely important at a terrible time for retail and hospitality.

“With over £43m of capital investment spent on tackling climate change, economic growth, health and wellbeing, improved homes and the attractiveness of Colchester as a destination, our Strategic Vision and Capital Programme work together to create an inspiring vision for Colchester.

“They are made up of key ambitions that we can all work towards, to make Colchester an even better place in which to work, live and visit. Vital, when the new priority will soon be to attract other investment and what will help retail and hospitality jobs.”

Leader of the council Mark Cory said: “Our borough is already an outstanding place to live, but we don’t want to stand still.

“Our Strategic Vision and Capital Programme set out ambitious plans to make Colchester a better borough – a place where everyone has a chance to succeed, where nobody gets left behind and where everyone can see the investment being made to their town.

“Despite some extremely harsh economic challenges made worse by the coronavirus pandemic, the Capital Programme reflects our long-term vision and commitment to invest in our communities, buildings and infrastructure in ways that will deliver tangible and sustainable benefits for all – helping us recover from this terrible pandemic and making the future of Colchester even better than it is today.”

What happens next?

It has been approved by the authority's cabinet but will need to rubber stamped by full council at a meeting in February.

Residents can keep up to date with these projects and take part in conversations via the EnjoyColchester page on Facebook and @YourColchester on Twitter.