Learn about the next phase of the Goole Town Deal programme at forthcoming exhibition

ENTITLED ‘Goole Town Deal - the next phase’, the event will give people a first glimpse of exciting new proposals for the Public Realm project that will enhance the way the town centre looks and feels, as well as the Station Hub project, which will make the railway station a more welcoming and attractive gateway in Goole town centre. The Goole Town Deal Board is keen to hear people’s views on both of these projects as they progress through the final stages of design.

The £3.1 million Public Realm project will refresh the town centre with new hard and soft landscaping and seating, as well as making signage and the type of materials used more consistent. It aims to provide public spaces to be enjoyed, promote walking and cycling, and improve connectivity between key buildings and locations. Meanwhile, the £2.4 million Station Hub project aims to support Goole’s growth and an anticipated increase in the number of station users by enhancing the arrival/departure experience and providing a more appealing environment at the station. As part of the project, Goole Town Deal is funding a brand new shuttle bus service to connect Goole Station with key employment sites on the outskirts of the town and with the railway station at Howden. This service was commissioned after it became clear that the Goole Town Deal Board alone could not secure an improved rail service between Goole and Leeds.

The exhibition will also give residents and representatives of local businesses and community/voluntary sector organisations a chance to find out more about progress on all eight of the Town Deal projects, which include a £3.8 million investment in the Market Hall that will see it transformed into a vibrant food hall and events venue; a £3.75 million investment in the redevelopment of the Victoria Pleasure Ground; a £3.372 million investment towards plans to turn East Riding Leisure Goole into a modern leisure hub; and a £3.1 million project to reinforce flood defences and create a greenway corridor for pedestrians and cyclists alongside the Dutch River.

It will also provide people with an opportunity to speak to the teams delivering two Goole Town Deal-funded projects that are already up and running. Property owners will be able to find out more about the support on offer to help bring empty or under-used sites and buildings in the town centre back into use through the £4.178 million Property Activation Fund, including how to register an interest in applying for a grant. Representatives of the £1.05 million Opportunity Goole project, which was set up to help connect people and businesses with the knowledge and skills they may need to ensure that employers can recruit local people, will also be present.

Several other organisations, including East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Business Support team, the HEYSmile Foundation and Hull and East Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, will also be at the event to talk to local business owners and community groups about the support they can offer.

Phil Jones, Chair of the Goole Town Deal Board, said: “It is all systems go now for Goole Town Deal after what feels like a very long development phase. People are going to see so much happening during the next two years. A couple of the projects - the Property Activation Fund and Opportunity Goole - are already up and running, so this event is a great chance to come along and find out about the support that they offer.

“As a number of the projects are just about to enter the delivery phase,  the exhibition will give the local community an update on what’s happening now, and what happens next. People will also get a first glimpse of proposals for the Public Realm and Station Hub projects and a chance to have their say on them. I’d encourage as many local people and businesses as possible to come along, find out more, have their say on the latest proposals and find out if they could benefit from the different forms of support on offer.”

For more information about the eight projects allocated a share of the Goole Town Deal funding, visit www.gooletowndeal.co.uk.