Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg signs Growth Deal

Swindon was pleased to welcome Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg to East Wichel Community Primary School on Thursday the 18th of December to sign a £129 million Growth Deal.

The money will be used towards various initiatives in and around the town; including a bypass tunnel under the M4 as part of the continuous development in the new Wichelstowe area, around 1,500 jobs, and allow up to 2,000 homes to be built by 2021.

The Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg comments:

"I’m delighted to be finalising this historic deal bringing real change to Swindon and Wiltshire. This significant growth deal will enable a whole host of jobs to be created, see scores of homes built and transport improved. All of this is a major boost to the economy in the south-west.

Growth Deals are about local areas leading their own growth, giving more power to people in the regions so we work together to build a strong economy and a fairer society."

Key features of the deal

These include:

• a package of road schemes around the Eastern Villages development – a new urban expansion to the east of Swindon
• speeding up the delivery of 8,000 new homes by 2026 to meet local housing needs
• a new science park at Porton Down, which will provide facilities for research, development and advanced skills training for companies specialising in life sciences and healthcare
• a range of transport schemes to help people and goods move more easily around Swindon and Wiltshire’s key growth zones, including Wichelstowe, where the signing took place today

The Swindon and Wiltshire Growth Deal is part of a £12 billion long-term programme to revitalise local economies. The deals are the latest example of the British economy being rebuilt from the bottom up, and sharing the benefits of the recovery around the country. Local businesses and council leaders have been invited to open discussions immediately on the next set of projects to be funded, building on the momentum that has been established.