Snapped: Nick Clegg visits Swindon to sign 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. Here's the pictures of his visit to Swindon....

The funding will go towards various initiatives across the town; including a bypass tunnel under the M4 as part of the Wichelstowe developments, around 1,500 jobs, and will 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

• a package of road schemes around the Eastern Villages development – a new urban expansion to the east of Swindon
• turbocharging the delivery of 8,000 new homes by 2026 to meet local housing demands
• an all-new science park at Porton Down, providing facilities for research, development and advanced skills training for companies specialising in life sciences and healthcare
• a range of transport schemes to facilitate the movement of people and goods 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 programme to revitalise local economies across the country. These deals are the newest example of the British economy being rebuilt from the ground up, and sharing the recovery's benefits around the country. Local businesses and council leaders are  invited to open discussions immediately on the next set of projects to be funded, building on the momentum that has been established.