Delight as £39.2m earmarked for two city areas

A multi-million pound project will help "unlock the potential" of parts of a city, a council leader has said.

The government has given two lots of £19.6m to be invested into the St Budeaux and Devonport areas of Plymouth as part of its Pride in Place programme, which gives communities the chance to create a plan to make changes over 10 years.

Plymouth City Council said the funding would help "build stronger communities" improve high streets and public spaces and tackle health and social inequalities.

Tudor Evans, the council's leader, said while the money would be focused on specific areas, it would give the whole city a "lift".

"What I think is important is that all parts of the city are singing and what these funds are about is unlocking the potential to a better, brighter future for residents in those areas," Evans said.

"But actually, it unlocks a future for all of us."

The council said the project's next phase would be to set up boards with residents and politicians to develop plans for the areas.

The funding has been welcomed by MPs in the city, with Luke Pollard - Labour, Plymouth Sutton and Devonport - saying it could deliver "real, visible change".

Fred Thomas, Labour MP for Plymouth Moor View - which covers St Budeaux, added he was excited to hear the ideas of residents.

"I know that people in St Budeaux have been itching to see this process get underway," he said.

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