£19m investment will transform Colchester. Revamps include the Jumbo water tower, digital upgrades, and community hubs.
The Jumbo Water Tower revamp will cost £1.78 million. Heritage Lottery Funding gave £8 million too. Trinity Church, the city’s oldest building, will receive £2.8 million of the funds.
Youth centers get £1.3 million, and new walking and cycling routes get £2.88 million. Digital firms get new space on Queen Street and Greenstead gets a new community center. Construction should begin in December and is set to last for a year, with the cost estimated to be just under £6 million.
Colchester plans to invest in 5G internet and advanced communications tech. A virtual reality attraction is planned and it will show the castle’s history.
Greenstead’s project is the biggest, delivering important facilities all in one community hub. Key public services can be accessed here, and the old library will become a children’s center. The community center will also expand, helping create a good income stream.
The council purchased St Edmunds House, which has housing and a large space. A multi-agency hub will be built here, and the surgery will expand greatly. Pedal power encourages diverse transport, aiming for a liveable neighborhood that focuses on travel around Greenstead.
Three public realm projects exist within the city, two involving heritage buildings in Colchester. Holy Trinity Church is Colchester’s oldest building, not the castle, like some people think. The Saxton tower sat empty for a long time, and funding will repair it’s poor condition and create a bid for Lottery funding . St Helena Hospice is the operating partner, and they will use it for activities, making it a shared community hub. The lottery application goes in August.
An independent trust manages the Jumbo project. Town Deal money fixes the building, and needed repairs are being made. Funds will trigger a Heritage Lottery bid, which became very large, reaching £8 million and was approved. Jumbo will function as a visitor attraction.