New leader named for £20m central Barrow regeneration project
A new chair has been appointed to lead a £20 million regeneration programme for parts of central Barrow.
Alison Tooby will chair the Pride in Place neighbourhood board. Which will help decide how government funding is spent in Old Barrow and Hindpool over the next 10 years.
The programme will provide £2 million a year for a decade. It is aimed at some of Barrow’s most deprived neighbourhoods and is designed to support local projects shaped by residents, businesses and community groups.
Westmorland and Furness Council will act as the accountable body for the funding.
Who is Alison Tooby?
Alison Tooby is a social worker and play therapist with more than 33 years of experience across the statutory, charity and voluntary sectors.
She is also the co-founder and chief executive of Love Barrow Families. An organisation known for supporting families and community-led work in the town.
Her new role will be independent, voluntary and unpaid. She will lead the neighbourhood board as it develops plans for how the funding should be used.
The board will include residents, businesses and community representatives. With the aim of making sure local people have a clear say in what happens next.
What is the Pride in Place programme?
Pride in Place is a long-term regeneration fund focused on Old Barrow and Hindpool.
The aim is to support practical improvements that make a visible difference to everyday life. The funding is flexible, meaning it can be used across a range of local priorities.
Possible projects could include:
- improving high streets and public spaces
- creating or enhancing green areas
- supporting local businesses
- investing in community facilities
- improving housing
- boosting skills and employment
- supporting health and wellbeing services
- improving transport and connectivity
- strengthening community safety
- backing cultural and community activities
The final priorities will be shaped by the neighbourhood board and local feedback.
Residents asked for their views
A recent engagement exercise has already taken place in Old Barrow and Hindpool.
More than 5,000 properties were visited as part of the work. Westmorland and Furness Council community teams were involved. Along with Barrow and Furness MP Michelle Scrogham, Cumbria Police, Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service and volunteers from The Well.
Residents were given information about the programme and invited to take part in a survey.
They were asked about their hopes for future projects in the area, as well as what makes them feel proud to be part of the Old Barrow and Hindpool community.
That feedback will now be used to help shape the programme’s vision, priorities and spending plans.
Next steps for the project
The next stage will be to recruit members to the Pride in Place neighbourhood board.
Once the board is in place, Alison Tooby and its members will work on a 10-year vision for the programme. They will also prepare a spending plan for the first four years.
This will be an important stage for the project, as it will decide how the funding moves from broad aims into real schemes on the ground.
Alison said she was looking forward to chairing the board and working with residents, partners and communities to make a difference.
She said the funding was a significant opportunity to invest in neighbourhoods, strengthen community voices and deliver visible, lasting change for families, young people and local residents.
A major opportunity for central Barrow
The £20 million programme could become one of the most important regeneration schemes for central Barrow in the coming years.
Old Barrow and Hindpool include communities with long standing challenges, but also strong local identity, heritage and community spirit.
For the funding to make a real difference, the focus will need to stay on projects that people can see, use and benefit from. That means not only larger regeneration work, but also smaller improvements that help daily life.
The appointment of a new chair marks the start of the next phase. The test now will be whether the neighbourhood board can turn local ideas into practical plans that deliver lasting benefits for the area.
