Huntingdon and St Ives win last Market Towns pot with culture, community, and business bid

Huntingdon and St Ives win last Market Towns pot with culture, community, and business bid

In a significant vote, the Board of the Combined Authority today unanimously approved the last bid for funding under its Market Towns Programme.  It means the £13.1 million fund is now fully allocated across 52 beneficiary projects in the key market towns of the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough region.  

A green cycling link to help active travel, a community bandstand for cultural events, grants for smartening shopfronts, and funding to expand the Cromwell Museum, and visitor information are among the projects which will benefit from today’s vote. 

Huntingdonshire District Council proposed a programme of activities for the historic market towns of Huntingdon and St Ives which will deliver major improvements across the transport network, town centre environment, support for local businesses, as well as supporting growth in the visitor-based economy.  

Combined Authority grant funding of £802,150 was agreed by the Board to match an additional £120,000 of partner investment to deliver a portfolio of Huntingdon and St Ives Market Town Regeneration projects, including:  

• Broadway – St Ives – Cycle Link Scheme – highways-based improvement scheme delivered in partnership with Cambridgeshire County Council. 
• St Ives Community Bandstand – community drive and funded initiative to provide a new venue for cultural events and activities. 
• Shop Front Grant Scheme – direct grants – between £5K and £10k – towards improving shop fronts in both Huntingdon and St Ives town centres. 
• Cromwell Museum Expansion – major investment to bring the Museum up to scratch with essential visitor facilities.
• Huntingdon BID Visitor Information – new facility housed within the Commemoration Hall to provide information about town centre to visitors in addition to providing a base for businesses to visit and liaise with BID staff. 

This was the final bid under the Combined Authority’s Market Towns Programme and the £13.1m budget is now fully allocated and approved against a portfolio of 52 projects in total.  

Overall Market Towns Programme completion is expected by March 2026.