Chair appointed to lead £20m Rawtenstall regeneration

Rossendale Borough Council has appointed Iain Taylor to oversee the ten-year, £20m government investment in Rawtenstall.

Iain Taylor, managing director of Crawshawbooth-based IMT Consulting, will work with the council to create a town board for Rawtenstall and its immediate surrounding area, which he will chair.

The board will be made up of local community leaders, business owners, social enterprise representatives, councillors, council officers, the town’s MP and a representative of the police and crime commissioner.

The appointment follows the government selecting the town to benefit from its Long-Term Plan for Towns initiative. 

The endowment-style funding over 10 years is to be spent on issues that matter to local people under three themes of infrastructure, town centres and safety.

As a management consultant Iain advises clients on the financing and implementation of property development projects, economic partnership programmes and environmental innovation projects.

Previously, Iain led the consultancy input to the recently approved Liverpool City Region Life Science Investment Zone assembling and securing approval to £160m of new investment in the LCR Health and Life Science sector and the Liverpool City Region Freeport.

He was also part of the team that prepared the Atlantic Gateway concept and works to promote collaboration between public sector partners on key strategic initiatives.

Iain has supported the development of several major projects, including SINA Medical Glass, Glass Futures, MediaCityUK, Liverpool2 Container Port, Port Salford, City of Salford Stadium and several major road schemes and strategic green infrastructure projects.

He said: “I am delighted, honoured and excited for the future. The town’s board has the capability, responsibility and resources to set an exciting and ambitious plan for Rawtenstall and surrounding area and develop a fantastic programme of investments delivered over the long term to help make Rawtenstall – and Rossendale – an even better place to live, work and visit.

“I share the passion and affection many people have for Rawtenstall and the wider area. The sense of community is strong, vibrant and proud – the support, energy and time people give to help make the place a success is clear and abundant – whether it be the market, the Whitaker, the Civic Pride, the heritage railway, or the service in the cafes and restaurants. There is a fantastic community dedicated to making the place the best it can be."

Coun Alyson Barnes, leader of Rossendale Borough Council, said: “Our town board will drive the priorities for investment, take on responsibilities for making change, and steer the long-term vision for the Rawtenstall and the immediate surrounding area hand-in-hand with local people.

“A submission of the Long-Term Investment Plan must be in place by the beginning of November to release some of the funding.”

Iain added: “I’m very interested to hear from local people what their ideas are and I hope early in the planning phase we can open up to understand what their views are so that the plan is anchored in the values, ideas and ambitions of local people.”