My Future's in Falkirk Regeneration Initiative
Under My Future's in Falkirk, Falkirk is changing, and changing for the better. The numerous regeneration projects being implemented under My Future's in Falkirk are positioning Falkirk as an attractive area to live, work and invest; a place where people can be confident about their future. My Future's in Falkirk represents this confidence: it is what people currently living and doing business in the community want to feel and say about their area. My Future's in Falkirk reflects a community that is proud of what it has achieved and is confident about where it is going. My Future's in Falkirk is also an identity a badge of pride that people and projects can use to promote and champion their area in different ways. And, not only is it local people and businesses speaking about the area, it is Falkirk people speaking to outsiders about the area. As such, My Future's in Falkirk provides the basis of a key message to the outside world: to external businesses looking to relocate or expand, to tourists and to people looking for a new place to move to and bring up their families. To these audiences, the message coming loud and clear from local people and the business community is Your Futures in Falkirk.
In December 2002 the ambitious 23 million plan was launched to transform Falkirk and the surrounding area into a thriving diverse and modern economy helping local businesses to grow attracting both companies and visitors into the area and creating and maintaining jobs for local people. My Futures in Falkirk the economic regeneration plan for the Falkirk area has evolved from the Falkirk Action Plan led by Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley BP and Falkirk Council with support from European Regional Development Fund The pioneering plan focuses on a number of projects which are is set to create 4250 new jobs, stimulate up to 200 million of additional investment help local businesses to grow attract a diverse range of businesses to the area and generate 50 million a year for the Falkirk economy over the next ten years. The three partners are providing a significant proportion of the funding contributing 13 million by 2005. A total of 6 million is coming from SE Forth Valley 5 million from Falkirk Council and BP is contributing 2 million. A further 10 million is coming from other public and private sector organisations, including the European Union through the East of Scotland Objective 2 programme.
My Futures in Falkirk is not intended to be a brand for Falkirk it is primarily a supportive identity for the regeneration and repositioning of the Falkirk area It is hoped that in time it will be embraced by the numerous regeneration efforts that are taking place underpinning them with a common positive and confident feeling of economic transition.
The Falkirk area has many distinct district town centres and in applying My Future’s in Falkirk, we recognise that individual communities have their own sense of identity that provides a source of strength and pride. Furthermore, each town centre has a visual identity which is used in a range of local communication materials.
All of this is a real asset. My Future’s in Falkirk will support and encourage not only town centre projects but also local regeneration activities. Positive messages about the Falkirk area will be all the more convincing where the area’s individual communities are thriving and looking confidently to the future. A successful Falkirk area needs strong local communities.