A DEAL that pitches millions of pounds into the county for “growth” projects has been signed off.

MP Greg Clark, Minister for Universities, Science and Cities met with Graham Wynn, chairman of the Marches LEP, and the leaders of Herefordshire Council, Shropshire Council, and Telford & Wrekin to get the deal done.

A £75 million overall investment in the Marches economy was announced last summer. The private sector-led Marches Local Enterprise Partnership, made up of business and local authority leaders, has been successful in securing support from the Government’s Local Growth Fund.

The deal includes £12.8m for 2015/16 which will go to key projects in Telford and Hereford and promise to deliver up to 6,000 jobs and 3,000 homes. Nearly £42m has been earmarked for follow- on projects across the wider Marches region over the following five years.

The Marches Growth Deal brings together different funding streams designed to support local growth in the region with the potential to generate up to £20 million in private investment.

Among the first projects being supported by the deal is the Hereford city centre transport package, which includes the link road joining Widemarsh Street and Commercial Road.

A further £41.83 million has been provisionally allocated for projects planned for 2016-17 onwards, which includes the Telford Bus Station redevelopment and the South Wye transport package near Hereford.