Our Investments

Delivery Body: University of Brighton
Theme: Skills
Coast to Capital LGF Allocation: £7m
Match Funding Contribution: £7.9m
Project Summary: Local Growth Funding was awarded for a new Advanced Engineering Centre at the University of Brighton, supporting a growing partnership with Ricardo to advance low-carbon engine research and meet industry demand for specialist engineers. Officially opened in April 2018, the facility enhances innovation, training, and student attraction in a region with a strong advanced engineering sector.

Delivery Body: Aldingbourne Trust
Theme: Business & Enterprise
Coast to Capital LGF Allocation: £1.96m
Match Funding Contribution: £2.93m
Project Summary: Local Growth Funding helped unlock the creation of the Aldingbourne Trust’s Quarry Building – an inclusive, state-of-the-art facility supporting adults with learning disabilities through work and training opportunities. Opened in August 2018, the building features a café, shop, and conference space that benefit both Trust users and the wider community, while enabling the expansion of visitor and learning facilities across the site.

Delivery Body: Brighton and Hove City Council
Theme: Urban Regeneration
Coast to Capital LGF Allocation: £2.7m
Match Funding Contribution: £81.1m
Project Summary: Local Growth Funding kickstarted the regeneration of the long-vacant Circus Street site in Brighton, enabling planning and demolition works that secured a major development partner. The ongoing project is transforming the brownfield site into a vibrant mixed-use space with homes, student accommodation, business units, and cultural facilities – bringing lasting social and economic benefits to one of the city’s most deprived wards.

Delivery Body: Brighton & Hove City Council
Theme: Business & Enterprise
Coast to Capital LGF Allocation: £3m
Match Funding Contribution: £17.69m
Project Summary: Local Growth Funding supported the restoration of Brighton’s historic Royal Pavilion Estate, including major renovations to the Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre. The project preserves key architectural features while introducing modern gallery spaces, a café, and flexible event facilities, enhancing the city’s cultural offering and boosting tourism.

Delivery Body: West Sussex County Council
Theme: Transport
Coast to Capital LGF Allocation: £10.9m
Match Funding Contribution: £21.8m
Project Summary: Local Growth Funding helped to improve walking and cycling infrastructure in Burgess Hill, supporting the town’s vision of local living and sustainable transport. The project enhances connectivity to commercial areas, the town centre, and nearby rail stations, forming part of a wider active travel network linking to Haywards Heath and Hassocks.

Delivery Body: Charleston Trust
Theme: Regeneration
Coast to Capital LGF Allocation: £650k
Match Funding Contribution: £3.2m
Project Summary: Local Growth Funding supported the expansion and refurbishment of Charleston Trust’s facility in Firle, enabling increased visitor capacity and the creation of a new international gallery and event space. Opened in October 2018, the enhanced facilities boost tourism, support cultural programming, and help sustain the historic home and gardens as a tribute to the Bloomsbury group’s legacy.

Delivery Body: University of Chichester
Theme: Skills
Coast to Capital GBF Allocation: £1.2m
Match Funding Contribution: £500k
Project Summary: Coast to Capital’s funding supported the development of a new School of Nursing and Allied Health at the University of Chichester, repurposing an existing building to meet urgent regional and national healthcare skills needs. The upgraded facility includes mock wards, simulation suites, and teaching spaces delivering nursing, physiotherapy, and allied health programmes.

Delivery Body: Chichester College
Theme: Skills
Coast to Capital LGF Allocation: £4.9m
Match Funding Contribution: £5.2m
Project Summary: Coast to Capital invested Local Growth Funding in a new digital skills and STEM building at Crawley College to modernise the estate and address local skills shortages. The state-of-the-art facility will deliver industry-informed training, strengthen partnerships with local businesses, and create new opportunities for residents to access high-quality jobs and further education in STEM fields.

Delivery Body: West Sussex County Council
Theme: Infrastructure
Coast to Capital LGF Allocation: £14.6m
Match Funding Contribution: £16.7m
Project Summary: Local Growth Funding supported the Crawley Growth Programme, a multi-phase infrastructure and regeneration initiative improving transport, public spaces, and connectivity across the town. The programme enhances sustainable travel, boosts the local economy, and supports housing and business growth, benefiting key areas like the town centre, Manor Royal Business District, and Three Bridges station.

Coast to Capital Growing Places Contribution: £2m
Project Summary: Coast to Capital invested £2 million to support the development of Dearman’s zero-emission transport refrigeration technology, offering a clean, sustainable alternative to traditional diesel-powered systems. Based in Croydon, the innovative company is expanding rapidly and expects to create 30–40 new jobs across engineering, supply chain, and customer services.

Delivery Body: Brighton & Hove City Council
Theme: Digital
Coast to Capital LGF Allocation: £1.76m
Match Funding Contribution: £70k
Project Summary: Coast to Capital invested in three linked projects to strengthen Brighton’s digital infrastructure, supporting growth in the fast-evolving sector. The initiatives include the Digital Catapult innovation centre, the Immersive Tech project for VR/AR/MR development, and the 5G Testbed project, which provides businesses with access to cutting-edge 5G technology for testing and application development.

Delivery Body: London Borough of Croydon
Theme: Infrastructure
Coast to Capital LGF Allocation: £14.23m
Match Funding Contribution: £103.34m
Project Summary: Local Growth Funding helped refurbish Fairfield Halls, Croydon’s largest arts centre, ensuring it meets modern building standards while preserving its cultural significance. The upgraded venue now hosts world-class performances, boosts the local economy with new jobs and housing, and enhances the area with improved public spaces for events, social gatherings, and increased footfall to support local businesses.

Delivery Body: National Catapult
Theme: Digital
Coast to Capital LGF Allocation: £1.2m
Match Funding Contribution: £121k
Project Summary: Local Growth Funding supported the development of a 5G Testbed in Brighton, linking research by Surrey University with the Brighton Centre to engage CDIT-related local businesses in early access to the technology. The funding also contributes towards further 5G research at Surrey University and developing the Digital Catapult Centre in Brighton.

Delivery Body: Surrey and Sussex Local Nature Partnerships
Theme: Urban Regeneration
Coast to Capital LGF Allocation: £426k
Match Funding Contribution: £416k
Project Summary: Coast to Capital supported Surrey Wildlife Trust’s Local Nature Partnerships pilot to promote the integration of natural capital in economic and development decisions in the Holmesdale area. The project enhances local biodiversity through new planting, creates a natural capital asset register, and establishes a business to help developers achieve a 10% net gain in natural assets on future projects.

Delivery Body: Brighton and Hove City Council
Theme: Infrastructure
Coast to Capital LGF Allocation: £7.7.m
Match Funding Contribution: £9.9.m
Project Summary: In 2015, Local Growth Funding supported the U&I development of the former Preston Barracks site in Brighton. The project included the creation of Plus X, with the ambition to help cement Brighton’s position as one of the best places in the world to be an entrepreneur and an inventor. The workspace hub will offer facilities for creative and manufacturing businesses, with access to labs, mentoring, and university links.

Delivery Body: Crawley Borough Council
Theme: Urban Regeneration
Coast to Capital LGF Allocation: £1.5m
Match Funding Contribution: £1.69m
Project Summary: Local Growth Funding supported the regeneration of Queen Square in Crawley town centre. The project transformed the dated focal point into a high-quality, attractive and flexible space featuring new paving, lighting, seating, planting, and a water feature. Completed in 2017/18, the improvements have attracted new businesses, boosted economic activity, and created a vibrant space for community events and further regeneration.

Delivery Body: Ricardo
Theme: Digital
Coast to Capital LGF Allocation: £1.5m
Match Funding Contribution: £3.4m
Project Summary: Coast to Capital awarded funding to Ricardo to develop a state-of-the-art facility near Shoreham Airport for testing hybrid and electric vehicle powertrains. The investment supports a unique four-wheel drive hybrid rig to advance low-carbon transport technology. It helps address a national shortfall in EV drive train testing capacity, enabling the UK to retain international R&D contracts and boosting Ricardo’s global competitiveness.

Delivery Body: Adur & Worthing Central
Theme: Flood Defences
Coast to Capital LGF Allocation: £3.5m
Match Funding Contribution: £1.1m
Project Summary: Coast to Capital invested Local Growth Funding into vital flood defences along a 1.9km stretch of the River Adur in Shoreham-by-Sea to unlock the Western Harbour Arm for regeneration. The area is set for significant development, including new homes, business space and retail, helping to boost the local economy and create new jobs.

Delivery Body: University of Chichester
Theme: Skills
Coast to Capital LGF Allocation: £8m
Match Funding Contribution: £25.6m
Project Summary: Coast to Capital awarded funding to enable the development of the Engineering Digital and Technology Park at the University of Chichester’s Bognor Regis campus. The project supports local SMEs and students with cutting-edge, industry-standard equipment and training. Since opening in 2018, it has launched 30 programmes, increased female engineering students by 29%, and created over 100 workplace opportunities.

Delivery Body: Reigate & Banstead Borough Council
Theme: Regeneration
Coast to Capital LGF Allocation: £984k
Match Funding Contribution: £19.15m
Project Summary: The Marketfield Way (MFW) project will transform a prominent, underused site in Redhill town centre. It will provide 150 new flats, a multi-screen cinema, commercial space, and public realm improvements. LEP funding has supported enabling works, including the relocation of services, demolition, drainage, and site preparation, with construction starting in 2020.