A funding bid has been submitted that could see 6000 new jobs created and an additional £400m brought every year into the local economy if successful.

Falkirk Council and its partners are putting forward the £240m request to both governments in Westminster and Holyrood as part of their Growth Deal arrangement that would see a Falkirk and Grangemouth Investment Zone created.

Three main themes are contained in the bid that will help deliver transformation and growth at a local, regional and national level in the coming 15 years.

The themes are:

• ‘Innovative Industry’ – which will see a bid for £79m that will centre around the area’s strengths in chemicals and automotive manufacture and help moving the area towards a low carbon economy.
• ‘Enhancing National Infrastructure’ (£72m) that would see large scale improvements to the area’s road, rail, sea and pipeline infrastructure.
• £80m will also be used as part of ‘Creating Greater Places’ that would see improvements in sustainable travel, tourism and energy supply.

Councillor Cecil Meiklejohn, Leader of Falkirk Council said: “It is an ambitious bid but we want to see more sustainable growth in future years for our area. If we are successful we will see a great future for the area and a place at the heart of Scotland’s future.”

It is expected that the result of the bid will be expected in either November or December 2019.