A number of leisure schemes across North West England have been dealt a blow after the regional development agency's budget was reduced by £52m by the government.
The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) confirmed that all un-committed projects will not receive funding in the current financial year, while there will be no new commitments made during 2011-12.
Plans for the creation of a new National Football Museum at the Urbis Centre in Manchester; the Roman Maryport project in Cumbria; and Talbot Gateway in Blackpool are among the schemes that will not receive NWDA support.
Liverpool's Everyman and Playhouse theatres; the Sands Centre in Carlisle; and the Sportscity major destination site in Manchester will also miss out on funding from the agency ahead of its dissolution in April 2012.
NWDA chief executive Steven Broomhead said: "We have made a start by cutting non-contracted projects and reducing our own administration budget but we now need to re-examine all existing projects and programmes to identify where further savings can be made.
"We will use all available flexibility to try to meet these challenging reductions but the reality is that this is a substantial reduction to our in-year budget and there is bound to be an economic impact on the partners, businesses and communities with whom we work."
The University of Cumbria has confirmed that it will continue to work with the local authority - Carlisle City Council - on the Sands Centre scheme, which had been earmarked £5m towards the £15m cost.
Professor Graham Upton, vice chancellor at the university, said: "The University is still very committed to ensuring the success of this exciting proposed development."
Plans for the £28m redevelopment of the Everyman Theatre also remain on track, according to executive director Deborah Aydon, who said that work is to continue despite £2.4m of NWDA funding being withdrawn.
Aydon said: "We had been notified of this prior to the press announcement, and we are working in a very positive spirit with our other partners and stakeholders to make sure that this does not affect the momentum or the quality of the Everyman redevelopment."
The £220m Talbot Gateway development will no longer receive a £23m contribution from NWDA; a decision that Helen France - Blackpool Council's executive director for places - was not a reflection of the scheme's viability.
France said: "The Council was due to present a case for funding to the central project review group in October and this will not now take place. However, we are looking at alternative methods of supporting the scheme and will be looking to bid to the recently set up £1bn Regional Growth Fund."
Image: Blackpool's Talbot Gateway will no longer receive NWDA funding
