What is URBAN II

The URBAN II Programme for Hetton & Murton ended December 2008.  This page remains open for reference purposes only.

Contact for front page: Strategic Programmes and Europe Team, Sunderland City Council, Tel: 0191  561 1916, Email: european.team@sunderland.gov.uk

URBAN II is the Community Initiative of the European Regional Development Fund. Through it the European Union will invest Euro 728 million (approx £455 million) in some of the most deprived communities of the member countries. That investment will generate a total investment of Euro 1.6 billion (approx £1 billion) as it is matched by other public and private sources of funding.

As a follow up to URBAN I which operated from 1994 to 1999, URBAN II will allocate European Regional Development Fund support during the period 2000 – 2006 to projects that will spend the funding before the end of 2008.

UBRAN II is promoting the design and implementation of innovative models of development for the economic and social regeneration of troubled urban areas. In broad terms the Initiative will provide support for projects that will:

• improve the urban environment
• create employment
• enable disadvantaged people take up opportunities for education and training
• develop environmentally friendly public transport systems
• create effective energy management systems and make greater use of renewable energy
• increase access to information technologies