The government will give £5 million to ensure Barrow sees the ‘lasting benefits’ from investments into the town.

In the Autumn Statement Chancellor Jeremy Hunt pledged the cash to set up the Barrow Delivery Board which the government say will ‘ensure local people see lasting benefits from investment in the Defence Nuclear Enterprise.’

Earlier this year it was announced that the AUKUS submarines would be built by BAE Systems as part of a £3.95 billion contract.

MP for Barrow and Furness Simon Fell welcomed the government’s funding in the area.

He said: “I am delighted to see confirmation of the £5 million fund to create and run the Barrow Delivery Board, enabling the Furness area to see lasting benefits from the Government’s support for the submarine programme.”

In August leading civil servants met with senior figures from BAE Systems, Westmorland and Furness Council, Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership and MP Simon Fell to discuss the vision for the town and potential areas for government support.

Leader of the council Jonathan Brook previously said: “We welcome this chance to show government how investment will be used to drive positive change.

“We are absolutely committed to ensuring the growth and investment brings longer term change in the aspirations of our communities, to address structural and long-term poverty and health inequalities and provide social and economic benefits across multiple generations.

“There is a collective will to maximise the upcoming opportunities and we look forward to continuing to work with government and our partners to realise the full potential for our communities.”

BAE Systems submarines managing director Steve Timms, also previously spoke of the opportunity presented by the AUKUS submarine deal.

He said: “The recent AUKUS announcement, along with the Government’s ongoing commitment to the UK submarine programme, presents the town with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform and regenerate the area.

“Recruiting new people and providing high-quality, skilled jobs in an attractive place to live and work is a vital component of this, as is the need to retain our current employees.”