STEVENAGE has received an extra special birthday present in the form of a £2.8m grant from the Government. As the New Town celebrates its 60th anniversary, the Department for Communities and Local Government announced it will donate money from its Growth

STEVENAGE has received an extra special birthday present in the form of a £2.8m grant from the Government.

As the New Town celebrates its 60th anniversary, the Department for Communities and Local Government announced it will donate money from its Growth Areas Fund (GAF).

The majority of the cash will go towards an extension to the Hertfordshire Business Technology Centre on Bessemer Drive.

The centre provides meeting rooms and conference facilities.

Stevenage's 22 neighbourhood centres are also due to benefit from the money, with £100,000 going to help fund specialist consultants to carry out research into a regeneration strategy for them.

John Gardner, Stevenage Borough Council's executive councillor for economic regeneration, said: "We would like to thank communities and local government for the latest round of growth area funding for Stevenage. This funding will greatly contribute towards the council's aims of increasing the opportunities for local economic growth."

The new grant means that Stevenage has received £7.6m in total from the GAF.

Lords minister for housing and planning, Baroness Andrews, said: "These are important projects for Stevenage, ensuring continued economic sustainable growth for the city.