Derbyshire Dales District Council has pledged cash to kick start projects for a by-pass for Ashbourne and plans for the redevelopment of Matlock.
The money - from general reserves - is being set aside towards feasibility studies to move forward the long-awaited Ashbourne by-pass and plans for Matlock town centre.
The District Council's Leader Councillor Lewis Rose OBE made the surprise announcement - supported unanimously by fellow councillors - at a meeting last week.
Councillor Rose said £10,000 would be offered to Derbyshire County Council on the understanding that they use it to carry out a feasibility study or other commissioning work for the by-pass.
He told last Thursday's meeting:
"This council has long supported the concept of a by-pass for Ashbourne and I want to demonstrate this support with a tangible offer to the County Council to help them progress the matter.
"This is not a new thing. Between 25 and 30 years ago we put some money on one side to help commission a feasibility study, but unfortunately nothing happened.
“So now I want to demonstrate to the people of Ashbourne and the County Council that we support the by-pass and want to see it proceed. It is good to help the County Council to take the next step."
A sum of £10,000 has also been offered by the District Council to the Matlock Community Vision group, to facilitate a feasibility study into the potential redevelopment of Matlock town centre and in particular Bakewell Road.
Councillor Rose said:
"It is quite apparent that unless the District Council produces this money the group won't make any progress and it is a credit to the hard work they have put in - all on a voluntary basis – that we are able to accede to the request."
Back in 2013 the District Council agreed that local residents should shape a community-led future development of a key part of Matlock town centre.
The District Council itself had originally led on the Bakewell Road Project, but handed it over to Matlock Community Vision after a consultation, facilitated by independent planning consultants, expressed a clear desire by the local community to be more involved in the future of the Bakewell Road site.
