NEW COASTAL COMMUNITIES FUND

29 07 11 for immediate release:

Today local MP Greg Barker welcomed the announcement of a new Coastal Communities Fund and encouraged projects in his Bexhill and Battle constituency to bid.

The Government has announced that it is launching a new fund to support the economic development of coastal communities. This will support a wide range of projects, including those that support charities, the environment, education and health – examples of projects could include support for developing renewable energy, improving skills or environmental safeguarding or improvement.

This will be paid for by allocating half of the revenue raised by the Crown Estate’s marine activities, and is estimated to be £23.7 million in its first year, opening in April 2012.

Commenting, Greg said:

‘I am delighted by the announcement of a new Coastal Communities Fund. This is great news for Bexhill and Battle and I encourage local projects to apply. This has the potential to have a real and lasting impact on our local economy.’

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

·      On 22 July 2011 the Government announced a new Coastal Communities Fund (HM Treasury Press Release, 22 July 2011, link).

·      The fund will be financed by the Government through the allocation of funding equivalent to 50 per cent of the revenues from the Crown Estate’s marine activities. For each country of the UK, the funds available will be directly linked to the revenues raised by the Crown Estate’s marine activities from that area, with separate funding for England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Highlands and Islands and the rest of Scotland (ibid).

·       The fund will be available on a bid basis and the Government is in discussion with the Big Fund, part of the Big Lottery Fund, about the detailed terms on which they could deliver the funds to communities (ibid).

·      The Fund will open for business in April 2012. Further details on how to apply to the Fund will be published shortly (ibid).