£3.7m funding for Yorkshire coastal communities
YORKSHIRE’S east coast is to benefit from more than £3.7m of Government investment.
Together, the three winning projects in the Yorkshire and Humber region will receive more than £3.7m with winning bids from Scarborough Borough Council, East Riding Council and North York Moors National Park.
The total pot of £36m – from the Coastal Communities Fund – will support projects that will create nearly 3,000 jobs and almost 1,500 apprenticeships and training places.
Scarborough will get £2.7m to refurbish the historic market hall and create space for 30 new businesses and a new ‘virtual’ market to promote local producers and suppliers. It is anticipate more than 80 jobs and apprenticeships will be created.
East Riding will get £467,000 plus to provide business advice and support to five villages on the coast to boost tourism and to enhance flood defences, creating or supporting 24 jobs.
North York Moors National Park Authority receives £455,000 to boost the tourism economy of the coastal areas by showcasing nature, fishing and culinary heritage as well as arts and traditional crafts. Local businesses will be provided with support through skills development, workshops and mentoring, creating or supporting nearly 100 jobs.
Scarborough coun Derek Bastiman, portfolio holder for regeneration and planning, said:”Scarborough Borough Council is delighted with this decision. The market already plays a key role in Scarborough’s “old town” providing jobs and services.
“Through significant investment we aim to create a 21st Century Market Place promoting the artisan movement and the best of local produce, creating new businesses and employment opportunities and developing a market apprenticeship scheme for local people. We will also be promoting healthy living and enterprise in partnership with the local school. In total we hope to create 30 new businesses and 60 new jobs.”
Alan Menzies, East Riding Council’s director of planning and economic regeneration, said: “We are pleased that the Council’s latest application to the Coastal Communities Fund has been approved. This will help the authority to proceed with its Coastal Opportunities Gateway Project, designed to support businesses in rural, coastal locations to seize upon local opportunities for growth and expansion and to become more resilient to environmental pressures, including erosion and climate change.”
Andy Wilson, chief executive of North Yorks Moors National Park Authority added: “This is fantastic news for our coastal villages, such as Staithes and Robin Hood’s Bay and, of course, wonderful Whitby. Working with businesses along the coast the National Park will boost the local tourism industry through great local projects that showcase the coast’s special natural and cultural heritage.”
More than £90m has been allocated by the Coastal Communities Fund to projects around England’s coast, in total these will create more than 11,000 jobs, provide over 5,000 training places and apprenticeships for young people and attract more than £128m in other investment.
The Coastal Communities Fund was created in 2012 to invest in seaside towns to help them achieve their economic potential, reduce unemployment and create new opportunities for young people in their local area.
This announcement brings the total of the Coastal Communities Fund spending to £116m. Across the UK it is funding 211 projects, which will create almost 12,400 jobs and provide over 6,000 training places and apprenticeships.
