Plymouth’s shore success in double funding award

Mary
Authored by Mary
Posted: Friday, December 11, 2015 - 08:01

Plans to breathe new life into parts of the city’s stunning waterfront have been given a boost from the Coastal Communities Revival Fund.

A project to tidy up unused Edwardian bathing facilities to the east of Tinside and transform shore side buildings into a unique location for pop up shops in the summer can now get off the ground, thanks to a £50,000 grant.

Initial work will involve making the area wheelchair accessible, installing missing safety railing, cleaning and painting railings and putting in wrought iron gates over two alcoves to make them safe for businesses to use in the summer months.

While over on Mount Batten, work can begin on securing and making safe the historic Mount Batten Tower, thanks to another grant of £50,000.

The fund will also help initiate a study into how to make more of the monument and to encourage the public to interact with it.

Council Leader Tudor Evans said: “Quite simply, we have one of the best waterfronts in the country, with spectacular views and amazing features that other cities would bite our hands off for.

“We have steadily been investing and making improvements where we can. Mount Batten tower is now lit at night, Smeaton’s Tower and Mayflower Steps are now lit up and are helping us to truly celebrate the best assets of Britain’s Ocean City.

“Lots of ideas have been bubbling up about how to make more of the waterfront, but all them require funding, so it’s great to get some money to get the ball rolling on some exciting projects.”

A letter from the Department for Local Government and Communities said there were 222 bids for the fund with the funding three times oversubscribed, it added: “your project demonstrated it was one of the very best.”

Plymouth Waterfront Partnership Chairman, Chris Arscott said: “We’re delighted to have secured this funding for two exciting development areas within Plymouth’s Waterfront. These projects will help to generate further vibrancy, increase footfall and enhance the experience for visitors to Britain’s Ocean City.”

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