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Council sets out plans to boost coastal growth

North Tyneside Council has submitted a bid for £4.2m of government funding to grow the borough’s coastline as a destination for visitors and residents and boost the local economy.

The overall Stage 2 bid to the government’s Coastal Communities Fund is an innovative scheme, which includes a range of measures to boost the local economy, enhance the visitor and tourism offer, and create a sustainable future where the community is more resilient to change.

This includes creating a more diversified economy by supporting business and entrepreneurial development, job creation, skills and training opportunities.

Specific projects within the bid, which will be decided in December, includes.

• An employability programme to provide training and apprenticeships in the tourism, sport and cultural services sector.
• Major public realm improvements at Spanish City/Promenade
• Investment in water sports facilities at Priors Haven in partnership with Tynemouth Rowing Club and Tynemouth Sailing Club
• The refurbishment of Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade Watch House and Museum to provide improved visitor facilities and activities
• The creation of a cycle hire scheme to support sustainable transport and encourage visitors to explore more of our stunning coast
• The creation of a new heritage centre at North Shields Fish Quay, led by a local community group, to provide an exciting new visitor attraction as well as a community café, exhibition space and activity programme.

North Tyneside’s Elected Mayor, Mrs Linda Arkley said: “We are committed to regenerating the coastline of North Tyneside so it grows as an attractive hub for visitors and residents and hope that our Stage 2 bid to the Coastal Communities Fund can provide the funding to support the delivery of these projects.

“Our aim is to maximise our borough’s natural assets, both its landscape and its people, and to promote sustainable economic growth. Our exciting initiative would benefit young and old alike, residents and visitors, local businesses, volunteers and the unemployed. It would create 50 direct jobs and 163 indirect jobs, support 59 businesses, create six new visitor/leisure facilities and increase tourism/visitor numbers by 49,400.”

The council will be notified by end of December 2012 as to whether our bid has been successful.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Jeanette Hedley .