Richard Drax, MP for South Dorset, today warmly welcomed an announcement from the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government, awarding three separate grants to South Dorset projects.
“I am delighted at the success of these applications,” says Drax. “They serve to underline what a wealth of coastal assets we have in this constituency and how potentially valuable they are. Bringing them back to life will help to draw in more investment, trade and tourism, which can only help South Dorset thrive.”
“Together with the flood defence and regeneration grants won last year, South Dorset has attracted substantial and necessary amounts of Government capital recently. This brings it up to almost £8m. Long may it continue.”
In the new awards announced by the DCLG, a grant of £3.79 million was awarded by the Coastal Communities Fund to Weymouth and Portland Borough Council for the Weymouth Quay Regeneration Project. The project aims to turn the rundown Weymouth Quay into a centre of excellence, housing business and enterprise, attracting new marine business start-ups and providing accessible public space.
The sum of £40,000 was also awarded to Friends of Swanage Bandstand for restoration, and £46,150 given to the Portland Museum Trust, for the purpose of replacing windows and doors. Both grants came from the Coastal Revival Fund, which aims to bring coastal historic assets back into economic use.