Burnham-On-Sea Town Council is celebrating today (Friday), having securing thousands of pounds of funding after being selected by the Department for Communities and Local Government to set up a ‘Coastal Communities Team’.
The funding will be focused on creating a plan that identifies opportunities for economic regeneration and compiling a long-term vision for Burnham town centre.
Burnham is one of 116 communities across the UK to have been selected, and one of more than 40 in the south west.
Each Coastal Community Team will be given £10,000 of grant funding to help them establish themselves and develop their Economic Plan for the area, which DCLG has asked to be published by the end of January 2016.
Town Centre Manager, Bev Milner Simonds who submitted the local bid, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “The task over the next five months is to develop a plan that identifies the improvements that will make a difference to the economic viability of the town centre.”
“A lot of money has been spent in recent years on plans and surveys, I hope that this process sees a thorough review of that hard work; gathers up-to-date views and produces a final plan that acts as a springboard for future investment.”
“The delivery of this plan will undoubtably mean bids to central government funds like the Coastal Community Fund, the Coastal Revival Fund and possibly the Power to Change programme.”
Cllr Anne Fraser, Economic Strategy Portfolio Holder for Sedgemoor, said: “Sedgemoor District Council is delighted that Burnham-On-Sea has been successful in receiving Coastal Community Teams funding to support seaside regeneration.”
“Our Economic Development team has worked alongside Burnham and Highbridge Town Council to place the bid and we are pleased this hard work has been recognised.”
“We look forward to working with the town council and project team to maximise the Coastal Community Teams funding for local residents and visitors.”
Along with each area being awarded £10,000 to kick-start work, the 116 Coastal Community Teams across the UK will also be able to bid for up to a £50,000 share of a new £3 million Coastal Revival Fund to support or restore local heritage and facilities which benefit the wider community and the surrounding economy, which is now open to applications.
The government wants the teams – bringing together local business, councils and people – to help co-ordinate regeneration projects in their area and get the chance to shape the next wave of the successful Coastal Communities Fund, announced in the Budget last week.
Other towns in the South West to have secured the funding include Penzance, Barnstaple, Beer, Bideford, Bridport, Brixham, Bude, Clevedon, Dorchester, Portland Dorset, Exe Estuary, Exmouth, Falmouth, Fremington, Hayle, Looe, Lydney, Lyme Regis, Lynton & Lynmouth, Minehead, Newquay, Newton Abbot, Ilfracombe, Paignton, Plymouth, Porthcurno, Porthtowan, Portreath, Saltash Waterside, SevernNet Bristol, St Austell, St Endellion Cornwall, St Ives, Teignmouth and Dawlish, Torpoint & Rame, Torquay, Wadebridge, Watchet, Weston-super-Mare and Weymouth.
