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European funding
worth more than £10 million will help support tourism and boost businesses
in the East of Scotland
 European
funding worth more than £10 million will help support tourism and boost
businesses in the East of Scotland, it was announced today.
Unveiling the details, Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning
Allan Wilson said:
"Through visiting communities and projects that have benefited from European
funding I have learnt what a huge difference this type of investment can
make.
"The Scottish economy is growing - our top priority must be to ensure this
continues. European funding can help us achieve this goal by supporting
businesses and investing in the tourist industry.
"European funding awards such as those I am announcing today provide jobs
and help local economies to prosper.
I am sure communities across the East of Scotland will secure great benefits
from the projects this European money will support.
"I am also encouraged to see the money supporting schemes such as the North
Aberdeenshire Harbours Programme.
This will help communities on the north east coast generate income from
their attractive harbours through tourism and activities like sailing and
diving.
"Another award will see Stirling Council receive £1.5 million for various
projects to help the regeneration in the Raploch area. These will equip
residents with new skills and expertise and help improve the environment of
the area.
"These are fine examples of how projects backed by European funding can
spark regeneration and provide communities with brighter prospects and a
more sustainable future."
Examples of the projects gaining awards in this round of funding include:
Aberdeenshire Council will receive £48,461 for the North Aberdeenshire
Harbours Programme. The project aims to improve facilities at all harbours
along the North Aberdeenshire coast, both council-owned and trust harbours.
This will provide an integrated and enhanced tourism product, which will
encourage greater use of harbours by visiting boat owners, divers, anglers
and eco tourists, and further promote the whole coastline as an area for
maritime activity recreation. This project would provide the basic
facilities expected by the leisure sector such as pontoons for improved and
increased mooring capacity; showers, toilets and desalination facilities for
divers; improved car parking, boat storage and interpretation. Providing
such amenities between Sandend and Sandhaven would plug a 50km facility gap
along this coastline, which is currently preventing the establishment of
sailing along the north east coast from Europe and into the Moray Firth.
Mayfield & Easthouses Youth 2000 Project in Midlothian will receive £19,298
for the Volunteer Development Project. This will focus on community-based
youth work and informal education provision for young people aged 12 to 18
years. The project provides lunch time and evening drop-ins seven days a
week; detached street work on 3 nights per week; small group work and
residential experiences, implemented to meet the direct needs established by
the young people. The employment of a volunteer development worker will
enable the project to develop its capacity and sustainability in the long
term, strengthening the skills and abilities of its volunteers.
The East of Scotland Objective 2 Programme covers areas within a region
stretching from the Lothians to the Aberdeenshire and Moray coast. The
Programme area has a total resident population of just over 1.2 million with
the main centres of population including Arbroath, Dundee, Dunfermline,
Elgin, Falkirk, Kirkcaldy, Livingston, Peterhead, Rosyth and Stirling.
Projects totalling £145.3m have been approved to date.
The programme aims to promote sustainable economic development which is
founded on the key principles of enterprise, learning and social justice.
The Programme will support the development of:
Innovative, competitive small and medium sized enterprises
Strategic business locations and sectors
New opportunities for local communities.
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