FOUR new projects in West Devon have been given a cash boost as a result of a recent meeting of the Dartmoor Sustainable Development Fund (DSDF) panel.

The four projects from Okehampton College, Brimpts Farm, South West Devon Community Energy Partnership and Growing Our Future have together benefitted from £31,350 of support from the DSDF to deliver projects that will help reduce energy use, develop local tourism opportunities and promote local food.

The aim of the DSDF is to encourage and support individuals, community groups and businesses to develop practical, local projects that develop and test new ways of achieving a more sustainable way of living, which enhance and conserve local culture, wildlife, landscape and community.

Okehampton College has gained national and international recognition for the work it has done in slashing consumption and generating renewable energy. Its new DSDF supported project will work with Devon Association for Renewable Energy to install portable electricity, gas and water monitors in 10 schools and organisations across Dartmoor.

Josephine Bradford, 18, from Brimpts Farm has been supported to develop a business plan and carry out market research to investigate the potential for a series of camping pods across Dartmoor.

The pods will be created from locally sourced materials and will provide visitors to Dartmoor with a warmer, drier alternative to camping, thereby extending the tourist season. Josephine hopes that the camping pods may provide young farmers with an alternative income stream.

South West Devon Community Energy Partnership has been supported to develop and deliver a range of workshops in five communities across Dartmoor to better understand the potential for retrofit energy saving measures. These will include independent advice on issues such as secondary glazing, draught proofing, solid wall insulation and potential treatments for buildings that are listed or in a conservation area.

The project is applying for other funding that will allow it to work with the communities to help broker deals with local installers to drive down installation costs.

Growing Our Future works with local toddler groups, schools and community in Okehampton, Dartmoor and West Devon and use food, growing, art and design to inspire people to engage in more sustainable lifestyles. The DSDF funding will help support the kitting out of its Ecohub building, including rainwater harvesting equipment to water the garden, plus a range of resources from garden tools to wildlife identification kits.

Alison Kohler, director of conservation and communities for Dartmoor National Park Authority, said: 'We are delighted to offer grants to such an interesting range of projects showing the breadth of work that the DSDF can support. Once again the commitment and hard work shown by the applicants was clearly evident and we hope that many other individuals and organisations across Dartmoor will be inspired by their examples.

'With further DSDF funding available this financial year, we would encourage anyone who has an idea for a project that demonstrates environmental, social and local economic benefits for Dartmoor to get in touch to discuss their ideas and find out about making an application.'

Potential applicants should visit http://www.dartmoor.gov.uk/DSDF">www.dartmoor.gov.uk/DSDF for more details. The next panel meeting will be held on November 22 and any project ideas must be discussed with the sustainable development officer in advance and a completed application form received by November 1 at the latest.