MORE than £1-million worth of community projects was supported in the Tamar Valley thanks to the Sustainable Development Fund. The fund, accessed through the Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty team, was created for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty to encourage individuals, community groups and businesses to work together to develop practical and sustainable solutions to the management of their activities. Tamar Valley AONB accessed £100,000 of this last year, and has been granted a similar amount for 2006/2007. Thirty-eight projects applied for funding from the Tamar Valley AONB ? successful applicants demonstrated sustainable development, involved and supported local communities and helped to deliver the AONB management plan and other strategies. Projects that were innovative and those that could not be funded easily through normal channels were encouraged. Twenty-one projects were granted funding, with a total commitment of just under £90,000. The total project spend in the area has been calculated at £1,109,900. The range of projects supported include the enhancement of village halls, wildlife conservation projects ? habitat creation, interpretation, site improvements ? and small-scale renewable energy schemes. These projects should all be completed by the end of the financial year. Tamar Valley AONB are running the fund again in the 2006/07 financial year, but due to a reduced Government contribution the amount for allocation will be £72,000. The closing date for applications is Friday June 2 2006. Successful projects should be completed by January 31 2007. Visit http://www.tamarvalley.org.uk">www.tamarvalley.org.uk for application forms and further examples of projects that benefited from last year?s funds.
