A £300,000 FUNDING bid over three years to repair and restore historic buildings in Okehampton, Hatherleigh and North Tawton has been made to English Heritage by West Devon Borough Council.
The chances of the bid being given the go-ahead under the Heritage and Economic Regeneration Scheme were very good, the council's head of planning Stephen Gill told councillors last week.
'Some additional money will help not only to restore buildings in these three conservation areas but will also help to tie in with what is going on with the Market and Coastal Town Initiative,' he said.
'With foot and mouth devastating this part of the borough the indications are English Heritage will be very sympathetic.'
Grants are usually offered towards structural repairs to buildings in accordance with EH specifications. The restoration of historic features including shop fronts, windows and doors and in some instances, enhancement of public space.
Schemes need to have an element of economic regeneration and are normally focussed on commercial or industrial areas. The ones identified by the borough council include the Old Mill buildings in Okehampton, enhancement work to town squares, restoring unsympathetic modern shop fronts to their original designs and the River Ockment frontages in Okehampton.
A bid will be submitted for a £100,000 contribution per year from 2003-6 with the borough council contributing £30,000 per year.