Margaret Ritchie, Westminster SDLP candidate for South Down, has approached the Treasury to try and lever funds for coastal communities.
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Margaret Ritchie has lobbied for an extension to the Coastal Communities Fund.[/caption]She said: “As part of the ongoing need to regenerate our coastal communities and particularly those in South Down, I have urged the Treasury to make further monies available for a new Coastal Communities Fund.
“The constituency of South Down through the Department of the Environment has already benefited from the Coastal Communities Fund during the last few years. Seven successful projects were announced on the 7 January 2015 for Northern Ireland… they will receive a total of £148 million which is predicted to deliver 78 direct and indirect jobs around the coast of Northern Ireland.
“Round three was the largest round of the Coastal Communities Fund so far and expanded on the 0.9 delivered to four projects across rounds one and two.
“Since no decision has yet been made on whether or not to extend this Fund, I have urged the Government to do so as this fund complements other funding initiatives and pump primes rural coastal locations.
“Such funding would also be important in making a contribution to the further regeneration and implementation of the masterplans for Newcastle, Kilkeel and Warrenpoint.
“If I am re-elected to represent South Down in Parliament, I will continue to push for the identification of resources for such a fund which can be complemented by resources from the local Newry and Mourne and Down Council and NI Executive to continue the regeneration of our coastal communities”, added Ms Ritchie.
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