This in from the office of Isle of Wight Conservative MP, Bob Seely. Ed
MP Bob Seely is urging Island businesses to apply for funding from the £200 million Rural Development Programme to help create jobs and better infrastructure.
Grants are available to support new rural broadband projects, and provide significant amounts of funding to on-farm businesses to invest in new buildings and machinery.
The cash can also fund landowners to improve farm productivity and invest in rural tourism opportunities.
Seely: Funding could make a big difference
Bob said,
“For an Island like ours, with large tourism and agricultural sectors, this funding could make a big difference and I hope many businesses will look to apply so they can invest in new facilities and create more jobs.
“It’s good to see the Government has moved quickly to honour a manifesto pledge to bring sustainable growth to rural economies, entrepreneurs, farmers and landowners. By doing so, it’s showing a commitment to providing support on our Island and across England to create a strong and prosperous rural and tourist economy.”
The first grant funding for reservoirs and forestry equipment opens soon, while funding for broadband, rural business support, on-farm food processing, arable and horticultural productivity and resource efficiency will be made available later in the year.
For more info visit the Defra Website.
Image: © Les Lockhart
