Projects to protect the environment, boost low-carbon travel and invest in green jobs in Cornwall are benefitting from the Shared Prosperity Fund. Cornwall Council has allocated £450,000 to three net zero initiatives from the first round of the £132m government levelling up programme:
The Wheels 2 Work project is receiving £250,000 to expand on a successful pilot giving residents the chance to try an electric bike and help them access work and active travel while reducing their impact on the planet.
Bude Canal has been awarded £150,000 towards dredging of the historic Bude Canal to safeguard its historic, economic and environmental importance to the town. The removal of silt deposits from the canal will also improve flood protection for the Bude community.
Cornwall Wildlife Trust, the delivery partner on the National Highways Green Ribs project, is being awarded £50,000 to deliver biodiversity enhancements and connections between parcels of land in mid-Cornwall near the A30 to develop thriving natural habitats.
The Good Growth investment plan, approved by Cornwall Council in 2022, sets out how the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will be invested in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly including opportunities for climate, nature and resilience projects. A total of £2.9m is earmarked for infrastructure and nature-based projects to protect businesses and communities from the effects of climate change, such as flooding and coastal erosion. There is a further £5.5m set aside for energy efficiency projects and developing green and blue spaces, such as community gardens, waterways and coastal areas.
Councillor Martyn Alvey, Cornwall’s cabinet member for environment and climate change, said: “Projects which will help protect our environment, create jobs in Cornwall’s green sector and enable residents to reduce their impact on the planet through low-carbon travel are already benefitting from the Shared Prosperity Fund. “Look out for more opportunities to fund plans to improve your community areas and develop sustainable businesses being announced later this year.”
Cllr Louis Gardner, Cornwall’s cabinet member for economy, said: “It’s great to see projects underway that are already having a positive impact on our environment and providing opportunities for residents. Through our Good Growth principles, we’re ensuring that all projects deliver a lasting legacy for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.”
More opportunities for communities and businesses will be available throughout the year in the form of support and small grants to help businesses move towards sustainable business models, and grants for community organisations to make improvements to their local areas. All projects funded under the scheme must demonstrate their commitments to a set of Good Growth principles such as reducing CO2 emissions, nature recovery, and embedding circular and waste reduction methods.
The Shared Prosperity Fund in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly is being delivered by Cornwall Council’s Good Growth programme. The Good Growth programme is committed to delivering green and inclusive growth, by investing in organisations characterised by their social and environmental responsibility, facilitating growth in the green economy, and making a positive contribution to nature recovery and resilience.
Visit the Good Growth Fund website for more information on funding opportunities and examples of projects that have already received grants.