It has just been announced by the Government that rural businesses and communities are set to benefit from a £24 million Growth Programme. Here Craig Brough, Associate Director at H&H Land and Property, explains what this means for Cumbria.
“We have been told that this fund will be offered in a Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). This is great news for Cumbria as the Cumbria LEP will make sure it directly targets the initiatives that will bring the biggest benefit to the Cumbria area.”
Individual grants are worth upwards of £35,000, and a further two rounds of the programme are expected in August and September. The funding would be ideal to help set up a new business or develop an existing business whether that is in the tourism sector or farming.
Craig comments: “The extra funding will be a lifeline for those businesses which are looking to diversify their incomes. These grants can often be the tipping point for the viability of a project, or the catalyst which makes the project happen.”
Although the Cumbria LEP hasn’t yet called for projects, H&H Land and Property would advise clients to seek professional assistance with their projects, so when the funding does come into play businesses do not miss the funding window.
The scheme comes as just one part of the wider Rural Development Programme, which is set to develop and benefit many different aspects of rural life.
