Three ‘exciting’ projects in bid for £2m funding

The Dorset Coast Forum is putting a bid together for money from the Coastal Communities Fund (CCF) that could add up to around £2million.

Two of the projects within this bid are the Bridport and West Bay Cycle Access link and the Season of Heritage and Town Heritage Trail.

A separate bid will also be put forward by the Coastal Communities Team with the Bridport Area Development Trust to bid for around £120,000 to £150,000 to fund a Discovery Centre at West Bay Methodist Church.

It is estimated that the bid for the cycleway will be cost £280,000 in total and the trail £12,500.

The cycle access link will be a new off-road path between the existing cycleway along Sea Road South and Askers Meadow and the old railway line between Station Road, West Bay and Burton Road.

Bridport Town Council’s finance and general purposes committee discussed applications last week.

The funding would allow there to be better surfaces put in as well as art installations and will become part of a wider walking and cycling network that will eventually connect to Maiden Newton as part of the West Dorset Trailway, boosting green tourism.

Chairman of the committee, Cllr Maggie Ray, said: “I like this idea that our cycle route may link in to the one to Maiden Newton. I think that would be really exciting.”

The heritage trail is part of the Bridport Museum redevelopment and will include main sites of historic interest, including the town hall.

At the West Bay Methodist Church, there will be a discovery centre that it is hoped will provide economic and educational benefits to West Bay.

Speaking about this development, Cllr Sarah Williams, said: “I think this could be an absolutely great tourist asset to West Bay.

“I think we should go for it.”

Cllr Ray added that she thinks it is a very exciting set of plans.

Councillors agreed to note and endorse the bids for the cycle route and heritage trail and also earmarked £5000 to support the West Bay Methodist Church application.