The European Structural and Investment Funds Community Led Local Development programmes in the North East Local Enterprise Partnership area that are progressing to full application have been announced.
The following five bids, have been successful in progressing from stage 1 to applying for stage 2 of the Community Led Local Development application process:
Gateshead - The area covers most of central Gateshead, stretching along the southern banks of the River Tyne from Dunston to Pelaw, encompassing the town centre and south to Chowdene. The total population is around 105,000. The area was chosen due to high levels of disadvantage and the proximity to key employment centres including Team Valley Trading Estate, central Newcastle and Follingsby (with links to the new EZ proposal). It offers a coherent economic geography linking areas of advantage and disadvantage.
Newcastle/ North Tyneside- The North of Tyne CLLD area includes the 20% most deprived wards in Newcastle (from Benwell, Scotswood to Walker along the river and parts of Fenham, Blakelaw, Kenton and Woolsington wards) and Wallsend in North Tyneside.) View an update on the Newcastle Council website here.
Sunderland - Focused on the most deprived areas of Sunderland’s urban core (including Washington), extending from Hendon and the city centre in the east to Washington in the west, along the Sunderland Strategic Transport Corridor. The project will target the most serious disadvantage, particularly those that rank in the top 10% IMD, including specific clusters in Southwick, Hendon, Redhill, Pallion and Sandhill. More information here.
North Durham - Area encompassing Dipton, Annfield Plain, Stanley, Chester-le-Street and Sacriston.
South Durham - Area encompassing Spennymoor, Bishop Auckland and Shildon.
At stage one these areas had to form a Local Action Group, identify a lead organisation and develop a CLLD strategy. The Local Action Group now need to submit a full application for the funding to deliver their CLLD strategies.
What happens next?
- Develop and submit the final application for ERDF and ESF by 31 January 2017
- Recruit additional members to the LAG early in 2017
- If the ERDF and ESF final applications are successful, launch the CLLD programmes in April 2017.