£11.6 million boost for National Marine Park

CITY COUNCIL SAYS IT WILL CREATE 'HUNDREDS OF JOBS'

- HERALD REPORTER

A NATIONAL Lottery funding boost of £11.6 million has been awarded to Plymouth to help deliver the UK's first National Marine Park.

The Heritage Fund grant has been hailed a major step towards making the pioneering park a reality.

A spokesperson for Plymouth City Council said the scheme would "revolutionise the way Plymouth interacts with its heritage, promoting a more harmonious relationship with the ocean and creating hundreds of jobs".

The spokesperson added: "Unlike other National Parks, Plymouth's amazing landscape is mostly under the sea, hidden from view, yet brimming with wildlife of international importance, outstanding maritime heritage, and over 600 shipwrecks." The National Marine Park scheme, with an overall cost of £22 million, will encourage people to become 'Marine Citizens, developing closer connections with the ocean, learning to care about the coastal environment and changing the way people behave in order to protect it.

Cllr Tudor Evans, leader of Plymouth City Council, said: "Yet again, Plymouth's trailblazing approach is leading the UK. As Britain's Ocean City, we have a unique opportunity to pioneer a new approach to protecting and restoring the amazing heritage of Plymouth Sound, transforming the lives of local residents.

"In developing the UK's first National Marine Park, we will create a blueprint for an innovative new model of National Marine Parks across our island nation and this feels both vital and exciting.