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The first nineteen Scottish projects to get a share of a multi-million pound fund to regenerate coastal communities have been announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Rt Hon Danny Alexander today.

Charities, small businesses and apprentice schemes from around Scotland will receive grants between 拢50,000 and 拢375,000 from the Coastal Communities Fund. The UK-wide scheme was announced last year to support the economic development of coastal areas across the country. Projects in Scotland bid for a share of a pot worth nearly 拢4 million this year.

The Chief Secretary will also confirm that a further 拢4 million will be available to Scottish projects when applications for the next round of funding reopen in the New Year.

Visiting a winning project, the Marine Biological Station on the Isle of Cumbrae, the Chief Secretary said:

From Skye to Cumbrae, communities across Scotland are going to benefit from this 拢4 million investment. Growing up on Colonsay, I know both the opportunities and the challenges coastal communities face.

This funding can make a real difference to the winning areas and help them become more economically sustainable. The fund received a large number of applicants and will continue every year so that we can help more innovative projects in Scotland, and across the UK.

Succesful bids from this round were:

From the Highland and Islands

• Bute Forest Ltd - 拢71, 285 to launch a community timber products business, boosting local jobs and tourism
• Comhairle nan Eilean Siar 拢283, 341 for a new, modernised harbour聽
• Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust - 拢270, 925 to redevelop the old harbour聽
• Argyll and Bute - 拢369, 199聽 for new water sports facilities and apprenticeships schemes
• Skye Sailing Club -聽 拢358, 708 to renovate the boat house in Portree , create jobs, tourism, and provide training opportunities for local industries
• Thurso Harbour - 拢73, 360 to develop access to Thurso harbour
• The Long and Winding Way Company Limited - 拢 240, 000 to develop the Kintyre Way to become a world class tourist attraction聽
• Lochaber Fisheries Trust - 拢75, 882 to ensure the long-term viability of historic fisheries and educational facilities

From the rest of Scotland

• Seton Care training and employment programmes - 拢50, 000 to provide training聽 and work experience for young unemployed people
• Eyemouth Harbour Trust - 拢115, 487 to install infrastructure for water sports
• Eyemouth Museum Trust Limited - 拢 60, 000 to develop Eyemouth Museum聽
• Forth Estuary - 拢230, 000 to develop access to wetland habitats creating apprenticeships and job opportunities聽
• Irvine Bay- 拢90, 000 for regeneration of the Bay
• West Links fishing community, Arbroath- 拢220,000 to develop infrastructure for tourism, providing employment, volunteering and vocational opportunities
• Inverclyde Waterfront coastal trail - 拢370, 812 to create a coastal trail along the Inverclyde Waterfront
• Leven social enterprise scheme - 拢175, 000 to create a wide range of training opportunities in sustainable schemes聽
• Marine Biological Station - 拢 100, 000 to build a state of the art聽 of a teaching facility containing two lecture theatres and two laboratories.聽聽
• Scottish Maritime Museum Trust - 拢 221, 275 to establish a boat building workshop and apprenticeship programme at the Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine
• East Lothian Council - 拢270, 916 to develop paths and bridges along the John Muir Way, providing better access for cyclists and walkers

Notes for editors

1. 19 projects were selected on the basis that they would promote sustainable economic growth and jobs in their communities, and offer training or innovative business opportunities for the local area.

2. Money is allocated to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and is equal to 50 per cent of the revenues generated by the Crown Estate鈥檚 marine assets in that area. It is distributed in partnership with the Big Lottery Fund鈥檚 鈥楤IG Fund鈥� and the relevant Devolved Administration.聽 Based on the Crown Estate鈥檚 Marine revenues in 2010/11 (拢47.4million) the overall fund was worth 拢23.7million in 2012. Funds can be used to support both capital and revenue projects and communities are encouraged to match funds with other pots of money.