Plymouth’s wild swimmers will be able to rest on and jump off new swimming pontoons due to be installed as part of a raft of goodies to help the city make waves as the UK’s first National Marine Park.
The floating pontoons, which could be moored off Tinside by early summer, are among new facilities that will appear this year, thanks to a grant worth £625,000 from the Getting Building Fund.
As well as the pontoons and associated services on the Hoe Foreshore, other work is planned including physical improvements to the waterfront, steps and slipways as well as the installation of electric vehicle boat charging points to improve key access points to the water.
The project worth over £1,150,000 in total also includes investing in digital infrastructure to enable Plymouth to host the exciting SailGP event which is due to hit the waters here in July. The remaining sum will be match funded by the Council.
Council leader Tudor Evans said: “This is just the start. The national marine park is all about getting more people to enjoy the Sound - either on it or in it.
“We have a vision of what we want the park to be and like any national park, we want to make it easy for people to get in it. These are practical measures that mean more of us can enjoy and feel safe in the water of Plymouth Sound. More importantly this news sends a very strong message - the national marine park is on its way.”
As well as the swimming platforms, repairs to at least three public slipways around Plymouth Sound will mean paddleboarders, kayakers and other water users will get easier access to the water.
The project is not just about people getting into the water to have fun, it will support the creation of 28 jobs and apprenticeships, as well as 13 temporary construction jobs.
The project signals the start of capital investment to unlock the economic, social and environmental benefits of the National Marine Park.
Councillor Evans said: “It all just fits so well with our mission to be a greener and more sustainable city. The National Marine Park aims to sustain and nurture the marine environment - not just for the tourism sector, but for our local residents so that they can enjoy the health and well-being benefits of being beside the sea.”
Karl Tucker, Chair of the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “The HotSW LEP’s Getting Building Fund aims to support shovel-ready projects that will contribute to our area’s post-COVID recovery. We are delighted to agree funding towards Plymouth’s national marine park, which will support the local economic recovery, create jobs and provide fantastic new facilities for the community and visitors to enjoy.”
The Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership was allocated money from the Government’s Getting Building Fund to invest in major infrastructure projects to support economic growth across the city. The project is one of a number to be successfully submitted by the Council and partners across the city.
The projects, chosen after a robust selection process, will play an important role in Plymouth’s economic recovery programme, Resurgam, by supporting employment, regeneration, skills and innovation in the region.
About the National Marine Park
In September 2019 a multi-party declaration was signed to create the UK’s first NMP in Plymouth.
The NMP aims to connect people to the Sound’s rich marine environment; an environment that can be difficult to access through physical and cost barriers.
It also closely aligns with the development of the Visitor Plan for 2020 to 2030. Tourism is one of the big success stories in Plymouth. Over the last decade tourism has seen visitor numbers and visitor spend grow by over 20 per cent. Over 5 million visitors make a trip to the city every year spending £347m.
On 4 August 2020, the government confirmed the list of over 300 successful projects which will receive a share of £900 million from the Getting Building Fund. The full list of projects is available on GOV.UK.
The Getting Building Fund is investing in shovel-ready infrastructure projects to create jobs and support economic recovery across the country. Projects funded include:
• regeneration of town and city centres
• green infrastructure and clean energy
• transport and digital connectivity improvements
• unlocking of housing and business sites
• support for SMEs and learners
The successful projects (over 300) are expected to deliver up to 85,000 jobs, over 1,500,000 sqm of commercial floor space, unlocking 45,000 homes, almost 1,000,000 sqm of public realm or green space improved or created, over 50,000 new learners assisted, and 65 million kgs of CO2 emissions saved. All projects have been selected by Local Enterprise Partnerships and Mayoral Combined Authorities in each area and endorsed by the Housing Secretary.
The Heart of the South West LEP secured a total allocation of £35.4 million from the Getting Building Fund – the highest allocation in the south west.