£913,750 BOOST FOR LOOE

A new Heritage Economic Regeneration Scheme (HERS) for Looe is set to inject £913,750 into improving the historic waterfront areas of East and West Looe and the commercial centre of the town.

The three year Looe HERS project will help fund external and structural improvements to historic buildings that are in business or community use and upgrade selected public areas. The project is expected to generate £1,529,000 of extra sales in the town by enhancing 27 buildings, creating 28 new jobs and providing or improving 582.75 square metres of commercial floor space.

Some of the buildings targeted by the scheme are the Watch Tower, Terry's Fashions and Ye Olde Cottage Restaurant. Other enhancement work will include resurfacing several alleys and adding cobbles and granite kerbs at their edges, installing new street furniture and improved signage.

The Looe HERS will be launched at noon on Friday 21 January on Buller Quay. Interested property owners can learn more about the project at an exhibition being held on the quay from 12.00 noon to 4.00pm.

Councillor Ron Overd, leader of Caradon District Council and mayor of Looe, said: "Improving local employment opportunities is one of Caradon's top priorities, and the Heritage Economic Regeneration Scheme is a substantial investment in Looe's historic past and economic future. Preserving the town's distinctive local heritage will attract both visitors and business investors and help to secure Looe's long term prosperity."

The Looe HERS is being invested in by contributions from a range of partners, including £210,000 from Objective One European Regional Development Fund, £180,000 from English Heritage, £105,375 from the South West Regional Development Agency, £60,000 from Caradon District Council and £3,000 each from Looe Town Council, East Looe Town Trust and West Looe Town Trust. In addition to the public sector investment, the project is expected to attract private sector investment of around £349,375.

Carleen Kelemen, Director of the Objective One partnership, said: "Towns and villages across Cornwall are benefiting from heritage regeneration initiatives. The Objective One investment helps to provide vital facelifts to historic and often much-loved buildings and makes the areas more attractive to both residents and visitors. This serves to give businesses a boost and helps to encourage economic growth in these areas."

David Stuart, Historic Areas Adviser at English Heritage, said: " We are extremely pleased that this scheme is now able to make a start. The need for investment in Looe is clearly evident and the total budget available should result in a dramatic improvement in the physical condition of its historic fabric and important open spaces. Such investment is timely given that HERS will complement a range of initiatives aimed at the sustainable regeneration of the town."

Stephen Bohane, Head of Operations in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly for the South West RDA, said: "Providing business premises to enable Cornish companies to grow and prosper is an important part of the South West RDA's remit so we are delighted to be a part of this scheme. The Looe HERS project is extremely exciting because much of its work will focus on breathing new life into old buildings and helping them to once again play an important role in providing jobs and services in the local economy."

For further information please contact Elizabeth Frederick-Preece, Tel: 01579 341028 or email lfrederick-preece@caradon.gov.uk.