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St Catherine's Island has been left in the shade by the Big Lottery Fund shortlist. |
OH no! The bid to enhance the currently derelict St Catherine's Island in Tenby has been unsuccessful. The County Council have been told by the Big Lottery Fund that their £20m bid to transform the island has failed to make its shortlist.
Proposals for the island's development had included a plan to build a bridge from the mainland, which would have effectively converted it into a pier. The fort would have been converted into a nature attraction and observatory. Sadly now these plans will - for the time being at least - fall by the wayside.
“We always knew our bid was up against a lot of competition across the UK, and that only around six schemes would be forwarded for a final grant - but we had hoped it would progress further,” said the Cabinet member for Sports, Leisure, Tourism and Cultural Services, Councillor Rob Lewis.
“What particularly pleased us was local reaction to it. I have never known a project, which seemed to attract such widespread support and enthusiasm. We received very little opposition to the scheme.”
Considering the strength of positive local feeling, the council are now looking into which aspects of the ambitious project might still be viable to implement.
Chris Osbourne, the Vice-President at the Tenby Chamber of Trade and Tourism was also "very disappointed" at hearing the news. However, he had to concede that the application had been "a bit of a long-shot anyway". It would seem that, on this occasion, fortune hasn't favoured the brave.
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