The Plymouth Sound National Marine Park is set to move forward, with cabinet asked to approve an £11.6m grant.
A report for Plymouth City Council’s cabinet said the scheme along with the Horizons Delivery Programme is one of its “key priorities”, funded by primarily both the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) and the authority itself.
The report describes delivery of the marine park as a “once in a lifetime transformational opportunity” for Plymouth.
The council said the scheme is a “unique opportunity to pioneer a new approach to protecting and restoring the amazing heritage of the Sound and transforming the lives of Plymothians”.
Its vision states “Our National Marine Park will value the environment, heritage and economy of Plymouth Sound and its estuaries. It is where people and planet will come together to realise a new, sustainable relationship with the sea.”
Now the report is recommending cabinet to agree to accept the grant of £11.6m offered by the NLHF and its associated conditions.
It also asks cabinet to confirm the allocation of the capital funding previously agreed at the beginning of the development stage in 2021 thus enabling the commencement of the delivery phase of the five-year programme.
Plymouth Sound National Marine Park Horizons project will kickstart the first National Marine Park in the UK.
Plymouth’s cabinet meets on Monday (12 February).