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Rural communities in Northern Ireland are being encouraged to apply for a slice of the 50 million Euro Rural Regeneration and Social Inclusion Investment fund.
Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart, who is the DUP's Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Westminster spokesperson, welcomed the PEACEPLUS funding programme announced by Stormont Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir.
The Rural Regeneration and Social Inclusion Programme aims to create a more cohesive society through an increased provision of shared space and services in rural areas. This will result in strategic investment, designed to allow rural communities to thrive and reach their full economic, social and environmental potential.
Aimed at social, economic and environmental projects Ms Lockhart said “I would encourage eligible organisations to submit an application. The EU-funded programme aims to create a more cohesive and inclusive society through the increased provision of shared space and services within rural areas.“As a result, rural communities will benefit from social enterprise, the development of green infrastructure, and increased tourism. Improved access to key services will also enhance health and wellbeing in rural areas.”
The PEACEPLUS programme is designed to support peace and prosperity across Northern Ireland and border counties, building on the work of the previous PEACE and INTERREG programmes.
On the opening of the scheme, Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir commented: “This funding focuses on social, economic and environmental projects which contribute to the creation of healthy and inclusive communities in rural areas. The programme will support rural community development, sustainable regeneration and social inclusion through improved access to key services, social enterprise development, development of green infrastructure to improve health and wellbeing, and rural and tourism enterprise to deliver significant and sustained contact between diverse rural communities.
“I am pleased my department is working in partnership with the Department of Rural and Community Development in the Republic of Ireland and the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) in providing funding for this investment area under the PEACEPLUS programme. This partnership means we can achieve much more in terms of contribution to the creation of more resilient, vibrant and prosperous rural communities where people want to live, work, visit and invest.”
Further details are available on the peaceplussupport.seupb.eu website. The closing date for applications is 5.00pm on Thursday, 23rd May 2024.
