Cash Injection For V & A

A museum which has seen its costs rise by more than #30 million is to get £500,000 from a UK Government grant scheme.

Coastal communities across Scotland are to benefit from almost £10 million of Government cash.

A total of 27 projects north of the border will share £9.58 million from the £116.6 million Coastal Communities Fund, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander announced.

One of the projects that will benefit is the V&A Museum of Design being built in Dundee.

It emerged last week that construction costs had risen from £49 million to just over £80 million.

Mr Alexander said the grants would help ensure some of the UK's "most remote and fragile communities'' share in the benefits of the economic recovery.

The funding is part of the third round of grants to be made by the initiative, which has already paid out £7.6 million to projects in Scotland.

Mr Alexander said: "I created the Coastal Communities Fund because, as someone who grew up on a small island, I know how much difference targeted investment can make to people's lives. It's already supported scores of coastal communities throughout Scotland.

"Projects benefiting from the latest round of funding include redeveloping Rothesay Pavilion, creating a new Submarine Museum in Helensburgh, and restoring the harbour at Carbost in Skye. Overall, hundreds of communities across Scotland and the rest of the UK will benefit, creating jobs and making sure that some of our most remote and fragile communities share in the economic recovery.''

One of the largest grants, worth almost "755,000 will go to Fife Council to help with the creation of the new landing platform at the town pier in North Queensferry, while nearly £330,000 will be used to help make improvements to the Cowal Way, a 57 mile coastal path connecting Portavadie in south west Cowal and Loch Lomond.

In addition the Shetland Amenity Trust will get £105,000 to establish a training programme to teach future generations the skills needed to build, repair and maintain traditional Shetland wooden boats

UK Coastal Communities Minister Penny Mordaunt said:

"These fantastic projects demonstrate the creativity, enterprise and passion needed to help seaside towns become year round destinations that people are proud to live and work in.

"This Government is determined to help our coastal towns thrive and this money will help them tap into new businesses, boost skills and create jobs that will benefit the community and wider area."

The Government launched the Coastal Communities Fund in 2012 to invest in seaside towns and villages in a bid to help boost their economies, reduce unemployment and create new opportunities for young people.