Langport River Project
It was probably the worst kept secret in town for many years, but at the Langport Town Council meeting of the 19th February we officially learned that the long-awaited result of the grant application for ‘The Langport River Project’ had been successful.
The project, which is worth in excess of £200k, has attracted nearly £180k of funding from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development through the Rural Development Programme for England. Other funding is being contributed by South Somerset District Council and by Langport Town Council.
This is a massive injection of cash for a small town and should help to enhance Langport’s status as a centre for nature tourism on and around the River Parrett.
It feels almost inevitable that we have to report that the only issue going forward is with the Environment Agency. Although Langport Town Council have bought Cocklemoor from the EA, the EA still have rights over the river banks of the Parrett and access to the river. Needless to say they continue to find a whole host of relatively minor, but still awkward, points to object to in the planned development.
On the plus side, they have approved the works to the slipway. This grant is the culminations of literally years worth of work.