Regeneration Company LogoThe North Devon and Exmoor Regeneration Company

"The power-house behind the projects that deliver the funds, assistance and expertise that makes regeneration and community development possible in North Devon and Torridge."

Holsworthy Business Units

Objective 2 funding helped fund small business units in Holsworthy.

Holsworthy Woods

The Forestry Commission used LEADER+ money to provide an all-abilities trail and worked with local children to build a bench for Holsworthy Woods.

Opening the Community Exhibition

Pat Chappell, project worker for St Mary's Ward, Barnstaple (right) and Nick Harvey MP (back) open the Community Exhibition in April 2004.

The TIC at Atlantic Village

The TIC at Atlantic Village.

Projects, Programmes and Initiatives

Healthy Options: A two year outreach programme, combining health promotion with community development. The project started in April 2006, targeting rural communities and hidden population groups across Northern Devon.

Empowering Communities: A project that is supporting the regeneration of Ilfracombe and the surrounding district by overcoming barriers to social and economic inclusion; developing community capacity; supporting opportunities for community enterprise development; and linking with Transform's Neighbourhood Warden scheme. The work will be carried out by a Financial Inclusion Officer, Community Development Worker and a Community Enterprise Worker, with a Community Grant Scheme in place to provide seed funding for new projects. Empowering Communities will complement the work of Transform and Ilfracombe and District MCTI. This project started in February 2006.

Technology Transfer Project: The aim of the Technology Transfer Project is to improve the competitiveness and productivity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), specifically those within any sector that has a technical product or service proposition, particularly manufacturing.

It is being run by the North Devon & Exmoor Regeneration Company in partnership with the Defence Diversification Agency (DDA), with the support of the European Regional Development (Objective 2) funding and Devon Renaissance funding.

Objective 2 Technical Assistance (ERDF): Making an Objective 2 bid is a complicated business, so the Regeneration Company has set up a Technical Assistance team to support potential projects in the area. Any organisation with an idea for a project should contact Technical Assistance at an early stage. Officers will be able to advise on whether a project will be eligible for funding, what other funding might be available, and help put together the application and business plan. They will also approach Government Office to help tease out any problems and will put strategically strong projects in the Integrated Area Plan.

LEADER+: £3 million is available is a six-year funding programme for regeneration in Torridge and much of North Devon. In July 2004 the area of benefit was extended to include all the parishes in North Devon except Barnstaple. As well as money for larger projects a number of small grant schemes are also available:

Transform: The Neighbourhood Management Programme for Ilfracombe, Combe Martin and Bratton Fleming. This is a seven year Government funded programme that aims to work with local people and service providers to improve and expand local services provision.

Neighbourhood Renewal: This project has now closed. Neighbourhood Renewal put community development workers into the most socially deprived areas to build local skills and support community regeneration. The Regeneration Company managed community development workers in Ilfracombe, Barnstaple, Westward Ho! and Appledore between autumn 2002 and autumn 2005.

For more information, contact Karen Evans on 01271 879018.

Rural Renaissance: Devon Rural Renaissance exists to help businesses in rural Devon by improving skills and attracting high value business to the area. The programme aims to provide training to improve basic, technical, and management skills, and mentoring programs that bring the benefits of wider experience to small businesses. It is hoped that this programme will start in October 2004. Over 60 project expressions of interest have already been received.

Community Support: The Community Support Centre is a new initiative which offers small businesses, individuals, voluntary organisations and community groups the opportunity to use various office based resources.

Market and Coastal Town initiatve: The Regeneration Company is supporting Holsworthy MCTi, DAWN (Developing Appledore, Westward Ho! and Northam), and Ilfracombe MCTi. SWRDA is providing support for the towns through the Market and Coastal Towns Association.

Tourist Information in Atlantic Village: The Regeneration Company provides the staff for Atlantic Village, the shopping centre outside Bideford.