COMMUNITIES and businesses in the Yorkshire Dales National Park are being invited to apply for a slice of £172,000.

The national park’s Sustainable Development Fund for this year is underway and is aimed at supporting businesses and communities, and also helping to improve the environment of the park, or provide opportunities for people to come and enjoy it.

Last year, the authority out more than £156,000 to 27 different projects, including in Craven, just under £5,000 to the setting up of a virtual tour of Victoria Cave, near Settle; just under £10,000 towards archaeological investigations on a former medieval chapel site in Malham, and £5,000 for the installation of a new underground electricity cable to serve Long Preston’s playing fields pavilion.

The authority’s member champion for sustainable development, Chris Clark, said: “We have had a very good start to 2019-20, with eight projects already under consideration. I would urge individuals, businesses or community groups to get in touch soon if they have a project idea that may need a helping hand. The Sustainable Development Fund is one of the very practical ways the national park authority is supporting local communities.”

To find out more, telephone 01969 652337, or email: SDF@yorkshiredales.org.uk, or visit: yorkshiredales.org.uk/living-and-working/sdf.