EU cash could fund Dragon Tower project
Sunday 18th September 2011, 12:01PM BST.
European aid of up to £10 million could be available to fund the building of a huge Dragon Tower tourist attraction on the Shropshire/Welsh border, its developers have revealed.
Plans to develop the attraction, which would see the building of a massive monumental dragon sculpture on top of a 100ft tower near Oswestry, had slowed earlier this year because developers were finding it difficult to secure the necessary £9 million funding.
But developer Simon Wingett said today the project had been given a boost after a meeting with representatives of the Jessica Fund, a European Commission initiative to regenerate urban areas.
Mr Wingett said the meeting with the funding body was ‘very positive’ and its representatives were keen to find out more about the proposal, which would create 50 jobs and include a restaurant, cultural centre and art gallery on land off the A5 at Halton.
He said confirmation by Visit Wales that it would give £500,000 towards the project if other funding was found had been vital in securing the meeting with the Jessica Fund. He added: “We are now putting together all the papers they have asked for. The Jessica Fund can make loans of between £3 million and £10 million.”
To find out more on the scheme www.thewelshdragon.co.uk
It is hoped the huge sculpture will rival landmarks such as The Angel of the North and attract 150,000 visitors a year.
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