Bid for £1.9m for 'flagship nature destination'

A bid is to be made for nearly £2m in National Lottery funding to enhance a wetland and surrounding nature sites.

East Devon District Council has approved plans for officers to develop a £1.92m application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund to improve Seaton Wetlands.

The plans included a visitor hub, bird hide and new accessible paths linking the Seaton town centre to nearby nature reserves.

The proposal aims to develop the wetlands as a "flagship nature destination".

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the scheme would restore 10 hectares of saltmarsh and create 12 hectares of freshwater grazing marsh.

The project, known as Wild About Seaton, would also include improvements to Seaton Museum's natural history collection.

The cabinet was told a partnership had been formed to steer the plans, involving Seaton Tramway and Seaton Museum.

Councillor Dan Ledger said the plans were the result of "years of work" and others members noted the scheme would benefit biodiversity, tourism and the local economy.

The scheme would also feature a trail and app guiding visitors through sites including the wetlands, Undercliffs National Nature Reserve and the South West Coast Path, the council said.

Council officers said visitor numbers had already exceeded expectations, with 124,000 recorded last year compared to an initial target of 70,000.

If successful, the bid could lead to a year of development work followed by a three-year delivery period, councillors were told.

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