Seaside towns will be given a share of £29m to help boost growth, with next year’s Coastal Communities Fund (CCF) being given a five per cent increase from last year.

The Coastal Communities Fund was launched in 2012 to invest in seaside towns and villages, to assist them in reaching their economic potential, reducing unemployment and creating new opportunities for young people locally.

Schemes backed by the first year of funding are forecast to generate more than 5,000 new jobs and create 500 new apprenticeships.

Projects which have benefited include heritage railways in North York and Swanage, pier regenerations in south Wales and training programmes for green tourism.

The fund is financed by the government through the allocation of funding equivalent to 50 per cent of the revenues from the Crown Estate’s marine activities in that area.

Successful bids are chosen because of their impact on local jobs, training and their ability to drive forward growth. Successful bids from round two will be announced during Q4 of 2013, while nominations for round three will be open to apply in early 2014.

Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles commented, stating: “This will help our coastal towns make the most of their potential by diversifying their economies and industries so they can become year-round success stories.”