by Graham Tutthill

More than £1.5 million has been set aside to help conserve the landscape around the White Cliffs of Dover.

The Heritage Lottery Fund has announced a first round pass of £1,602,200 earmarked for a local partnership project under the fund’s landscape partnership programme.

This includes £57,700 development funding to help partners progress plans for full approval.

This news follows a successful bid by a range of local partners working together, including Dover and Shepway district councils, Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, White Cliffs Countryside Partnership, National Trust, Kent Wildlife Trust, Kent County Council and Eurotunnel.

The landscape area covers 12,200 hectares of chalk downland around Dover and Folkestone, including the White Cliffs.

The project will help protect parts of the landscape by removing scrub and maintaining grassland, which in turn encourages the growth of flora and fauna.

Proposals also include conservation work on key heritage features such as the Western Heights and remnants from the Second World War, an extensive programme of activities including themed talks, demonstrations and guided walks, and the building of an education centre at Samphire Hoe.