THE Earl of Wessex will visit two projects on the Isle of Sheppey this Wednesday, February 20, it has been announced.

Prince Edward will tour a former DIY warehouse which is now the home to several community groups and is the home to the Queenborough and Rushenden Regeneration project.

He will then unveil a plaque at Elmley National Nature Reserve near the Sheppey Crossing to officially launch the vision of eco tourism embodied by The Elmley Farming and Tourism project.

The regeneration project is a redevelopment that will breathe new life into the Island which is at the very heart of the Thames Gateway in north Kent.

A spokesman said: "The project aims to create a vibrant environment in which to live and work, combining superb new transport links, hundreds of employment opportunities, community and leisure facilities, environmental improvements and new housing.

"The Gateway warehouse is being provided by the South East Development Agency (SEEDA) as temporary accommodation for community activities and much-needed vocational skills training courses."

The Elmley reserve is a beautiful and windswept site that is a real wilderness. It is owned and managed by Phillip Merricks who aims to make it an eco tourism destination and also play an important part in the regeneration of Sheppey.

The spokesman added: "The site has the largest concentration of breeding waders in England and is an internationally important site."