It is proposed there should be an allocation of £3.5m for a University Centre and Rural Business Development Hub at Kingston Maurward College; £365,000 for a Border Control Post and £330,000 for a Public Trade Office for Poole Harbour Commissioners, and £497,000 for Research Active Dorset Clinical Trials Unit at Bournemouth University.

Funds could also go to Bournemouth and Poole College, (£689,000), Weymouth College, (£255,000), Bournemouth University: Institute of Biomedical Materials & Tissue Engineering Research (£1.4m),  BCP Council (£1.75m) for the high street, Dorset NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (£300,000), and AECC University College Integrated Healthcare Centre (£2.7m).

Final approval of the funding allocations will be made by the Dorset LEP board.

Jim Stewart, chairman of Dorset LEP said, “This funding will enable capital projects linked to Dorset’s Local Industrial Strategy to be delivered quickly, bringing essential jobs and resources to our community which will accelerate growth in Dorset and help mitigate the economic impacts of COVID-19.”

Recognising the need to maintain and enhance Dorset’s high streets in this period of complex change, investment has also been prioritised for live workspaces in Poole.

This investment will also enhance export and import potential via the Port of Poole.

The selected projects are outlined on the Dorset LEP website at: www.dorsetlep.co.uk/pre-contract-projects.