Fish market grant decision delay

Fish market bosses want to spend £5m on the port

A decision over a £2.4m grant to help rebuild one of the busiest fish markets in England has been deferred.

Newlyn Harbour Commissioners applied for the money from the European Fisheries Fund.

The Marine and Fisheries Agency (MFA), which manages the fund in the UK, said it wanted more information on funding and the port's governance.

However, the panel said the market's business case was now a strong one after previously being branded "weak".

The harbour's commissioners applied for the money to finance plans to replace facilities at Newlyn with a new £5m fish market hall, auction room and meeting area.

Two previous applications were rejected by the MFA because the business case for the new market building was "weak".

MFA spokesman Peter Hooley said of the delay: "The business case is strong but the panel needs more information on the governance of the harbour.

"They need to be satisfied of the governance and that match-funding is in place because this is only half of the funding required."

Tony Woodhams, fisheries project manager for Newlyn, said he was "pragmatic" about the decision, but added he was pleased that issues related to the business case had finally been satisfied.