Dartmoor National Park to fund Okehampton-based electric car charging stations

Dartmoor National Park Authority has given a total of £30,000 to a range of sustainable development projects.

The authority said the successful schemes would provide environmental, social and local economic benefits for Dartmoor. The money was awarded by the Dartmoor Sustainable Development Fund panel.

The largest award went to town Councillor and champion of zero emission vehicles Kay Bickley from Okehampton's Electric Vehicle Charging Network. She was given £15,000 to help develop a network of 40 charging stations and five travel hubs for the vehicles (bikes, cars and trampers) across Dartmoor.

The panel said once the network was established, Dartmoor would become a model for rural accessibility for electric vehicle users.

Other awards went to the Dartmoor Hill Farm project (£5,000) which is working with the Natural Fibre Company on a range of products to make full use of every fleece, and to local residents to help build an extension to Ilsington Village Hall (£10,000) that will be used as a shop, meeting place and café run by volunteers.

A number of smaller schemes also received grants from the panel of less than £2,000.