NIDDERDALE'S area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB), which stretches from the north Leeds borders to parts of Mashamshire, has been given a major financial boost.

The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has granted the area a £100,000 grant to support local projects.

The Sustainable Development Fund will be used to help ideas that can bring benefits to communities, the rural economy and the internationally recognised importance of the area's environment.

Councillor Les Ellington, chairman of the AONB's joint advisory committee said: "This is really great news. The fund will give businesses, community groups, environmental organisations and others a chance to demonstrate that local people can build a future for our community based on the principle that our generation has a responsibility for the next generation to come.

"The quality of life we hand over to our successors must be just as rich as the one we enjoy today.

"This money will allow us to experiment with new ideas that will get us all closer to the goal of sustainable development first agreed at the 1992 Earth Summit, in Rio de Janeiro."

The chairman said the fund was open for business "from today".

There was more good news for the area when Defra indicated that the fund would be renewed next year and 2007.

Meanwhile, the AONB is looking for ideas and project sponsors by next March.

Other areas of natural beauty have used the cash to support community transport, green waste recycling, community-based renewable energy developments, tourism and festivals.

The AONB can be contacted on 01423 712950.