A PLAN to re-establish a resort as a major tourist attraction has been given a massive boost.

The Sandown Community Partnership has received a £240,000 thumbs-up for its plan to regenerate the seaside town and help to restore Culver Parade to its former glory as one of the Island's biggest tourist resorts.

Approval of a strategic plan means the partnership can start tapping into the £240,000 pot of match-funding money allocated to the town by the South East England Development Agency (Seeda) under the Market Towns Initiative, a national programme dedicated to revitalising market towns.

Co-ordinator Tisha Kalmanovitch, for the Isle of Wight Economic Partnership, helped Sandown draw up the plan.

She said: "It's great news, not just for the town but for the surrounding villages, such as Yaverland, Yarbridge and Queen's Bower.

"The changes won't be overnight, but people should start seeing a lot of activity over the coming two to three years."

For Sandown it will mean developing the town as a tourist resort, creating jobs all year round and markets for local produce.

The Sandown partnership will be carrying out more than 20 projects designed to address the town's economic, environmental, transport and social problems.

Projects range from refurbishing the bandstand in the Eastern Gardens to setting up an investment partnership to prepare a plan to encourage investment in the High Street and establishing a circular bus service calling at Sandown Station and Yaverland car park.

The Seeda grant channelled through the Isle of Wight Economic Partnership will help fund the regeneration of the Culver Parade area for three years.

Shanklin and Ventnor are also working on delivery plans under the Market Towns Initiative.