A cash boost of up to £2.5million is on its way to Tendring over the next three years to help regenerate town centres and improve people's quality of life.

The Haven Gateway recently picked up £17.5million from the Department of Communities and Local Government.

And today (April 10) the Haven Gateway's Partnership Board made its final decision over where the growth point money is going.

Tendring District Council (TDC) is set to receive £2,250,000 for capital projects over the next three years - with a further £200,000 earmarked for revenue projects.

It will mean there will be money in the pot to get the Harwich Master Plan off the ground as well as funding for the Walton Master Plan and the enhancement of Frinton and Clacton Town Centres.

TDC is to receive £600,000 from the Partnership for 2008/9. The next year a further £1,350,000 indicative funding has been earmarked with £500,000 to follow in 2010/11.

Out of this funding £300,000 will be spent next year on staring works to create attractive new pedestrian areas on Harwich waterfront with new visitor parking and a further £950,000 in that area the year after.

A new master plan is due to be prepared for Walton and the Backwaters and there will be a joint land use transportation study with Essex County Council and Colchester Borough Council.

In 2009/10 and 2010/11 some £800,000 will be spent on improving the town centres of Clacton and Frinton.

Councillor David Lines, Leader of TDC, said he was delighted to see this additional funding coming to the District.

"The Council played a leading role in setting up the Haven Gateway Partnership initially and it is now recognised as a major sub regional development and planning body at a regional and national level," he said.

"We expect to see our regeneration activities accelerate in the coming months as Project Tendring gets underway and we will be looking to prepare further bids for funding from a variety of sources as new regeneration projects are initiated to meet the needs of our local communities."