The aims of the capital projects
programme
7. The capital projects programme received the largest
share of Lottery proceeds allocated by the Millennium Commission—£1,288
million from a total expected income of £2.15 billion.[20]
To date, more than £1,255 million has been awarded to 187
projects at more than 3,000 sites.[21]
The minimum contribution that the Commission has made to a capital
project is £100,000.[22]
Demand for Millennium Commission funding unsurprisingly far out-stripped
supply. The total value of projects that applied for funds from
the Millennium Commission amounts to some £13 billion.[23]
Twenty-eight major capital projects throughout the country have
each received grants of more than £15 million. Those larger
projects have been the focus of our consideration.
8. The Millennium Commission judged applications
against three strategic criteria. The applications had to comply
with the Commission's aims of supporting projects throughout the
United Kingdom that would be accessible to all members of the
community and that were of local, national or regional significance.[24]
Above all, the Commission was keen to support projects that would
add "to what might otherwise have been available".[25]
9. The projects that the Millennium Commission supported
were classified under five main themes, as identified by the Secretary
of State in his previous evidence to this Committee.[26]
Many of the projects encompass more than one theme. The themes
are set out below using examples of projects about which we have
received evidence or which we visited during this inquiry.
Supporting communities:
The Millennium Link will restore navigation on the Forth &
Clyde and the Union canals in Scotland and will improve the urban
environment along the canal corridor. During our previous inquiry,
we visited Wester Hailes, where we witnessed the Millennium Link's
potential to improve the local environment and energise the local
community.[27] We returned
to the Millennium Link for this inquiry, visiting sites at Blairdardie
and on the Great Western Road in Glasgow. We heard about how the
local community was actively involved in the project and learned
about the public consultation undertaken by British Waterways,
the project managers.
Encouraging environmental sustainability:
The National Botanic Garden of Wales is one of three large capital
projects—the others being the Eden Project in Cornwall and
the Millennium Seed Bank at Kew Gardens—intended to conserve
threatened plant species and conduct scientific research. The
National Botanic Garden of Wales has the world's largest single-span
glasshouse.[28]
Investing in education:
The Millennium Commission has been the largest investor in the
innovative educational project of the University of the Highlands
and Islands (UHI).[29]
We met representatives from UHI at Argyll College in Dunstaffnage,
one of the 25 learning centres that form the UHI campus. Despite
its being geographically the largest local education authority
in Scotland, we learned that in some wards in Argyll no one in
living memory has taken a full-time further education course.
The development of the UHI facilitated the establishment of Argyll
College, for which there had been substantial demand.
Promoting science and technology:
The Millennium Commission invested £250 million in science
centres, including Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh, the Glasgow
Science Centre, LIFE Interactive World in Newcastle-upon-Tyne
and the Discovery Centre at Millennium Point, Birmingham.[30]
Millennium Commission funding provided the catalyst for unprecedented
investment in the public understanding and enjoyment of science.[31]
In Scotland, we met Mr Paul Smith, Chief Executive of the Glasgow
Science Centre, and in London, we took evidence from Ms Gillian
Thomas, Chief Executive of @Bristol. Both projects provide hands-on,
interactive technology to stimulate interest in science.[32]
Revitalising cities: Most
of the capital projects have a regenerative element, be it economic,
cultural or social. Cities, in particular, have benefited from
major capital projects. Inner-city regeneration projects in Manchester
and Sheffield are bringing significant benefits to their communities
by enhancing the local environment through the creation of new
public spaces.[33]
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