If the bid is successful, major works could start next year.
In March 2018, a 拢360,000 development grant was awarded following a first-round NLHF bid by Northumberland County Council, Museums Northumberland, community group Friends of the Union Chain Bridge and Scottish Borders Council.
The development work has included detailed investigations to assess the condition of every element of the bridge and how best to undertake the conservation and repair works.
This work is now complete and the project is now seeking grant funding to support the implementation of the 拢8.1m delivery phas鈥�, with the submission of a second-round bid to the NLHF for 拢3.14m. A decision on the bid is expected in September.
Scottish Borders Council and Northumberland County Council have committed match funding totalling 拢3.4m towards the scheme, with other fundraising activities continuing to be progressed by the Friends of Union Chain Bridge in support of the project.
Councillor Glen Sanderson, Northumberland County Council鈥檚 cabinet member for environment and local services, said: 鈥淲e鈥檝e been working tirelessly over the past two years to develop this ambitious project and are delighted to have submitted an extremely strong second round submission.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 abundantly clear is how loved this bridge is, not just locally, but nationally and internationally and we鈥檝e had support from across the world as we鈥檝e worked to get to this point.鈥�
鈥淚t really shows the close working between ourselves, Museums Northumberland, the Friends of Union Chain Bridge and our colleagues in Scottish Borders Council - making it a very exciting and substantial cross-border, cross-council venture.
Councillor Gordon Edgar, executive member for roads and infrastructure at Scottish Borders Council, said: 鈥淭his is a real partnership project and I am very pleased with the final submission made to the National Lottery Heritage Fund. If successful, this project will conserve and raise awareness of the internationally significant Union Chain Bridge, and celebrate its historical and engineering importance for its landmark 200th anniversary.鈥�
Robert Hunter, chair of the Friends of the Union Chain Bridge, said: 鈥淭he support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund is crucial for this project to succeed. The bridge partners have worked incredibly hard to come up with a really compelling programme of restoration and learning that will provide tremendous opportunities for the local and wider communities to benefit from this inspirational project.
鈥淭he building of the Union Chain Bridge 200 years ago was a ground-breaking engineering achievement and it is vital that we save this much-loved bridge for future generations.鈥�
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