Projects in Witham and Dunmow have been given prestigious Essex Environment Trust Awards in the millennium year.

The Witham Lodge Greens community open space enhancement scheme and the restoration of the 17th century Dunmow Maltings for community uses were among eight projects selected for special recognition by the trust at its annual general meeting at County Hall, Chelmsford, last week.

The trust is an environmental body funded by contributions from landfill operators who are able to obtain tax credits for the money they give to such bodies.

It provides funding for a wide variety of projects to improve the environment and bring about community benefits throughout the county.

Since its formation in 1998 the trust has agreed to provide £1,463,610 to various projects. Of that total, £500,000 is being provided for the repair of Essex churches and historic buildings.

An income of nearly £900,000 during the past year was reported to the meeting, with the funding of 148 projects, to a total of £1.4 million, between December 1998 and March 2000.

The Dunmow and Witham schemes were selected with six others as the best projects to be funded over the past year, and their representatives presented with certificates.

The Dunmow Maltings, which received £12,000 from the trust towards the £762,571 cost of restoring the historic buildings, was a prime example of sensitive restoration, pointed out a report.

The Witham Lodge Greens scheme to regenerate green areas devastated by the 1987 hurricane, involved the planting of more than 35 trees and shrubs, with hundreds of spring bulbs and wildflowers.

The trust's contribution to the second phase cost of £939 was £690.

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