THE people behind a proposed prehistoric tourist attraction on Portland are ‘confident’ after the scheme was inspected by lottery bosses ahead of a key funding decision.

Jurassica has applied for £16million worth of Heritage Lottery Funding.

A site visit was held at Yeolands quarry yesterday which saw representatives from the lottery programme and civic leaders find out more about the subterranean geological park and establish how much support there is for the project.

Early concepts for the park include having animatronic marine reptiles and virtual reality technology to help bring the history of the Jurassic Coast to life.

Representatives from the HLF looked over the project’s designs and spoke to staff and volunteers attached to the project.

The project is expected to cost £79 million in total. The project is expected to bring in around £20 million each year into the local economy. Mike Hanlon, science journalist and chief executive of Jurassica, said he was feeling confident ahead of the HLF’s decision, which will be made in April.

Mr Hanlon said: “It was a routine visit from the Heritage Lottery team as part of our bid for funding.

“I’m as confident as I can be and if we did get the funding it would be a major vote of confidence for the project as a whole.

“We have seen a lot of money go to the big cities and it’s about time the south west got its share.

“We have had tremendous support from the community and from across the county for the project and that was shown to Heritage Lottery.

“We have already had investment from local areas, we have had the full support from the local community and it’s important that we show that to the lottery.

“Heritage Lottery is looking for projects that will be sustainable; the days of lottery money building projects like the Millennium Dome are long gone.

“It’s now about creating sustainable attractions that will pay their own way and be financially viable and because we want Jurassica to be here for a few hundred years so it has to be financially viable, and it will be.”

Lots of interest in the project

MAYOR of Weymouth and Portland, Cllr Kate Wheller, was one of the community members HLF representatives met.

She said: “It went well. I was encouraged by the questions the Lottery Fund were asking us. They seemed interested in the project and they were very positive about the project.”

Cllr Wheller said she remained hopeful that the project could secure the £16 million funding on offer.

She said: “It just takes us the next step forward and shows people isn’t just flying a kite.

It really is a working proposal with every chance of success.”