COMPANIES in Cross Roads and Riddlesden have won European funding through the £1.29 million South Pennines Leader grant programme.

Keighley Tree Services will buy equipment to allow cost-effective transformation of low-quality timber from local woodlands into firewood.

Fanny’s Farmhouse Cheeses will create a range of specialist goats’ cheeses

Both firms are benefiting from an EU scheme, running from 2015 to 2019, to create jobs and economic growth in rural areas of the South Pennines.

The programme was recently highlighted to the council’s Regeneration and economy Scrutiny and Overview Committee, which heard that five local projects were going through the grant process.

The initiative is administered through rural regeneration company Pennine Prospects, with successful applicants chosen by an action group of businesses, community and council representatives.

Priorities included increasing farm productivity, supporting micro and small businesses, supporting rural tourism, providing rural services, supporting cultural and heritage activity, and increasing forestry productivity.

Keighley Tree Services, based on Halifax Road opposite the Sugden End tip, will focus their new project on under-managed local woodlands where it isis currently not financially viable to process timber due to competition from the imported firewood market.

The company aim to increase the volume of woodfuel production through a better recovery rate and other efficiencies.

Grant funding will contribute towards 40 per cent of the costs of new hardstanding, a cross-cut log saw, a tracked woodchipper and a firewood screen, with Keighley Tree Services providing the other 60 per cent.

The company, established for more than 30 years, said the project would maintain existing jobs and open up opportunities for new rural employment.

Fanny’s Farmhouse Cheeses, based in Riddlesden, will use its South Pennines Leader grant to help cover the costs of building a traditional cheese dairy and installing a cheese production plant.

Goats’ milk will be used and there are plans for a Caerphilly, smoked Caerphilly and a cheddar style cheese infused with truffles.

Some of the cheese will be sold through the associated business of Fanny’s Ale House, in Saltaire. Jobs will be created in the new dairy later in 2018.

Pennine Prospects is still seeking applications for grants from the South Pennines Leader fund.

Coordinator Sally Hinton said: “We still have grant funding available, especially for the Farm, Forestry, Manufacturing, Tourism and Recreational sectors.

“Local business people can contact us on 01422 264685, to find out about the grants, the process of applying and to see if we can support your plans.”

Applications should be made soon, so that projects can be delivered by the March 2019 deadline.

Visit southpenninesleader.co.uk for further information.