THE agency set up by the Government last year to boost economic development in Sussex and the rest of the South-East reports it has made "significant" progress in its first nine months.

Seeda, the South-East England Development Agency, which became fully operational in April last year, has just produced its first review.

Among its key achievements it lists the creation of the first regional economic strategy for the South-East.

This involved consulting more than 200,000 businesses, individuals and organisations across the region.

During 1999 the agency launched the Skills Development Fund, a £3.8 million programme designed to boost the skills base in the area by offering grants of between £100,000 and £500,000 for innovative training projects.

Some 248 new inward investment inquiries have been handled with 23 successfully completed, protecting or creating more than 3,000 jobs, the agency claimed.

A number of brownfield sites have been acquired for redevelopment including the long derelict Ropetackle site in Shoreham.

An ambitious plan has been launched within the last few weeks for the future of Shoreham to transform the harbour into an ultra modern port alongside a commercial and residential complex.

Seeda has also funded a number of community-based regeneration projects to the tune of £70 million including £50,000 to help Eastbourne fight a growing drugs problem.

Brighton and Hove and Hastings have also benefited from Seeda regeneration funding.

Plans were drawn up for a regionwide network of 25 to 30 Enterprise Hubs to promote high-growth business start-ups and Regional Enterprise Funds to help investments in small and medium-sized businesses.

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