MALDON District Council is hoping to secure a new grant to boost tourism in the Dengie to make up for the loss of jobs from the decommissioning of Bradwell power station.
The council has applied for the Coastal Communities Fund which could deliver £50,000 upwards to develop a Dengie tourism brand and promote Burnham as an access point for the RSPB Wallasea Island Wild Coast Project.
The council hopes to address the job losses from Bradwell, due to be decommissioned in 2015, by creating more tourism in the Dengie and providing more jobs.
Cllr Brian Beale, a ward member for Southminster who once worked at the Magnox site, said: "Bradwell was the biggest employer on the Dengie and without it there is a massive need for some investment because some people haven't got the chance of employment now."
The power station once had over 2,000 staff working in a variety of jobs but now has roughly 240 Magnox employees with agency staff and project workers taking the figure up to 800.
"There are so many young people here with potential so we will be applying for all the investment we can," added Cllr Beale.
A report by the head of community and leisure services states that there is "strong evidence that identifies a need to develop the economy of the Dengie, especially around the impact of the loss of jobs from Bradwell Power Station".
The council also hopes to fund a project officer to support tourism and enable "business continuity" in the Dengie.
Conservative Cllr Ron Pratt, ward member for Burnham South, added: "The money is essential to the regeneration of Burnham.
"We are told that we are to expect a lot more visitors to the site and we need to think about access and we need to prepare."
The third and final round of the Coastal Communities Fund opened for Stage 1 'Expression of Interest' applications on March 19 and closes on April 30.
