A vital bid for £50m to help bring the Eden Project North to Morecambe is all set to go in - but the government's website isn't ready to accept it.
The Eden bid was due to go in to the Department for Levelling Up on July 6 but the 'online portal' for submitting applications has not yet been opened.
A government spokesperson said: “We’re working to open the online portal for the second round of Levelling Up Fund bids as soon as possible.
“Once it’s open it will be live for two weeks to give applicants time to put their bids in.”
The government's website said: "We will update GOV.UK with the planned date for the portal’s launch at the earliest opportunity.
"We encourage applicants to use this additional time to develop their bids and make use of the range of fund specific guidance, webinars and technical teach-ins available on GOV.UK, to support the development of high-quality bids."
A spokesperson for the Eden Project said: "As previously announced, Lancaster City Council will be submitting a bid for £50m of public investment in Eden Project North to the Government’s Levelling Up Fund.
"This bid will be submitted once the online portal opens."
Beyond Radio understands that Eden and the city council were originally working towards a date of July 6 for submitting the bid.
SEE HERE: July 6 date revealed for crunch £50m Eden Project North bid - Beyond Radio
The delay will also affect Levelling Up bids from other communities across the country.
WHAT IS THE EDEN PROJECT NORTH?
The planned Eden Project North could pull £1m visitors annually to Morecambe, according to estimates.
The eco-attraction on Morecambe Promenade will combine indoor and outdoor attractions, themed around Morecambe Bay, and will include plants, art and interactive exhibits, a concert area for live music events, three cafe/restaurants and a visitor centre.
The scheme was given planning permission in January.
Private and philanthropic funding is in place for the project, which Eden is planning in partnership with Lancaster City Council, Lancashire County Council, Lancaster University and Lancashire Enterprise Partnership.
The Eden team has said they hope to be on site to begin work by the end of the year or early next year, should their £50m bid to the government be successful.
The Eden Project eco-visitor attraction in Cornwall has transformed the region's economy since opening in 2000.
WHAT IS LEVELLING UP?
The government said its £4.8bn Levelling Up strategy aims to "ensure all parts of the country share equally in the nation’s success".
It will pay for "investing in infrastructure that improves everyday life across the UK, including regenerating town centre and high streets, upgrading local transport, and investing in cultural and heritage assets".
The first round of Levelling Up bids took place last year. The Eden Project application is due to go in as part of the second round of bids, with other submissions from around the UK.
Michael Gove, the Levelling Up Secretary and a driving force behind the strategy, was sacked on Wednesday after urging Boris Johnson to resign as Prime Minister.
Other Levelling Up ministers were among a raft of resignations from government roles last week, as many Conservatives urged Mr Johnson to quit in the wake of a series of controversies surrounding the PM.
Mr Johnson announced his resignation on Thursday. A Conservative leadership contest has been announced, and a new Prime Minister is expected to be in place in September.
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