PLANS submitted to DEFRA aim to support 139 businesses and create 79 jobs in rural Northamptonshire.

Northamptonshire is stretching its development strategy into rural areas of the county with proposals to support 139 businesses and create 79 jobs by 2020.

The North and West Northamptonshire Development Strategy 2014-2020 also envisages bringing 1,420 acres of existing woodland back into commercial management.

The full proposal was made by Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

It hopes to attract £2.1m to invest in about 70 individual projects.

The initiative would provide support for rural tourism with the aim of increasingvisits by 16,000 overnight stays a year.

It also seeks to increase farm productivity and diversification, support small businesses, increase rural service provision, boost forestry productivity and highlight cultural and heritage activity.

Approval of the overall fund from DEFRA is expected in November, with a view to grant funding becoming available to businesses from January 2015.

Bids for match-funding will be invited from businesses wishing to get qualifying projects off the ground in the north and west of the county.

Subject to approval, companies in the rural areas of Daventry, East Northamptonshire, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough will all be entitled to benefit.