A SECOND bid for lottery funding to support the Madeira Terraces restoration project has failed.

Brighton and Hove City Council said Heritage Lottery Fund bosses had found “nothing wrong” with the bid, “but they simply don’t have enough funding for all the projects that applied”.

The council said in a statement: “Their funding has been cut by 50 per cent and this funding round was very competitive.

“The funding requests from all applicants greatly exceeded the budget available."

City council leader Dan Yates said: “While this is disappointing, we remain positive about future funding for the Madeira Terrace.

“Last year’s crowd funding campaign expressed the public’s desire to restore the Madeira Terrace to their former glory and we will continue to work hard to achieve this.

“Even without this funding, we are still going to restore the crowdfunded three arches and explore all avenues of funding to secure the future of the historic terraces.”

Over the years, Brighton and Hove has received Heritage Lottery funding for a number of projects including the Volk’s Railway (£1.65m), Saltdean Lido (£4.7m), the Stanmer Park restoration project (£3.7m), Royal Pavilion Estate (£5million), the council said.

The council said progress was continuing on the crowdfunded arches and it hopes work will start in the spring. In January it will open an office and community hub on Madeira Drive.