MOVES to make it easier to use for rural businesses to use farm buildings were unveiled by the Government yesterday.

A consultation will be launched on making it easier to allow existing agricultural buildings to be used for other business purposes.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) also announced it would provide up to £1m for a new sustainable rural tourism initiative in the North East – with a total of £25m to support rural tourism.

Defra said the North East project would help tourism businesses offer activities and accommodation, which celebrate and connect visitors with local areas of outstanding natural beauty and national parks.

The news formed part of a £165m package pulled together by ministers in a bid to boost the rural economy.

Some £100m will be available to help rural businesses, alongside grants totalling £20m to extend superfast broadband to the remotest areas – on top of £530m being spent on the issue.

A further £15m will be provided to establish new rural growth networks to help areas overcome barriers to growth such as poor infrastructure, scarcity of premises and lack of business networks.

And loans worth £15m have been pledged for community-owned renewable energy schemes and a £500,000 competition launched to support innovation in the agri-food sector.