FOUR projects in the Highlands have been offered a total of £252,468 in Scottish Government town centre funding, the area’s local authority has announced.
Work on the projects will be required to have commenced by the end of March and grant spent by the end of September.
Of the funding, £34,510 will go towards The Highland Council’s plan to ‘declutter’ Inverness High Street and improve the environmental aesthetics and to make a better pedestrian/cyclist experience by having fewer obstacles.
A further £112,958 will fund the local authority’s shopfront improvements project as part of the wider £10 million redevelopment of 7-17 Union Street. Ground floor retail frontages will be enhanced in a bid to preserve the historic character of the original property and townscape of the city centre.
Glen Urquhart Community Council will receive £75,000 to demolish a vacant former shop building. The plans form part of a wider The Highland Council and Highland Housing Alliance project to repurpose adjacent land for affordable housing, with the land occupied by the vacant property being considered for parking.
£30,000 will ensure completion of a final refurbishment of a pavilion in Inverness which will be used as a Men’s Shed.
Provost and leader of Inverness and Area, councillor Helen Carmichael, said, “Inverness Councillors welcome this town centre funding from the Scottish Government which aims to stimulate local construction activity and support employment in these very difficult Covid-19 times of economic crisis.
“The projects chosen have been agreed upon their eligibility and deliverability within the tight timeframe of 31 March 2021. These shovel-ready projects will provide community benefit and economic boosters as quickly as possible using the funding.”
