Councillor Alastair Redman, Kintyre and the Islands
Argyll and Bute Council approved a development plan that paves the way to a dedicated Heritage Regeneration Scheme for Tarbert.
The scheme will see historic buildings restored, traditional skills training and potential housing opportunities explored.
The council secured funding from Historic Environment Scotland’s Heritage and Place Programme (HPP) and National Lottery Grants for Heritage to develop the Regeneration Scheme for Tarbert and submit a delivery phase application for a five-year scheme.
The council has secured £40,000 from HPP and £40,000 from the National Lottery.
Councillors confirmed £60,000 of match funding from the council through Crown Estate funding.
We’re excited to hear more about how Tarbert will benefit from a dedicated Regeneration Scheme.
By endorsing the match funding of an additional £60,000, we can now develop detailed plans of how to deliver regeneration over a five-year period.
We have seen first-hand how other areas across Argyll and Bute have benefitted from similar regeneration schemes.
By investing in the key projects, properties take on new leases of life providing business and accommodation opportunities that prompt further investment to the local economy. I look forward to plans progressing.
The HPP is the new name for Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS). Over 12 years, the council has successfully secured eight rounds of CARS funding, totalling £23 million of investment to six key town centres.
The next steps include recruiting a project officer to help identify priorities for Tarbert.
This will include engaging with the community and forming a partnership group to help shape key actions including priority building surveys, an energy efficiency pilot and a skills audit to help identify community training opportunities.
Tarbert play park success – at the recent Mid Argyll, Kintyre and Islands Area Committee, I agreed with my fellow councillors: to note the breakdown of engagement and consultation responses in each area with the majority of responses focussing on new/replacement equipment, agree that officers make arrangements for a Business Day to agree how the funding will be spent in Mid Argyll, Kintyre and Islands; and agree to progress Tarbert play park and supplement the current funding available with £20,000 from the Scottish Government Play Park Funding allocation.
This is a welcome outcome and something I have long campaigned for as local councillor. All of our play parks must be made safe and fit for purpose as soon as possible.
Ferry fiasco – the costs of two CalMac ferries have risen yet again and the delivery date for Glen Rosa has been pushed back to May 2025.
Successive SNP transport ministers have betrayed islanders time and time again, and it is disgraceful that they will have to wait even longer for one of these vessels to be delivered, with Glen Rosa set to be seven years late.
These ferries must be delivered without any further delay and with costs to the public purse kept to a minimum.
First Minister Humza Yousaf must agree to a full independent inquiry into this shameful waste of taxpayers’ money.
Gigha Primary School winners – well done to Syd and Brogan from Gigha Primary School who won The Campbeltown Courier’s competition to design a logo to celebrate the newspaper’s 150th anniversary.
The winning logo was put onto bunting, mugs, and a beautiful cake that the children got to take home.