Regeneration project ‘progressing well’

Work is ‘progressing well’ on the second instalment of a Campbeltown regeneration project, a council report has revealed.

Details were given in a report to Argyll and

Bute Council’s environment, development and infrastructure committee at its virtual meeting on March 4.

The document also reveals details of an app which it is hoped will bring more walkers, cyclists and whisky enthusiasts to the area.

In the report, dated January, executive director Kirsty Flanagan said: ‘Following a successful bid to CARS Round 6, the council secured funding of £990,000 from Historic Environment Scotland (HES) in March 2015 to deliver Campbeltown’s second CARS, building on the success of the Campbeltown round one CARS and Townscape Heritage Initiative (2007-2015).

‘CARS round six started on April 1 2015 and was due to end on March 31 2020. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, a one-year extension has been approved to enable final reporting and

evaluation work to be completed. This work is progressing well and is due to be completed in late February/early March 2021 for submission to HES. A final progress report is due to be submitted to the Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands area committee in June 2021.

‘During the delivery of the scheme, additional funding was secured and a number of savings were identified. The total project budget increased from an initial £2.2million to almost £2.9million.

‘The main capital element of the works is complete, with a total of eight priority building repair projects complete.’

She added that a Discover Campbeltown digital app was launched last September to encourage more people to visit the area, featuring walking, cycling, heritage and whisky trails.