How it all began
Campbeltown Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) and Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme Round 1 were multi award-winning programmes that kick started Campbeltown’s regeneration from 2007 to 2016. From initial council funding of £200,000, £3.5 million was levered in to restore some of the town’s finest buildings and support home owners and businesses to repair their properties. Total spend was £8m taking into account private owners contributions and other funding. The additional funding came from Historic Environment Scotland, Heritage Lottery Fund, Argyll and the Isles LEADER, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and various smaller funders. Over the course of the project, 88 grants, totalling £1.8 million were awarded, which led to £7 million being spent on 40 town centre buildings. More than 2,000 square metres of vacant floor space was brought back into use and 140 original timber windows were saved. Seventeen traditional shopfronts have been reinstated. Local contractors benefited from the work, with more than 40 being involved. Jewels in the crown of the first phase of regeneration included Campbeltown Town Hall, where funding and support from THI helped South Kintyre Development Trust lever in more funding to bring the hall back to its former glory and into community ownership. The project won a Herald Property Award in 2016. The derelict Old Schoolhouse, in Big Kiln, became a community-run 16-bed bunkhouse. Urgent repairs to 50-52 Main Street stopped a gap site forming and the building won a number of awards, including the Outstanding Project award at the 2016 Scottish Empty Homes Conference.