£140,000 boost for Tarbert building restoration project
Plans to revitalise Tarbert by restoring historic buildings and bringing them back into use have received a £140,000 funding boost.
The Tarbert Heritage Regeneration Scheme also aims to support local business and tourism and provide more educational and working opportunities to encourage young people to stay in the area.
It is one of eight projects across Scotland to benefit from £863,050 funding awarded by Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NHLF).
HES and the NHLF have joined forces to provide the funding through the new Heritage & Place Programme run by HES to support the regeneration of Scotland’s places, and the NHLF’s Thriving Place commitment to create better places to live, work and visit.
In addition to the £80,000 secured for the Tarbert Heritage Regeneration Scheme – £40,000 from HES and £40,000 from the NHLF – Argyll and Bute Council is providing match funding of £60,000 for the initial development phase.
A project officer will be appointed to undertake the first phase which will include: development and submission of the delivery application; engaging with the community and forming a partnership group to help shape the project’s key actions; priority building surveys and cost analysis; an energy efficiency pilot scheme; and a skills audit.
The initial phase is required to help inform priorities for the scheme. The council will then seek a further funding bid to deliver key actions over the next five years.
“We are excited to work with the community to develop the first phase of the Tarbert Heritage Regeneration Scheme,” said Councillor Alastair Redman, policy lead for economic growth and communities.
“The funding from NHLF and HES is a welcome boost that will allow us to work with partners to raise awareness of Tarbert’s rich heritage and culture.
“Regeneration and ongoing investment is critical for Argyll and Bute’s long-term economic success. That includes attracting the right skills and people to the area and creating employment and housing opportunities for our communities. We can’t wait to get started and deliver real benefits for Tarbert.”
Susan O’Connor, head of grants at HES, said: “Heritage-led regeneration and the reuse of historic buildings is an important catalyst for generating long-term social and economic benefits, and I’m incredibly excited to see the plans develop over the next 12 months to help contribute to a vibrant and sustainable future for each of these eight places.”
Caroline Clark, the NLHF director for Scotland, added: “The funding we have announced, thanks to National Lottery players, will help revitalise eight communities across Scotland leading to potential investment of up to £19.8 million.
“Our aim is to help drive heritage and community focused regeneration, helping local people to deliver long-term, sustainable improvements.
“By working jointly with HES we have been able to double the support offered to these communities, so that whether these initiatives are focusing on a small coastal town or a post-industrial city centre, each place can approach its regeneration with ambition, imagination and heritage at its heart.”
The Tarbert Heritage Regeneration Scheme builds on success from other schemes that have seen an increase in housing supply, grants for shop improvements and empty historic buildings transformed into business and residential units across Argyll.