£2.5m regeneration boost for historic communities

Published 8 Sep 2010 08:30

Funding of £2.5M for heritage-led regeneration was announced by Minister for Culture and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop this week.

Visiting a successful scheme in Kilmarnock, the Minister urged other local authorities to follow East Ayrshire’s example to use the Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) grants to revitalise key historic buildings.

The grants breathe new life into run down areas through the restoration of important buildings and supporting projects that enhance the understanding of an area’s heritage,

Fiona Hyslop, Minister for Culture and External Affairs, said: “These grants have already made a huge difference to 27 projects in 19 different council areas. Since 2007 £13.5m has been spent revitalising our historic communities in this way. The investment has meant that the architecture, building styles and materials that make our towns, villages and communities unique are properly preserved.

“The repairs being carried out on high streets and in town centres maintain those distinct identities, improving them for the people who live, shop and work there.

“These are difficult economic times and I urge more councils to follow the example of East Ayrshire Council. Three projects here have been awarded grants - two here in Kilmarnock and a further one in Cumnock. There is £2.5m available to help other councils kick start regeneration projects like this across Scotland.”

Leader of East Ayrshire Council Douglas Reid said: “East Ayrshire Council is proud to be leading the way with CARS. Kilmarnock and Cumnock are fortunate to have some outstanding historic buildings.

“Sadly many of these had fallen into a poor state of repair. This scheme is already bringing huge benefits to the towns, breathing new life into tired buildings, making them fit for a multitude of uses for generations to come. With this funding we can help owners to achieve high levels of restoration using tailored, traditional materials and methods best suited to their unique built environment With CARS we are rebuilding an architectural landscape to be proud of.”

CARS specifically target historic areas with social and economic disadvantages that make it difficult to attract investment in sustainable regeneration.

Funding can be used for repairs and improvements to private homes and businesses as well as restoring local landmarks to bring them back into use. Local authorities can also use the money to appoint qualified conservation staff to guide the project or provide training in traditional skills.

Owners can apply for small grants for improvements such as restoring sash and case windows or clearing gutters. Funding is also provided to enable education, training opportunities and spearheading work to public spaces.

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This article appeared in Cumnock Chronicle 08 Sep 10

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