Fort William 2040 (FW2040)

Overview and public consultation

A Masterplan and Delivery Programme for Fort William and Lochaber

Fort William 2040 (FW2040) is an ongoing project to co-ordinate and deliver a shared Vision for the future of Fort William and Lochaber. This Vision and accompanying Masterplan and Delivery Programme, have been prepared with feedback gathered from consultation events held in 2018 and 2019 involving people living, working, and investing in the area. Ongoing engagement events and consultation continue to generate feedback on the Vision, the individual projects it contains, and on the place Fort William and the wider area could and should be.

Current priority projects and consultations are highlighted on this page. The full list of all 2040 projects can be found by clicking the links in the menu on the left.

Fort William Integrated Transport Plan

In June 2025, AECOM / Stantec were commissioned to produce an Integrated Transport Plan (ITP) for Fort William. This study is the culmination of efforts to address long-standing issues with the resilience and reliability of the trunk road network through the town. The commitment to road improvements and implementation of the recommendation contained with the Scottish Government's Strategic Transports Project Review 2 for an ITP are a cornerstone of the 2040 Vision.

Initial work has involved comprehensive data collection including traffic surveys and junction turning counts undertaken in August and November 2025. This will inform the development of an updated transport model that will be used in the appraisal of different options. The consultants are currently working to develop a robust wider evidence base as well as undertaking work to review and validate previously identified problems, Transport Planning Objectives (TPOs) and options, ahead of detailed appraisal that will include wide public and stakeholder consultation in 2026. Work on the ITP was also recently presented at the Partnering for Progress community engagement event in the Nevis Centre (see Community Engagement below). The posters presented at that event can be accessed - HERE. Every effort is being made to ensure that work on the ITP aligns with other work streams and projects in and around Fort William e.g., the new hospital and the Town Centre Masterplan.

The study is overseen by a client delivery group comprising HITRANS, Transport Scotland, the Highland Council including FW2040, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. HITRANS are the lead commissioning body. Updates will be provided here and on the dedicated project page (which includes FAQs) as the study progresses including details for any upcoming consultation.

Community Engagement on FW2040

There is a commitment to ongoing consultation on the range of individual projects that make up FW2040. Since the original stakeholder and community events in 2018 and 2019, the following engagement events have been held through the course of the programme. These have been free drop-in events accessible to all:

Partnering for Progress, Nevis Centre, 12th November 2025
Fort William Town Centre Masterplan Community Engagement, Fort William Libary, Feb-March 2024
FW2040 Consultation, Caol Community Centre, 2nd November 2022

You can view more information about the events in the following articles - Fort William 2040 public event hailed a success.

You can download copies of the two keynote presentations from the 2022 event, together with the feedback report below.

Details on the Town Centre Masterplan engagement are provdied below. Feedback from all these events help shape the future direction of FW2040.

Fort William Town Centre Masterplan and Deliverability Framework

As part of the FW2040 Vision, work is underway on a project to develop a dedicated Masterplan and Deliverability Framework for the regeneration of Fort William town centre.

Commissioned in partnership by the Highland Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and the Lochaber Chamber of Commerce in August 2023, Threesixty Architecture have developed a draft Masterplan for Fort William Town Centre. The Masterplan is based on planning policy, local strategies, and guidance, informed by discussions with a range of key stakeholders and organisations. It was presented at a one-day public event at the Nevis Centre in November 2023 and the current working draft was produced in January 2024.

View the draft Fort William Town Centre Masterplan (Main document)

View the draft Fort William Town Centre Masterplan (Appendices)

The Masterplan offers a vision which shows more town centre residential accommodation, an improved night-time economy, greater green space, new retail, culture, and leisure uses, and a shift in the relationship between the town centre of Fort William, the A82, and the waterfront by focussing on a number of sites throughout the town centre.

The Masterplan is illustrative, Its purpose is to set out ideas and options as to how Fort William could develop with the ambition being to transform the town centre into a vibrant, textured, varied, safe and inclusive place to live, work and play.

Community Engagement on the Town Centre Masterplan

A 4-week public exhibition of the Masterplan which was hosted in Fort William Library on the High Street in Feb and March 2024 has now finished. A range of community engagement work including sessions with students at UHI NW+H, Lochaber High School pupils, and with local businesses through Lochaber Chamber of Commerce has also been completed.

Feedback received on the Masterplan has been collated and is reported here.

View the Fort William Town Centre Masterplan Addendum - Community Feedback (Aug 2024)

A second document has also now been produced which sets out how the feedback received has been addressed by the design team and is reported here.

View the Fort William Town Centre Masterplan Addendum - Design Team Response (Jan 2025)

This includes more detail on specific comments received about aspects such as:

building ownership
public realm improvements
waterfront access and development
the A82, transport and parking
leisure and cultural facilities
building reuse and design
funding and timescales

In the coming months, the commissioning partners will aim to progress elements of the Masterplan. This will include prioritising proposals and planning their delivery and implementation. Information and updates on this process will be provided on these pages and in Fort William Library. This process will include further community engagement at appropriate stages. However, you can get in touch to discuss the Masterplan at any time at regeneration@highland.gov.uk.

Fort William Town Centre Masterplan Feedback Form

View the Public Exhibition Banners

View the original Fort William Town Centre Masterplan Developed Brief

Information on how we use your data can be found on our privacy notice.