7 Town Centre Funding projects agreed for Badenoch and Strathspey communities

Highland Councillors at the Badenoch and Strathspey Area Committee today (Monday 9 February 2021) have unanimously approved 7 projects that will be offered a total £111,724 Scottish Government Town Centre funding to help deliver economic stimulus in the eligible settlements of Aviemore, Grantown-on-Spey, Kingussie and Newtonmore.

Projects need to have started by the end of March and grant spent by the end of September.

Councillors today agreed that the following 7 successful projects will be offered Town Centre Funds:

• Aviemore Village Green - £29,300 to Aviemore Community Enterprise for further hard landscaping works to the village green including: re-surfacing paths, access ramp, improving access for all abilities, and new stone-built seating to make the area more useable and create a more attractive environment.
• Aviemore War Memorial - £24,504 to Legion Scotland (Aviemore Branch) for environmental improvements to the War Memorial site including: groundworks, natural stone planters, steps from main street to memorial, new paving, a Poppy sculpture, memorial poppy wreath stand and a stand and electrics for Christmas tree. 
• Grantown Square - £7,570 to Grantown Initiative for the supply and installation of new electrical ducting and cabling to replace existing faulty network in the Square. In turn this will stimulate greater use of the space for outdoor events. 
• Caberfeidh Horizons, Kingussie - £22,000 to Caberfeidh Horizons for further physical improvements to the community hub including a new front door and 8 replacement windows. 
• Gynack Gardens, Kingussie - £10,350 to Kingussie Community Development Company for further environmental improvements to the garden. Proposed works consist of: new bench seating, extension and planter; power supply for Christmas tree; new fencing; relocation of the roe deer sculpture to beside the river bank; mature flowering specimen for North end (bus stop); two new all ability picnic benches; Spring woodland bulbs provided for the Primary school to plant; installation of additional safety barrier opposite school; maintenance of wild flower meadow; and removal of the avenue of 10 old Cherry trees. 
• Market Stance Playing Field, Kingussie - £10,000 to Kingussie Camanachd Club to assist in the upgrade of the Market Stance Playing Field. The project is to fence the boundary, install floodlights, and do some ground works and grass seeding. 
• Newtonmore War Memorial - £8,000 to Newtonmore Business Association to improve accessibility to the War Memorial by carrying out improvements to the paths. 

Cllr Bill Lobban, Chair of the Badenoch and Strathspey Area Committee said: “I am absolutely delighted that my fellow Members have agreed to these Town Centre funded projects across our area in Aviemore, Grantown-on-Spey, Kingussie and Newtonmore. The applications are all from groups within the heart of our communities and they will provide a much-needed boost to local morale and will also provide much needed construction work for local businesses.

“I am delighted with this Scottish Government funding and should future funds become available again, I urge local communities to have projects shovel-ready so that they can apply.”

The projects chosen have been agreed upon their eligibility and deliverability within the tight timeframe of 31 March 2021 and their ability to provide local community benefit and economic boosters as quickly as possible.