Community Regeneration Funding awarded to Halkirk playpark project

Caithness Committee Members today (Monday 4 August 2025) have approved Community Regeneration Funding of £43,000 to go towards a project to redevelop Halkirk Playpark..

Community Regeneration Funding is an umbrella term for several funds that are available for communities/organisations to access in Highland. It currently comprises elements of the Highland Coastal Communities Fund (HCCF) and the Place Based Investment Programme (PBIP), both of which are Scottish Government Funding streams to support economic regeneration and sustainable development in Highland. Area Committees are awarded devolved allocations according to approved formulae and decision making on which projects should receive funding sits with elected Members.

Caithness area has available funding of £693,419.09 from the current CRF allocation which is a mixture of revenue and capital funding.

The £182,465 upgrade project includes work to completely upgrade all the play equipment at the Church Lane site, making it suitable for children with varying abilities. Works also include the creation of a shelter, fencing and groundworks to create an enjoyable safe space for the community to use.

Three further Caithness projects, which were invited to make an application for funding by Members, have asked for more time to develop their application. They will be brought to a future area committee meeting once they have been submitted and assessed as eligible:-

• Caithness KLICS – Wick Base Building Extension;
• John O’Groats Development Trust – Destination Playpark Project; and
• The Watten Shop Ltd – Shop Refurbishment

Chair of the Committee, Councillor Andrew Jarvie said: “The Community Regeneration Fund is about targeting support to the heart of community led projects.

“The number of applications that come forward from Caithness groups demonstrates a local need and the importance this source of financial support plays. On behalf of the Area Committee, I would like to wish the team behind the Halkirk playpark redevelopment the very best as they now move forward with their exciting plans that is going to greatly benefit local young people and their families as well as visitors to the area.”