Bid to develop empty properties

2nd March 2015

Chance for communities to revitalise town centres.

Towns will be able to bid for new funding to help them find ways to develop empty and underused properties in their areas, Social Justice Secretary Alex Neil has announced.

The new Asset Mapping Funding Pots will give development trusts the chance to conduct surveys, work with stakeholders and consult with their communities on the best methods of rejuvenating their town centres.

Mr Neil announced the £50,000 fund on a visit to Clackmannan whose development trust was established in direct response to issues faced in its historic town centre and across the wider community. He said:"The Scottish Government is clear, our towns should be vibrant, attractive and safe places where local people and visitors want to spend their time and money.

“Understanding the nature of the assets in a local area - whether it's buildings, artefacts or active community groups - is fundamental to revitalising town centres.

“This new funding will give development trusts opportunities to carry out fact finding exercises and to directly consult with their communities on how town centre activity can be prioritised to meet with their aspirations.

“Across Scotland we are seeing more and more examples of business and residents taking the initiative and regenerating their area. The people who work and live there are the ones best placed to understand, identify and promote the opportunities that lie within their town centre.

“I look forward to seeing how the Trusts who are successful in their bids, use the funding pots to develop plans which will help to prioritise support for local assets, which will then attract new uses, new business and revitalise local economy."

There are currently more than 226 development trusts operating across Scotland. Development trusts are owned and managed by the local community with the aim of regenerating or addressing specific economic, social, environmental or cultural issues in their area.

The funding will be administered by Development Trusts Association Scotland (DTAS), the network for community-led regeneration in Scotland.

Ian Cooke, the director of DTAS said:"Communities have a key role to play in leading or contributing to town centre renewal processes.

“These grants will enable a number of communities to explore and define what that contribution might be - whether it is finding productive uses for empty buildings, identifying new enterprise and business opportunities, or running cultural and social activities which support our high streets.”

Since it was established by residents in 2013, the Clackmannan Development Trust has introduced an annual Christmas lights switch on, conducted surveys to get views for a Community Action Plan and encouraged organisations to bid for a share of a £20,000 participatory budget spending pot.

Robert Horne from Clackmannan Development Trust said:“Although still in its early stages the CDT has already had a positive impact on our community. From the off our main objective has been community consultation and engagement which has allowed us to gather important information on what the people of Clackmannan and its environments would like to see happen to make the town a better place to live, work and to visit.

“To date one of the main themes which continues to be raised is the regeneration of our historic town centre with our heritage playing a central role. We have taken on board the aspirations of the community to unlock the potential of the old county town and have already hosted and filmed a special ‘History of Clackmannan’ event.

“Partly as a result of this historic event we now have a vibrant town centre regeneration sub group who are currently discussing a long term project plan for a substantial programme of works to enhance the existing town centre, improve access and encourage more visitors to the area.”