£1.5 million targeted at tackling empty Dumfries town centre buildings

Funding of £1.5 million is going towards tackling empty buildings in Dumfries town centre.

The Dumfries Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS), Dumfries Partnership Action Group (DPAG), Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and the council have come together to develop Dynamically Different Dumfries.

The project focuses on the high number of vacant units and low numbers of residential occupancy in the town centre.

Now Dumfries CARS will see investment of approximately £1.5 million into the conservation area through contributions from the local authority, HES, private investors and other sources.

A council spokesperson said: “This CARS scheme will give Dumfries a much-needed boost, preserving our historic infrastructure and revitalising the town centre.

(Jim McEwan)

“Property owners will be able to repair and rejuvenate their own properties, leading to a more attractive and prosperous environment. The addition of the education programme, which will provide our young people with the skills they need to plan their future careers, is an added bonus.”

Dumfries CARS will feature two grant schemes offering part-funding to repair prominent traditionally-constructed buildings and bring them back into full use. Other aims include improvements to the public realm, a training, education and awareness programme and two grant schemes.

The priority grant scheme will make substantial funding for targeted, disused properties available with the aim of bringing them back into use in entire-building renovation.

(Jim McEwan)

The programme will be used to help local regeneration partners such as Midsteeple Quarter and social enterprises such as Wheatley Homes.

The four targeted properties are 8 English Street, 11-17 English Street, 117-119 High Street and 130-132 High Street.

A small grants scheme will offer funding to any owner of a traditionally constructed building in the CARS area.

This fund offers smaller amounts, up to £25,000, typically for the repair and restoration of individual features of buildings, such as replacing uPVC windows and doors with traditionally styled timber units or restoring historic shopfronts.

Amy Eastwood, head of grants at HES, said: “Heritage-led regeneration and the reuse of valuable heritage assets bring innumerable benefits to our towns and cities including creating jobs, attracting investment, increasing tourism and having a positive impact on our health and wellbeing.”