A Scottish Government minister has marked the official start of work on the first phase of redevelopment at Midsteeple Quarter in Dumfries.
Planning and Community Wealth Minister Tom Arthur visited the town centre regeneration project yesterday as he announced £3.4m of support from Holyrood towards the £7.2m transformation of the former Baker’s Oven.
The disused site at 135 to 139 High Street is being turned into new homes and business units.
Years of campaigning and fundraising by townsfolk to bring the former Baker’s Oven and four other buildings into community ownership has enabled the project to reach this point.
The funding package supporting the first major phase of work is made up of:
Scottish Government Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) - £3.46m.
South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) - £2.19m.
Dumfries and Galloway Council (via the Place Based Investment Programme) - £916,889.
Holywood Trust - £350,000.
Dumfries High Street (trading as Midsteeple Quarter) - £300,000.
Arthur said: “I welcome this project to bring vacant buildings at Midsteeple Quarter back into use as housing and other sustainable solutions to meet the town’s needs and interests. It is already helping people to live well locally.
“Innovative projects like this demonstrate the powerful role communities can have in helping transform their town centres and neighbourhoods by investing in their future, and I’m delighted that investment from the Scottish Government and COSLA’s £25m Regeneration Capital Grant Fund will help make it a reality.”
The scheme is expected to take about 18 months to complete.
Katie Hagmann, chair of the Economy and Resources Committee for Dumfries and Galloway Council, said: “It is important to not only preserve our historic environment, but to improve the area, which will encourage new businesses and boost footfall in our town centres.”
Karen Ward Boyd, director of The Holywood Trust, said: “The initiative is ground-breaking and will start to change the way we as a community use the town centre, importantly developing what it has to offer to a wider range of people, particularly young people.”
Midsteeple Quarter chair Peter Kormylo thanked the funders for their support.
“We are incredibly proud of the progress that the people of Dumfries have made to get us to this stage and extremely grateful to everyone supporting us financially for the faith they are showing in helping turn the ambitions of townsfolk into a reality.
“A lot of eyes are upon us as we demonstrate how community ownership can deliver a stronger, fairer, more sustainable future.”
RH Irving Construction was selected to carry out the phase one works, following a competitive tendering process. The project is being managed by construction project management firm Nixon.
Planning permission for the transformation of the former Baker’s Oven was granted in 2020. It will see the building transformed and extended, creating enterprise space at ground level and part of the first floor, as well as seven flats on its upper floors.
The creative enterprise area will include space for pop-up projects, one-off events, long-term units for hire, a retail unit and co-working space.
The homes - which will be owned by Midsteeple Quarter Community Benefit Society - will be available to rent at an affordable-to-mid-market rate.
The community benefit society also owns numbers 109, 111, 113-115 and 117 High Street.
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