An ambitious regeneration plan which could be worth tens of millions of pounds to four north-east ports has been backed by councillors.
Successive Aberdeenshire Council administrations have committed cash to improving Peterhead, Fraserburgh, Banff and Macduff. The proposals have finally come to fruition.
Yesterday the authority’s policy and resources committee met at Woodhill House to approve a deal which has been years in the making.
Aberdeenshire will fund £5million of investment from its own regeneration reserves and the remainder will be sought from private sector funding and European and government grants.
Projects include a drastic £50million overhaul of Peterhead Harbour which is already underway thanks to European investment.
Elsewhere Fraserburgh – which was badly affected by Young’s Seafood axing hundreds of fish processing jobs last year – will be the home to a seafood centre of excellence.
The £2million scheme involves hiring a team of chefs to create recipes and open a “seafood park” where fish processors can be based together.
In Banff nearly half a million pounds will be spent boosting the local economy including resurrecting a historic silversmith business.
And in neighbouring Macduff the council will spend another £500,000 raise the profile of the popular aquarium.
It is estimated that the projects could create as many as 270 jobs, and launch more than 40 new businesses by the time they are complete.
The proposals were unanimously supported during yesterday’s meeting.
Fraserburgh councillor Brian Topping said: “I’ve been anxious for this item to come up. I think for the whole council and for the four towns this is wonderful.
“It’s one of the best bits of news in my 32 years as a councillor. This is a massive investment. It’s fantastic news for the four towns.”
Opposition leader and Conservative councillor Jim Gifford said: “If this is what the four towns want, who are we to argue with them.
“There are some ambitious figures in here – particularly the jobs created and the jobs sustained – so I would like to see regular monitoring reports coming back.”
Labour councillor Alison Evison said: “The regeneration action plans are making use of what’s already in the area – they’ve got a good basis.”
Councillors also agreed to release £600,000 of funding towards a new sports development at Fraserburgh’s South Links.