A north-east community was given insight into a multi-million pound strategy to regenerate their town centre on Saturday.
The Fraserburgh 2021 project, which aims to revitalise the port through a small grant scheme, was launched by Aberdeenshire’s provost Hamish Vernal.
The scheme, which has already started with the refurbishment of the community’s former police station on Kirk Brae, which will become the new “face” of Aberdeenshire Council in the town, has been designed to transform Fraserburgh’s shopping district over the next four years.
It has been valued at £5.8million. And, on Saturday, a tour of buildings set to benefit from the strategy was undertaken.
Project manager Ross McCleary insisted it was important local people were given the chance to “fully understand” the programme.
Aberdeenshire Council’s regeneration manager, Christine Webster, added: “There is no silver bullet when it comes to meaningful regeneration – it takes time, a lot of effort, imaginative collaboration and investment over a sustained period to reap the rewards.”
Local councillor Charles Buchan said: “It has been almost four years to the day since we started this process, when we had our first meeting to discuss whether Fraserburgh town centre should be a conservation area.
“I was very, very proud on Saturday to see it launched.
“These things do take a while, obviously. We now hope that work starts very quickly and there are no more snags along the way.”
The £1.8million redevelopment of Saltoun Square includes a controversial “rusted steel” extension to the rear of the former council chambers.
The designs proved divisive when they were initially unveiled last year. And the port’s community council has asked the authority to reconsider the plan.
