An Aberdeenshire community is fighting to reclaim its town square and turn it into a magnet for tourists.
The area in the heart of Stonehaven is surrounded by thriving businesses – but is currently an Aberdeenshire Council-owned car park.
Now the town’s community council is leading a push to transform it into a space where locals and tourists alike can gather and enjoy the atmosphere of the port.
The group has teamed-up with S2 pupils at Mackie Academy, who have made turning the area into something special the subject of a class project.
Their ideas include everything from installing a fountain as the town square centrepiece, to erecting a talking statue and a seating area lit up using solar power.
Vice-chairman of Stonehaven and District Community Council, Phil Mills-Bishop, said: “We’d like to look at regenerating our town square.
“There has been some movements in other towns. At the moment our square is a car park, and not a very nice one on a dreich day.”
He added the plan was to “make it an attractive town centre that will attract tourism as well” and said there was even the possibility of getting a wifi hot spot set up in the square.
Mr Mills-Bishop said: “Really we’d need to dress the square for each season and reduce the number of cars and make it much more of a communal space.
“There is some fantastic ideas the school has come up with. It is the car park area we are concentrating on that.
“I know there is a lot of fear, the council is saying it would be losing income and shopkeepers are nervous about moving cars.
“I think if you had a space that was an active, bright space you’d get more people and footfall.
“Many who park their cars don’t necessarily go into the shops, don’t necessarily shop there. It is something we have to work hard on.”
An Aberdeenshire Council spokesman said a community-wide discussion would be needed before anything took shape in Stonehaven town square.
He added: “We are aware that Stonehaven Community Council are discussing changes to the town square.
“Any proposals would obviously need to be consulted on widely, involving the community and local businesses.”