Councillors have issued heartfelt pleas for a share of the £315million City Region Deal money promised to Inverness and the Highlands to save their respective business communities.
Almost a year after the investment was confirmed, a formal agreement is due to be signed off next week.
Highland Council has presented a wish-list to both the UK and Scottish governments.
It included a request for up to £109million for remedial work at the former Longman landfill site to pave the way for a new industrial estate and an application for £15million to turn Inverness Castle into a tourist attraction.
Updating councillors yesterday (WED) on the governance of the funding process, Highland planning director Stuart Black explained that the money would flow through the council and to partner organisations.
Nairnshire area leader Michael Green emphasised the “region” element of the initiative in making a determined pitch for his part of the Highlands.
“We look forward to getting things going in Nairn,” he said.
Ross-shire member Jamie Stone similarly argued for the investment to benefit towns beyond the Highland capital.
Highlighting the loss of high street retailers in Tain, he told colleagues he was saddened to “almost see tumbleweed blowing down” the road as a symbol of a once busy commercial area.
“It’s happening in other town centres,” he said, “but Tain is slightly more hard hit than others.
“It’s a trend, we know that. But to echo what councillor Green says, the idea that this is ‘Inverness and the regions’ is very important.”
Planning director Stuart Black said a town centre action plan had already been carried out into Tain’s prospects for the future and that officials were “very conscious” of the issues.
“There’s not too much within the city region deal around town centres but there is some of the housing element that might be possible and some of the assisted care, but we’ll bear your points in mind.”
