Work to redevelop Fraserburgh’s Saltoun Chambers and former police station starts today.
The historic buildings are being converted into a new face for the local authority as part of a £5million scheme to regenerate the port’s high street.
The start of the long-running project, which was first mooted in 2015, will be marked by two massive paintings of the town’s forefathers being hoisted out.
The portraits of Sir Alexander Fraser, founder of the town, and of the 16th Lord Saltoun are so large that they will be lifted out of the building’s first floor window by crane.
They will be stored at the Aberdeenshire Museum Service in Mintlaw until the refurbishment works are complete.
Last night, the council’s director of infrastructure services, Stephen Archer, said the public would have the opportunity to give their views on how the new facility would be used at the town’s Super Saturday event this weekend.
He said: “Fraserburgh 2021 will have an information stand where people can find out more about the project and see a plan of the public realm area and sample of some of the materials which could be used.
“The display will then be moved to the Here for You Centre in the town centre for the next two weeks so as many people as possible can have a chance to give their views.”
Brian Topping, the former chairman of the town’s regeneration group, added: “There has been a lot of work by council officers and the previous administration to get to this point.
“It’s good that people in the town will finally start to see things happening.”
