The Orkney Manifesto Group is satisfied to note that the regeneration initiatives proposed for Kirkwall have reached another early milestone.

Orkney Islands Council is urging the public to get behind its plans to regenerate Kirkwall’s town centre, by registering their support via an online questionnaire.

The Council will be submitting grant applications later this year to Historic Scotland and the Heritage Lottery Fund for building restoration and regeneration works in the town’s conservation area.  A key aspect of the application process will be to demonstrate the level of public support for the plans.

If the grant application is successful the funding would be invested into similar projects to the Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) currently running in Stromness.  This has seen a number of historic buildings either being brought back into use or having traditional features reinstated.  The THI project also funded the replacement of concrete paving slabs with traditional flagstones in the town centre.

Cllr John Richards comments, “The Orkney Manifesto Group, among others, proposed these regeneration initiatives for Kirkwall in the run-up to the May election. We are delighted that the OIC has taken the proposal on board and is now preparing applications for funding. We hope that the folk of Orkney, not just Kirkwall will seize the opportunity to add their support for the project.” 

The survey will run until August 20. 

To read the news item on the OIC web site, click here.

To take part, click here. 

More information on the Stromness THI and the benefits that it has brought to the town is also available by clicking here.