Whithorn place plan gets green light

WHITHORN is one step closer to securing significant capital funding for six priority projects as its place plan progresses.

Members at the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal Partnership recently met and approved the town’s place plan, enabling the community to progress to the next stage of the process.

The plan highlights the community’s ultimate six initiatives for the town which include: improvement, reinstatement and care of buildings; intergenerational upskilling and training; improve connections within and beyond Whithorn; safeguarding existing heritage assets; places to wait and rest and ‘filling the gaps’ in the bus service.

Taking these initiatives into consideration, there have been six priority projects identified and proposed by various groups within the town, the proposed projects are:

• South Machars Community Centre Evolution
• Reinstatement of Derelict Historic Building at Grapes Hotel
• Net Zero Training Flagship at Whithorn Old Town Hall
• Centre for Understanding Early Mediaeval Scotland
• Aet Hwitan-Aerne: Re-building Whithorn’s Anglian Minster
• Townscape Improvements at the Heart of Whithorn

Each of the priority projects will be considered for funding based on whether it meets specific Borderlands criteria and importantly how they would benefit the community of Whithorn.

Councillor Stephen Thompson, leader of Dumfries and Galloway Council, who sits on the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal Board, commented: “The Borderlands Place Programme is an integral part of the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal which sets out to provide financial support to enable towns and town centres to become more economically resilient and make the most of local cultural and heritage assets.

“This approval from the Borderlands Partnership is welcome and positive news and it will give the local community of Whithorn and a real boost to reach this milestone. Their hard work in progressing their Place Plans and respective visions for the future are significant achievements and ones they can be very proud of.”