£1.625 million funding boost for Kirkwall conservation area project

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has earmarked £1.625 million in funding for Orkney Islands Council’s £3.4 million plans to regenerate Kirkwall’s historic town centre.

The funding is for a Townscape Heritage Initiative Scheme (THI) in Kirkwall, similar to the scheme that has been running in Stromness.   

The OIC will now begin working on more detailed plans for using the funding, with details to be submitted to the HLF in early 2014. If the submission is approved at this stage, the scheme will start next summer.

Council convener, Councillor Steven Heddle, said: “This is fantastic news for Kirkwall. The decline of town centres across the UK has been well-documented so to get HLF’s initial support is a massive boost for the town centre, particularly when taken alongside the recently launched Kirkwall BID project, and our earlier success in attracting Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme funding.

“We all want to see the town centre thrive as the main place to shop, work and enjoy yourself, whilst preserving its character. Now we have the means, as well as the enthusiasm, to work together to make this happen.”