Place-Based Investment funding awarded for Inverness projects

Locals and visitors in Inverness area are to benefit from major funding awards agreed by the City of Inverness and Area Committee today for a number of sports, retail/leisure/tourism and community projects.

Inverness Councillors have agreed ‘Place Based Investment Programme’ funding for the Victorian Market - Market Hall and Fish Market refurbishment project; the Inverness Campus Sports Development project; and 4 other projects.

The Scottish Government’s Place-Based Investment Programme (PBIP) gave Highland Council £1,963,000 ring-fenced money for 2021/22 and area distribution of the grant was agreed by Members of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee in September last year. The City of Inverness Area Committee (CIA) was allocated £640,433. 

Provost and Leader of Inverness and Area Cllr Helen Carmichael said: “The ‘Place Principle’ of PBIP aims to ensure that local investment is relevant to local communities for the benefit of local people and brings relevant services, enterprise, and communities together to make towns, villages, and neighbourhoods more viable. 

“This aspiration of the Place Based Investment Programme supports the City of Inverness Area Committee’s commitments to support the social and economic recovery of Inverness city and area.”

Members at the (8 March 2022) City of Inverness Area Committee have agreed £79,000 PBIP to address engineering and service challenges of the Victorian Market refurbishment project.

Approval was also given for investing £335,499 PBIP in the Inverness Campus Sports Development project. 

The following PBIP applications were also approved by Councillors:

Glen Urquhart rural Community Association was awarded £45,000 towards replacement costs of a new roof for the Glen Urquhart Public Hall. 

Inshes Community Association was awarded £93,191 to build a wheeled sports park (scooters, bikes, skateboards roller blades) in phase 2 of Inshes Park. 

The Church of Scotland was awarded £74,343 for their community resource project at Crown Church for rewiring, lighting, stonework repairs, double glazing, insulation, further AV installation and a small amount of access safety works to the attic space. 

Ardersier Community Hub was awarded £13,400 to purchase and install outdoor gym equipment at a yet to be confirmed location in Ardersier.