Three Perth projects are set to share in a £5 million windfall aimed at bringing more people into the city centre.
The Lower City Mills, the former tourist information centre on the High Street and an empty property opposite the new Perth Museum are all being targeted for new funding.
Council bosses want to spend £3m on the Lower City Mills to create a visitor attraction with lettable office space.
Another £1.5m is earmarked for a former foundry in South St John’s Place. The plan is to turn the long-vacant building into “The Ironworks” – an exhibition and work space for local makers.
And a further £500,000 could be used to re-purpose the VisitScotland iCentre into a showcase for Perthshire food and drink.
It comes after Perth and Kinross Council was awarded £5m to invest in the city in the Westminster spring budget.
But the clock is now ticking on all three schemes.
The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has to agree to the plans before the money is released.
Bids have to be submitted by June 3.
And the council also has to demonstrate that it can deliver all three projects by March 2026.
Councillors will be asked to approve the three proposals and trigger a two-week consultation process next week.
Historic mill is jewel in Perth city centre crown
A previous bid to turn the A-listed Lower City Mills into a tourist attraction was scrapped late last year.
The new plan is to repair the historic fabric of the 200 year-old building – one of the few
surviving examples of an almost intact urban mill in the UK – and to restore the internal machinery and offer training in traditional skills.
It’s hoped this could attract 12,000 visitors a year.
The upper floors would continue to be used as office space.
Ultimately project leaders would like to re-power the mill and re-expose the lade along Mill Street. But that could cost another £1m, and could not be completed by 2026.
Foundry plan could trigger investment in Perth city centre
The £1.5m Ironworks project would be a stone’s throw from the new Perth Museum.
The former foundry at 12 South St Johns Place has lain empty for some time.
The idea is to create an exhibition space, with room for makers, studios, workshops and microbusinesses.
Councillors will be told the project could also act as a catalyst for neighbouring property owners to invest.
A report by economic development manager Anna Day and head of planning David Littlejohn states it would cost around £1.2m to buy and fit out the building.
But the pair say it could also generate £250,000 in income and attract 10,000 visitors a year.
Space for Perthshire food and drink to shine
The third plan is to re-energise the VisitScotland iCentre on the High Street into a shop window for Perthshire food and drink.
It comes after VisitScotland announced it was closing its tourist information centre in Perth. The Pitlochry, St Andrews, Aberfoyle and Stirling bases are also being axed.
The property is owned by the council.
The plan is to safeguard the provision of visitor information provision in Perth.
But it would also be a place where producers could market and sell Perthshire products direct to shoppers.
Food and drink events could also be held there, encouraging evening activity on the high street.
£5m is ‘unexpected bonus’
A report to next Wednesday’s meeting of the full Perth and Kinross Council makes clear the authority is working to “an extraordinarily short timeframe”.
It goes on: “The award of £5 million is an unexpected bonus, following previous unsuccessful bids to the Levelling Up Fund.
“It has, however, been challenging to identify and assess projects that can be delivered within a very tight timescale, and which also deliver real benefit to Perth and Kinross.
“In celebrating the area’s heritage, its crafts tradition and its world-class food and drink producers, officers believe the selected projects will make a significant contribution to Perth’s ongoing regeneration, and the area’s economic prosperity.”
Conversation