Work will begin next month to restore the fifth building to benefit from the Lochgilphead Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS).
The historic property, at 15-19 Argyll Street, is in poor condition and requires vast repairs to its roof, chimney, leadwork, stonework, and cast-iron goods restoration.
At Argyll and Bute Council’s Policy and Resources Committee, councillors agreed to allocate a Private Sector Housing Grant of £21,220 towards the project in addition to a CARS Grant of £166,000 and an owner’s contribution of £20,000. These proposed communal repair works, alongside a detailed maintenance plan, will safeguard the building for the next sixty years.
Jointly funded by the council and Historic Environment Scotland (HES) together with contributions from building owners, the CARS programme is a £2.3M heritage-led regeneration project that focuses on the regeneration of historic buildings as well as the promotion of traditional skills training and community engagement.
The programme aims to safeguard Lochgilphead’s heritage by supporting property owners to return their buildings and shopfronts to a good state of repair and boost the town centre’s visual and visitor appeal.
Other priority buildings that have benefitted from the scheme are 1 Argyll Street, 2-4 Argyll Street, 6-10 Argyll Street and 3-17 Colchester Square while improvement works are also underway at the following shopfronts: Argyll Café, Argyll Pharmacy, Argyll Wealth Consultants, and Café 35.
Council Leader, Councillor Jim Lynch, said: “The Lochgilphead CARS project has delivered a huge number of benefits for the local community, from traditional skills courses for school pupils and training and seminars for tradespeople, to shopfront improvement grants and homeowner property advice sessions.
“The largest visible benefit, however, is the work done to protect the future of the town’s built heritage. The regeneration work to priority buildings has helped to enhance the town’s infrastructure, preserving these historic buildings for generations to come and helping to ensure residents and visitors continue to see Argyll and Bute as a great location to live, work and visit.”
