The Highland Council has approved a series of local investment projects across the Black Isle and Easter Ross area including play park upgrades, regeneration funding and garage rent changes.
The decisions were made during the Black Isle and Easter Ross Area Committee meeting held on 11 May.
Committee members agreed to allocate £93,390 from Scottish Government Play Park Funding towards refurbishing three play parks within the Tain and Easter Ross ward.
The funding will support new accessible play equipment and safety surfacing at Grebe Crescent, Seaforth Court and Tain Links.
Chair of the committee, Lyndsey Johnston, welcomed the investment.
She said:
“This £93,390 allocation ensures that our young people will have access to safe, inclusive, and high quality outdoor spaces.
“By upgrading the facilities at Grebe Crescent, Seaforth Court, and the Tain Links, we are actively encouraging outdoor play and supporting the long term health and wellbeing of children in our communities.”
The committee also approved more than £114,000 in Community Regeneration Funding for projects across the Black Isle and Easter Ross area.
Projects receiving support included Gro For You in Tain, Invergordon Development Trust, Seaboard Memorial Hall and North Kessock Village Hall.
Funding awards included £20,800 for motorhome facilities at Gro For You, £40,780 for an Invergordon Development Trust development officer, £24,000 for the Easter Ross Peninsula Local Place Plan and £28,684.21 for resilience centre kitchen equipment at North Kessock Village Hall.
An application linked to Royal British Legion Invergordon Hall refurbishment was deferred for future consideration.
Johnston said:
“The Community Regeneration fund empowers us to support grassroots projects that make a real difference.
“The applications reviewed today highlight the incredible drive within our communities to improve local resilience, upgrade vital spaces and foster sustainable economic growth across the region.”
Members also agreed to an 8 percent increase in garage rents for 2026 to 2027 after reviewing options ranging from 8 to 10 percent.
The committee heard that any additional income raised would be directed towards repairs and maintenance for garages and garage sites across the area.
In other business, members approved recommendations to move forward with a proposed solar PV project at Blairliath Grazings near Tain.
The proposal will now move to Full Council for final approval and could generate long term income alongside supporting the council’s Net Zero ambitions.
The committee also reviewed ongoing work to address burial ground capacity concerns at sites including Alness, Portmahomack, Tarbat, Rosskeen and Tore.
