From Skye to Dumfries and the slate shores of Luing, a wave of regeneration is sweeping across the Highlands and beyond, with over £21.5 million set to transform abandoned buildings and empty land into spaces full of life and purpose.
This bold investment from the Scottish Government will revive 24 long-neglected sites, creating more than 160 jobs and opening up nearly 900 training opportunities for people across the country.
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes returned to her Highland roots this week, announcing the new funding during a visit to Powderhall in north Edinburgh, where a former waste depot will be turned into 259 new homes, including a good share of affordable housing.
But it’s not just the cities reaping the benefits.
On the Isle of Luing, a once-bustling slate quarry will be brought back into community hands, honouring island heritage while creating work and training for local people.
Further north in Skye, the old Borrodale School will be reborn as warm, energy-efficient homes, giving fresh purpose to a building that once shaped young island minds.
The Highlands will also see investment in Glen Urquhart’s public hall, helping to preserve this vital gathering place for generations to come.
And from Glasgow’s creative rebirth at a former glue factory to new green spaces in Cumbernauld and a family hub in Dumfries, the funding touches every corner of the country.
This is about more than fixing up tired places.
It’s about restoring pride, building opportunities, and helping communities shape their own futures.
“For places that have been left behind, this funding is about more than just buildings,” said Kate Forbes.
“It’s about bringing life, hope and energy back into our communities.”
The funding comes from two government pots: the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund and the Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme.
From next year, both will be merged into a single, streamlined fund to make it easier for communities and councils to get the backing they need.
Councillor Gail Macgregor of COSLA said the diverse projects prove that locally led regeneration works.
“The people who know best what their communities need are the ones who live there,” she said.
“This investment helps them turn that knowledge into action.”
In Edinburgh, work at Powderhall is already underway, with the stable block carefully restored to preserve its heritage while laying the foundations for new beginnings.
Lezley Marion Cameron from the City of Edinburgh Council called the regeneration “complex, challenging and costly,” but said the results would be worth every effort.
These are not quick fixes.
They are carefully chosen projects that reflect the heart and soul of the places they serve.
Across Scotland, from city centres to coastal crofts, change is coming.
And it starts with believing in the power of communities to lead the way.
