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Councillors have approved nearly £600,000 investment in projects aimed at revitalising town centres across the area.

Funding comes from the Scottish Government’s Place Based Investment (PBI) Programme, and Crown Estates Fund. Projects include:

• Lochgilphead - support for the repair and safeguarding of two more priority buildings and improvements to the area’s visual appeal.
• Helensburgh Pier – enhanced landscaping and lighting of Helensburgh Pier to improve the visual appearance of this part of the waterfront
• Tobermory harbour wall and railings (Phase 2) – increase the wall height and introduce new railings to Tobermory Harbour as part of the next phase of harbour improvements. The council has allocated £200,000 funding towards the Phase 2 works with a funding bid to Islands Programme being submitted for the remaining £250,000 – total project cost £450,000.
• Jura passenger ferry infrastructure –at Feolin pier replace the existing ladder system with a small pontoon and gangway boarding arrangement

At the Policy and Resource Committee, councillors also approved an amendment to a previous allocation of £50,000 Crown Estate funding to ����ֱ�� Coast and Countryside Trust (ACT) for providing Bute and Cowal climate change satellite pods. Following consultation between ACT and local organisations, the investment will now provide:

• £10,000 for Bute Community Forest to provide e-bike and mountain bike access to the forest. The funding will pay for a handover station for the transition between e-bikes, which are unsuitable in the forest, to mountain bikes. This would enable the journey from Rothesay to be car free and would also provide a ‘carbon free’ product
• £40,000 for the council to lead improvements to the Dunoon Bike Bothy project including secure bike storage, a tool library, food share initiative, and support for the development of cycling in the area.

Policy Lead for Economy and Rural Growth, Councillor Robin Currie said:

“The use we’re making of this funding will deliver benefits for residents and visitors alike. This is another step forward in developing ����ֱ�� and Bute as a great place to live, work and visit.”