ANNAN Harbour regeneration plans received a huge boost this week with the announcement of £1.3 million more in funding from the Scottish Government.
The investment means phase one of the harbour’s redevelopment, which includes a new heritage visitor centre, community hub, cafe, water sports lagoon and environmental improvements, can start early next year.
The £15.6 million project is being led by Annan Harbour Action Group (AHAG) and they hope it will grow tourism in the town
and offer employment and skills development opportunities for local people.
Development manager Alan Thomson yesterday said: “We are immensely grateful to Dumfries and Galloway Council’s economic development team and the Scottish Government for this award.
“While we were confident that our project will indeed bring vacant and derelict land into productive use for the community, we did not underestimate the task of securing such a large amount of capital funding in these difficult times. With this boost we can now push on and appoint contractors with a view to beginning construction early next year.”
Mr Thomson confirmed other funding has already been secured from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund Round 3, Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Community Led Economic Regeneration Framework and South of Scotland Enterprise.
If work can get underway in 2026, then the anticipated completion date is spring 2028.
AHAG chair Richard Brodie added: “This award is a massive boost to the Annan Harbour Project. It means that we don’t have to scale back on our ambitious plans and that we can deliver this signification regeneration of Annan on or ahead of schedule.”
Also welcoming the latest chunk of cash, Cllr Ian Blake, chair of the council’s economy and infrastructure committee, said: “We are delighted with the news that the Annan Harbour Project has been awarded £1.34 million from the Scottish Government’s Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme. This additional investment towards the Annan project within the Three Rivers Active Tourism Project demonstrates the power of community-led regeneration as a driver for local economic growth.”
The money is part of a £21 million government pot that aims to unlock economic growth and tackle poverty across Scotland by bringing disused and derelict sites back into use.
