ANNAN Harbour Action Group will now assess other funding options after being unsuccessful in their Levelling Up bid.
The UK Government has handed out £18 million to projects in Dumfries and Galloway, but Annan Harbour missed out on the cash.
However, the work to redevelop the area continues.
Last week £13,500 was given to the harbour group from Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Economic Development Capital Programme as a form of assistance to enable the group to update proposals for the former Collet’s Building, support their planning application and prepare for external funding subissions.
Meanwhile, South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth expressed disappointment that the harbour missed out on a Levelling Up grant.
And he criticised the ‘lottery’ style approach taken on funding decisions which meant many worthy projects in the region missed out.
While welcoming the £17.7 million for Dalbeattie Rocks and Wheels, Stranraer Water Sports Centre, and the George Hotel in Stranraer, which he described as ‘hugely deserving’, the MSP added: “However, I was very disappointed that the other two bids put forward by Dumfries and Galloway Council were unsuccessful.
“In particular, this is a real blow for the Annan Harbour regeneration plans and I hope other means of funding will be able to be secured to ensure the scheme can move forward.
“This really throws into sharp relief the unpredictable ‘lottery’ nature of this funding pot. A lot of time and effort goes into developing bids for projects, the vast majority of which don’t receive support and the reasons why remain a mystery.
“The criteria and how decisions are made is largely shrouded in secret and do a bunch of civil servants in London really know what projects in Dumfries and Galloway should be supported?
“Changes could be made to the scheme to ensure councils received all the money and were then able to distribute it fairly across their area based on local need and knowledge of projects. At least then there would be some local decision making and local accountability.”
