A multi-million pound project to regenerate a north-east town centre has begun.
Full plans to breathe a new lease of life into Fraserburgh by bringing historic buildings back into use will be revealed at the weekend, with Aberdeenshire Council keen to hear what the public thinks.
The £5million project – dubbed Fraserbrugh 2021 – will take place over five years and aims to restore both the Saltoun Chambers and the town’s former police station.
The project has already been part-funded by Historic Scotland and the local authority, and it is hoped the shortfall will be made up with a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Last night, a spokeswoman for Aberdeenshire Council said an answer on whether or not the project will be funded is expected in March next year.
In the meantime, the authority wants to gather public opinion.
The plans will be on show at the market stall this weekend as part of the town’s monthly Super Saturday, and residents can have their say.
Mary Meville, vice chairwoman of the town’s community council, has encouraged locals to have their say.
“If anyone was ever going to do something for Fraserburgh, the time to do it is right now,” she said.
“We’ve waited long enough and people have always got something to say – although they don’t always say it to the people who want to listen. This is vital, really.
“If something doesn’t happen in Fraserburgh soon, the place faces becoming a ghost town.”
Meanwhile, survey work on the condition of other town centre buildings will continue.
Frithside Street and High Street are areas of interest the council, as well as a former John Trail bookshop which burned down and has been left unused since 2009.
David Aitchison, the chairman on the local authority’s infrastructure services committee, said the scheme was “exciting”.
“I hope that the local community take advantage of upcoming public consultations as an opportunity to have their say over the town’s future,” he added.
“The scheme will ensure that Fraserburgh’s historic environment is preserved and reinvigorated for future generations.”
Councillor John Cox, chairman of the Banff and Buchan area Committee, added: “The heritage and conservation scheme needs to serve local residents and that’s why it’s crucial that local voices are heard as early on in the development process as possible.”