Two of Moray’s rural estates are in line for a substantial investment over the next two years.
Crown Estate Scotland will be supplying £4.5million to support tenants in their day-to-day operations at their locations.
Areas of Glenlivet and Fochabers will be upgraded thanks to this cash boost.
Four new general purpose buildings are to built on farms at Glenlivet, with a range of improvements also planned to other properties there to prevent damp and strengthen roofs.
The Tomintoul and Glenlivet Landscape Partnership will recieve a monetary contribution to pay for works undertaken by them, while a surrender payment will free up a farm for re-letting.
On the Fochabers estate, a new replacement silage pit will be funded and installed.
The £4.5million investment is to be implemented over the next two years, with most of the funding going towards upgrading, renewing and replacing agricultural infrastructure.
Fiona Simpson, asset manager at Crown Estate Scotland, said that supporting tenants was an integral part of their company’s strategy.
“We always aim to support our tenants and be a landlord of choice, and this capital investment programme is further demonstration of that,” she said. “As the needs and requirements of our tenant farmers are constantly evolving, we can’t stand still.
“We continue to work to find new ways of helping to ensure they have the facilities they need to benefit their operations, which in turn is good for the wider local economies where they are.”
Estates at Applegirth in Dumfries and Galloway and Whitehills in Midlothian will also be given funding for essential repair works and upgrading.
The Crown Estate own about 115 farms and over 200 agricultural tenancy agreements spread across the four locations and is responsible for ensuring that the land is used in a way which brings environmental, economic and social benefits to the wider community.
In addition to the aforementioned upgrades, a programme of electrical and asbestos related works will be carried out, as well as ongoing improvements to the farms water supplies.