On 5 September a meeting of the Stornoway Forum agreed proposals to utilise £100,000 of Crown Estate Revenue to support the uplift of Stornoway Town Centre.
At the meeting it was unanimously agreed that £20,000 of the funding would go towards the cleaning up of the Town Centre. It was also agreed to explore the costs of options to reduce vehicle access to pedestrian areas within the town. The Forum also recognised that there is a need for an ongoing annual maintenance plan for the area.
The Forum Meeting was chaired by Depute Leader of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Cllr Duncan Macinnes with Stornoway Councillors and representatives from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Stornoway Community Council, Western Isle Lifestyle Lottery, Stornoway Port Authority, Stornoway Trust and Stornoway Traders Group in attendance.
Speaking following the meeting Cllr Duncan MacInnes, said: “This funding will allow for positive changes to be made and real improvements to be applied to Stornoway Town Centre. With the development of the Deep Water Port and high levels of footfall in Stornoway it is important that the Town Centre is a functional and welcoming place that serves the interests of local residents, businesses and visitors. To ensure that these aims are met it was important to gather relevant stakeholders together as part of this decision making process, I would like to thank all present for their valued contributions and participation.”