Funding of £683,000 from the government's Town Centre Fund has been secured for a number of projects to improve Alloa town centre.

The Town Centre Fund supports councils to ensure that town centres are more diverse, sustainable and successful in the face of changing and evolving retail patterns.

As part of ongoing consultation on Alloa Town Centre in partnership with Alloa First, CTSI and Architecture and Design Scotland, five projects that are transformational and important catalysts to further transformation and regeneration were identified for capital funding. They address town centre issues such as sustainable transport, congestion, pedestrian connections and anti social behaviour:


• Active Travel Hub – a third sector led project to create active travel hub and visitor information centre including public toilet using vacant building and streetscape enhancement. Indicative cost contribution £200k, with potential for part funding from other sources

• King Street – enhance safe crossing opportunities and associated environmental improvements. Indicative cost £186k

• Link between King Street & Drysdale Street – complete route to/from station and provide safer crossing point. Indicative cost £138k

• Shillinghill –re-model social space and improving physical and visual connection to college. Indicative cost £100k

• Bank Street – re-model open space, improve connections and open up area. Indicative cost £50k

Cllr Craig Holden, Spokesperson for Environment & Housing said: "We want our town centres to be sustainable and thriving places where our communities can enjoy living and working, and this funding is an important step towards making improvements to Alloa. This list of projects has been chosen by working with our partners to identify issues that need addressing, and this funding is part of the bigger picture which will lead to the next stage of transformation for Alloa town centre."

(MH/JG)