Regeneration projects in disadvantaged and rural communities across Scotland will receive a share of almost £27 million funding.

The investment will support schemes tackling child poverty and addressing issues like addiction and suicide prevention, while creating jobs and growing local economies. It supports town centre regeneration by bringing derelict buildings back into use and creating new buildings for the community or for commercial purposes.

The Regeneration Capital Grant Fund, delivered in partnership with COSLA and local government, supports locally developed place-based regeneration projects that involve local communities, helping to tackle inequalities and deliver inclusive growth in deprived, disadvantaged, and fragile remote communities across Scotland.

£300,000 has been granted to the development of the Larkhall Business Micro Hub is an important milestone in plans to evolve Larkhall town centre.

Commenting, Christina McKelvie MSP, the SNP MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, said:

“This is an important moment for my constituency. This grant given to Larkhall’s Business Micro Hub has the potential to generate a valuable boost to the local economy in Larkhall, creating jobs and opportunities for my constituents.

“The COVID-19 pandemic – as everybody knows – had an impact on small, local businesses. But there was a particularly negative impact on local businesses that were situated in town centres, that relied on town centre footfall for the health of their business, and that were unable to pivot to the virtual world that accompanied the pandemic.

“So, in my eyes, the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund is an invaluable investment by the Scottish Government, and I am so pleased that a healthy proportion of the fund is finding its way to Larkhall. It’s what my constituents deserve.”