This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Minister on fact-finding trip to South
13/08/2003
Lewis Macdonald will see first hand today how European
funding is helping local projects and boosting the economy
in the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway areas.
The Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong
Learning's fact-finding visit to the area will also enable
him to see how Executive programmes are helping youngsters
into their first jobs.
MOUNTAIN BIKING, PEEBLES:
Centres of excellence for mountain biking across the
Borders and Dumfries and Galloway area have already boosted
local employment and tourist numbers. Deputy Minister for
Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Lewis Macdonald will see
for himself the initial success of the project when he
visits one of the completed centres later today
(Wednesday).
The 7stanes Mountain Biking Project at Glentress Forest
near Peebles is one of a network of seven state of the art
mountain biking centres currently being created by the
Forestry Commission Scotland. FCS is working with local
partners on the projects, which have been awarded £916,000
match European structural funds over three years.
"I'm impressed to see how local areas can take advantage
of the increase in mountain biking to boost the economy and
add value to the area's vital tourism industry," said Mr
Macdonald.
"The Borders and Dumfries and Galloway regions are
ideally placed for these projects, with their fantastic
scenery and the commitment of the Forestry Commission
Scotland to work with local partners to create centres of
excellence" he said.
The total number of jobs created so far is 35, while
visitor numbers have been boosted by 176,500. The aim is
ultimately to create a total of 93 new jobs across the
seven centres over the next three years.
This weekend a major national mountain bike race is
being held in Traquair Forest, Innerleithen, just five
minutes from Glentress. With over 300 riders attending, the
Tweed Valley Forest Park area is providing a massive
tourism boost to the Scottish Borders.
DUMFRIES CAREERS CENTRE:
The Minister will meet four young people from Dumfries
and Galloway at the Dumfries Careers centre, to discuss
with them how their involvement in the Executive's
transitions to work programmes have helped them move from
school to training and work.
At the nearby Crichton Campus, Mr Macdonald will see how
structural funds worth £484,627 are helping to create a
regional centre for enterprise, research and training at
Browne House.
CRICHTON CAMPUS, DUMFRIES:
Mr Macdonald will launch the Crichton Economic Impact
Assessment Review, which details the continuing economic
benefits of the Crichton Campus and business park (see
Notes to Editors).
"It's encouraging that structural funds can make a real
difference to local economies. At the Crichton Campus the
new centre will further strengthen the area's
competitiveness as a location for small and medium sized
businesses - good news for the people and the economy of
Dumfries and Galloway," he said.
NORTH WEST DUMFRIES RESOURCE CENTRE PROJECT:
Mr Macdonald will also see how local services including
childcare, employment training and business advice will be
provided under the one roof of the nearby North West
Dumfries Resource Centre project.
European funding worth £677,916 is contributing to the
total project cost of £1,431,202, which involves converting
Lincluden House, a former care home. Other funding is
provided by the Executive and Scottish Enterprise Dumfries
and Galloway.
The Deputy Minister will see work in progress at the
Resource Centre, before presenting certificates to the
Centre's first European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL)
graduates.
ETTRICK AND YARROW MILL COMPLEX, SELKIRK:
At Selkirk, he will review progress of the refurbishment
of the old Ettrick and Yarrow Mill complex, a Grade A
listed property in the centre of Selkirk Riverside
Industrial area.
More than £1 million European funds have been awarded to
the project, which will cost a total of £2,897,495. This
will transform the traditional mill complex into a Business
Creation Centre fit for the 21
st century, with workspaces, small incubation
units and training facilities.
"It's particularly important that the business
facilities we help to provide are of high quality, helping
to achieve the aims of our economic strategy, Smart
Successful Scotland.
"The project at Ettrick is a fine and imaginative
example of transforming traditional but outdated buildings
into state of the art business facilities, helping to
create and sustain business in the area," said Mr
Macdonald