This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Euro funding for Highlands & Islands
15/01/2004
European funding of around £11,509,000 to help a variety
of projects across the Highlands and Islands was announced
today.
This latest round of funding, worth a total of £28.6
million when match funding is included, is invested in 105
local projects promoting community facilities, economic
development and businesses in the Highlands and
Islands.
The Western Isles Broadband Project will receive up to
£2,575,000 to establish a high performance Broadband
Network throughout the Western Isles. The network will
provide valuable support to business in a particularly
fragile area.
The Trials, Training and Test Facility at Janetstown in
Caithness has been awarded £1,400,000. The project
involves the construction of a bespoke industrial building
and associated office block.
The office block will also house North Highland
College's Decommissioning and Environmental Remediation
Centre. This will contribute towards the decommissioning of
the Dounreay Nuclear Reprocessing Facility.
Deputy Enterprise Minister Lewis Macdonald said:
"I am delighted to announce today a further injection of
European funding worth £11.5 million under the Highlands
and Islands Special Transitional Programme.
"This latest round of funding brings futher support to
the area, contributing to the local economy through
business development and training initiatives.
"The successful organisations deserve great credit for
the work that they have done to be awarded this funding.
The real work will now begin to implement these
projects."
The Highlands and Islands Special Transitional Programme
was approved by the European Commission in August 2000. It
provides around E300 million (£185 million) over the
2000-2006 period to support projects that contribute to the
economic development of the areaa.