Airport government investment still up in the air

Argyll and Bute Council officials have worked with civil servants since April to identify possible initiatives to be supported by the scheme.

Community digital hubs, and affordable housing for key workers, also feature in potential projects, along with proposals for other areas of Argyll and Bute.

All projects previously identified as part of the area’s initial Levelling Up bid, including Rothesay Pavilion and the Dunbeg Corridor, remain on the agenda.

The name of the fund has also been changed from Levelling Up to Housing, Communities and Local Government following the general election on Thursday July 4.

The details featured in a report that went before the full council at a specially-convened meeting in August.

Executive director Kirsty Flanagan said the council received an update on the Levelling Up process in April 2024 and since this date council officers have worked with UK civil servants to inform the selection of possible projects including identifying possible projects that could be council led.

But in her report she said: “This all changed when the UK Government announced a general election to be held on July 4. At that point civil servants stopped engaging with the council and this remains the case at the date of writing this report.

“The new UK Government has dropped the term Levelling Up with the Department dealing with this agenda renamed Housing, Communities and Local Government.

“In the interim period council officers have been reaching out to other Scottish Council’s that have been awarded Partnership funding and also looking at manifesto priorities of the new UK Government. This has resulted in a number of proposed changes to projects."

As currently understood, the UK Government will undertake the full business case work supported by the council as they consider appropriate.

A letter has already been drafted by the leader of the council to highlight the need for further investment in Argyll and Bute to grow our economy and address identified infrastructure needs.

This week Highlands and Islands MSP Tim Eagle  urged the UK Labour Government to “keep the faith” and support proposals to invest in Oban Airport’s aviation business park.

The Scottish Conservative MSP said: “The previous UK Conservative Government had ambitious plans for Argyll and Bute through its Levelling Up strategy and I very much hope that the new Labour Government will keep the faith and press on with these proposals, which include supporting development at the aviation park.

“It will be tempting for Labour politicians to tear up existing work just because it was driven forward by their predecessors, but that would be a very negative approach."

Councillor Yvonne McNeilly (Cowal ward – Conservative), a member of Argyll and Bute Council’s Policy and Resources Committee, added: “We are very keen to see this investment happen. Attracting new businesses to our communities is absolutely vital and all levels of government have an important role to play in creating the conditions for business growth.”