The Dingwall Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) is to be launched this week as part of Dingwall Conservation Week.

Funded by Historic Scotland, LEADER and The Highland Council, CARS is a celebration of the special historic environment of Dingwall Town Centre.

Dingwall CARS will run for five years until 2016, and aims to regenerate Dingwall High Street through the reuse and repair of its traditional shop-fronts and historic buildings.

It will provide training in traditional building skills for local contractors, grant schemes for the repair of historic High Street properties and aims to educate and engage with local pupils and the public on the significance and care of the historic built environment.

The launch week is set to feature a series of public lectures and walks highlighting the rich built heritage of the Dingwall conservation area.

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An exhibition will also be held in the Town Hall, which will include consultation information on the proposed extension to the conservation area boundary and an exhibition on the High Street 'Then and Now.'

Deputy Head of Investments with Historic Scotland, Thomas Knowles, commented: "Dingwall CARS is part of the wider investment by Scottish Government of £16m directly into our conservation areas. As a partnership between central and local government we aim to get funding allocated directly to those areas which require it, and enable this through local decision making.

"There is huge support for this project, from councillors, the community council, shop owners and local residents and I am looking forward to us working together over the next 5 years."

Chairman of The Highland Council's Planning, Environment and Development Committee, Councillor Ian Ross added: "Dingwall Conservation Week is a great way to celebrate the historic built environment of Dingwall's Town Centre and to launch the new Dingwall Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme. The Dingwall CARS will provide grants for the repair of historic properties and shop-fronts along the High Street which will contribute to the Council's continuing improvements in the town, building on the recent streetscape works. I hope as many people as possible take this opportunity to come along to take part in the special events and find out more about the project."

(JG/BMcC)