A Project Manager has been appointed for a £3.4m project which aims to regenerate the heart of Kirkwall, Orkney.

Miriam Frier, who led a similar project in Stromness, will head the development and implementation of the Kirkwall Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) which will also incorporate a Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS).

Both will run from 2014 to 2019 within the conservation area of Kirkwall.

The project will fund property works and bring vacant space back into use as well as work alongside other businesses, contractors, residents and visitors on traditional building skills training and other initiatives.

Earlier this year, the local authority successfully secured a Stage One Pass for £1.625m from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for the THI strand of the project. This followed an earlier award of £1.2m from Historic Scotland for the CARS project.

The Council will also contribute £600,000 from its own budget to bring the total fund to £3.423m.

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Ms Frier will now work with the local community, stakeholders and appointed consultants to put together a Stage Two submission to the HLF in April 2014, after which the Council will find out if they have secured the full funding available.

This will include a series of consultation events which will collect views on the target projects identified in the Council's Stage One submission to the HLF and identify others which will have a major regenerative effect on the town.

Elsewhere, a team of consultants, headed up by architects Gray, Marshall and Associates, will be in Orkney over the next month exploring Kirkwall's conservation area and speaking to local business organisations.

Ms Frier said: "Many people will be familiar with the THI scheme having visited Stromness where a similar project is presently running, or having read about it in the press or been involved in one of our training initiatives.

"It's a key time to be developing a project of this kind as it complements other Council initiatives within the wider Kirkwall Regeneration Strategy. We will be working closely with Anthea Hume from the Kirkwall Business Improvement District, elected members and other stakeholders to ensure we can maximise the offering for businesses and visitors in the town centre and throughout Kirkwall.

"Some ideas already discussed include an MP3 audio tour for visitors, a web presence for all businesses and training in traditional building skills for contractors.

"We have a unique environment in Kirkwall and I would encourage the local community to get involved in the development of our Stage 2 submission by coming along to the community events to ensure the project is shaped around your views."

(JP/CD)