Funding of £25,000 has been secured to conduct research on the possibility of creating a seawater intake pipe pumping system in Machrihanish.

Argyll and Bute councillors approved the funding in a meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee on Thursday, 16 August.

The feasibility study will cost £50,000 in total, with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) providing the remaining £25,000.

The system could eventually serve a new aquaculture hub in the area.

A report outlined how developing a state of the art land-based aquaculture innovation hub at Machrihanish Airbase Community Company (MACC) will lead to a variety of small business and research units growing up around the site with the potential to significantly improve employment and further investment opportunities for the local economy.

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Following the P&R Committee's approval of the recommendation to release the funding, Councillor Aileen Morton, Policy Lead for Economic Development, said: "It is a key priority of this council to attract investment in Argyll and Bute and to make the area as attractive as possible for people to live and work, and for businesses to invest.

"The development of an aquaculture hub at MACC is exactly the kind of thing that we believe can set us apart from other parts of Scotland and give us a real chance to improve employment opportunities and bring in future investment. This feasibility study will give us a clearer picture of what is possible at the site and I'm pleased that we have been able to progress this idea one step further with this funding."

(CM/LM)