A major renovation of the historic Whithorn Old Town Hall is nearing completion, backed by an £80,000 funding injection from SP Energy Network's Transmission Net Zero Fund.

The ambitious construction work, which has primarily focused on deep energy efficiency retrofitting, has been the flagship project for the social enterprise Building Futures Galloway, serving as a critical training scheme for local young people.

The Old Town Hall, which has been vacant since 2011, was originally constructed in 1814. The restoration project is using the renovation process to teach the next generation valuable, traditional construction skills, particularly the historic lime-stone techniques native to the Galloway area.

Key construction and sustainability elements delivered in the project include:

–Insulation Upgrades: Extensive insulation works using traditional lime-based insulation measures were installed. These measures are anticipated to bring the two-hundred-year-old building's thermal performance in line with modern new-build standards.

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–Decarbonisation Technology: The installation of a new air source heat pump. The combination of the heat pump and the insulation upgrades is projected to reduce the building's overall emissions by as much as 59%.

Building Futures Galloway, which was founded in 2021, offers young people aged 18-25 opportunities to learn traditional trades, including masonry, joinery, and blacksmithing. The project's success is being used to safeguard historic construction skills for the future.

Julia Muir Watt, Finance Volunteer at Building Futures Galloway, praised the work of the trainees: "This has been a landmark project for us. We know from speaking to members of the community, and from listening to feedback from those who have come along to our visits, just how much the restoration of the Old Town Hall means to Whithorn.

"With the support of SP Energy Networks, we've been able to restore a building that was once the heart of the town and create an affordable and environmentally friendly space for a whole host of groups to take advantage of.

"The progress made so far is testament to the skills of the young people working on the project - who have all embraced traditional methods to create something that is truly special."

Scott Mathieson, Network Planning and Regulation Director at SP Energy Networks, whose £5 million fund supported the project, highlighted the skills development aspect: "Building Futures Galloway is a shining example of the creativity and ingenuity we're seeing from the projects backed by our Net Zero Fund recipients. We're proud to be a part of protecting not just an iconic local building but also safeguarding historic construction techniques by creating skilled tradespeople who can carry them into the future."

The social enterprise has also welcomed local school pupils and the public onto the site throughout the renovation to provide first-hand learning about the methods used in the construction process.