Progress update
Our £70 million Rural Growth Deal for Argyll and Bute continues to progress. We are pleased to provide a progress update here:
- Progress update - March 2024
- Progress update - December 2023
- Progress update - September 2023
- Progress update - May 2023
- Progress update - January 2023
- Progress update - March 2022
- Progress update - June 2022
- Progress update - September 2022
Introduction
Our £70 million rural growth deal is about turning economic potential into a successful future for Argyll and Bute. It’s about investing in initiatives that will turn the area’s fantastic natural resources and business innovation into a thriving local economy.
Bringing this transformational investment to Argyll and Bute has been a partnership effort, of public, third sector and private organisations, and local people who gave clear public backing for a deal.
Thanks to this joint effort, sectors that are key for a rural economy will benefit from vital funding.
Argyll, Bute and our 22 other inhabited islands bring together much of what is best about Scotland – natural resources that drive forward national and international business markets, expertise that inspires innovation, and people committed to developing the prosperous future the area needs and deserves.
With work and shared effort, we will turn this funding into transformational economic growth for Argyll and Bute.
Councillor Robin Currie
Leader of Argyll and Bute Council
Next steps
The council, UK and Scottish Governments agreed the ‘Heads of Terms’ on 11th February 2021. This sets out the general areas for investment.
You can read the Head of Terms Agreement here
These include aquaculture, innovation, tourism, housing, digital connectivity and skills for a rural economy.
The next stage is for the council and its rural growth deal partners to develop business cases that will set out the detail of projects for delivery. This is expected to take 1-2 years to complete and it is only following approval of these business cases by both Governments that rural growth deal funding becomes available for use.
The rural growth deal programme is expected to be delivered over a 10 – 15 year period.
Vision for investment
Our rural growth deal proposals are about placing investment where it will best develop Argyll as a successful region and economic driver for Scotland and the UK.
We developed them in discussion with partners, and with feedback from the public.
The proposals are designed to deliver success across Argyll and Bute, based on three key drivers:
- Connecting: our high value business sectors with national and international business markets; our local economic successes with national strategic priorities
- Attracting: additional skills, training and learning opportunities; new residents, visitors and businesses
- Growing: doing more of what works; making more of our natural and built resources
Find out more about living, working and learning in Argyll and Bute.
Find out more
Public backing for a
rural growth deal for Argyll
Read some of the comments from the consultation
Read our Rural Growth Deal proposals
Answers to some questions you may have