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Good news for Moray


By Staff Reporter

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Grant Lodge at Cooper Park may be renovated as part of the Cultural Quarter plans for Elgin.
Grant Lodge at Cooper Park may be renovated as part of the Cultural Quarter plans for Elgin.

WHAT benefits Elgin will also benefit Forres and the rest of Moray.

That's the message being put forward following the announcement of the £65million growth deal for Moray.

The cash – given half and half by the Scottish and UK governments – will be spent on some or all of 14 local projects.

Although the details of these are still under wraps, what is publicly known is that Moray Council wants to create a 'Cultural Quarter' in Elgin.

Stating that the growth deal is "one hundred per cent good news for Moray", councillor George Alexander said: "Some people are already complaining that too much of the money will end up going to Elgin.

"I don't agree with that view. Elgin is the capital of Moray. That's where many visitors arrive.

"We need to make it an attractive place to visit, and then send the visitors out to other areas such as Forres.

"This is going to benefit all of Moray."

Cllr Alexander (Forres, Independent) also praised Rhona Gunn, Moray Council's head of economic development, who he states has done more than anyone to strike the deal.

Welcoming the deal herself, Mrs Gunn, stated it would "herald a new decade of economic progression" for Moray.

She added: "This substantial investment in infrastructure will encourage our already considerable industries to grow while attracting new businesses and talent into the region.

"The aim is to create a wealth of employment opportunities for our young people by investing strategically in our already established industries, while aiding expansion into new fields through increased innovation in the area.”

Councillor Claire Feaver said she was anxious to make sure that Forres benefited form the growth deal cash.

However she also pointed out that Forres would ultimately benefit if Elgin was made more attractive to tourists.

She said: "Even if one of the projects is an Elgin Cultural Quarter it will encourage people to come and they will filter outwards. This is a fantastic development which should help instil confidence in the future of Moray's economy."

Donna Chisholm, HIE's area manager who is based on the Forres Enterprise Park, also welcomed the deal.

She said: "The public consultation undertaken as part of this deal has been hugely influential in developing the proposed projects, including a greater emphasis on job creation, education, businesses, leisure and recreation facilities."

Details are still sparse, but the Elgin Cultural Quarter would be centred on the Cooper Park and Lossie Green area of the town. It might see Grant Lodge, which has been derelict since a fire in 2004, reopened as a whisky museum.



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