Plans for nearly 500 new Dumfries home receive near £1 million funding boost

Plans for a 21st century village with almost 500 new homes in Dumfries are a step closer following a funding boost of nearly £1 million.

The Crichton Trust announced yesterday that it has secured cash from the UK Community Renewal Fund to further develop its proposed £45m Dumfries and Galloway Care Campus project.

Gwilym Gibbons, chief executive of The Crichton Trust, pictured, said: “To have been awarded the largest grant in Scotland is brilliant news for the south of Scotland.”

The ambitious proposals would see the creation of 470 carbon-neutral and age-friendly homes.

The care campus would be the first of its kind in Britain and would see older people at the heart of the community living side-by-side with families, students and workers at the site.

Mr Gibbons added: “This project will convert ambition, detailed research and consultation into a spade and investment-ready project in readiness for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, other public funds and commercial investors next year.

“Our aim is to develop a whole system deliverable response to the challenges of the climate crisis, our ageing society and emerging technologies.”

Plans for the £45m inter-generational village were announced at the start of the year and it is hoped that work can begin on the site in the next five years.

The £979,710 funding package will support four aspects of work on the project.

One work stream is a “full and detailed masterplan” of design options and costing for housing while another is the development of existing Crichton buildings.

One example is a design competition and the full costing for the replacement of former hospital laundry building the Merrick.

A trade skills academy which will see 100 young people gain housing and skills through the construction project is another piece of work and the fourth aspect surrounds community home ownership and investment.

Dumfries and Galloway MP Alister Jack yesterday welcomed the investment.

Mr Jack said: “This carefully targeted funding illustrates how the UK Government is investing in our communities to help enhance them for the future.

“They are significant developments which should have social, economic and educational value: making an impact for generations to come.”