Being one of the UK’s most dynamic and forward-looking areas, Scotland has been increasingly profiling itself as a prosperous business and investment location. The area’s potential has been thoroughly explored by the Scottish Executive, who drafted the ambitious Scotland’s Regeneration Plan in December 2011. So what exactly are the objectives of this master plan for Scotland and how will it impact those who live and work in the area? Take a look at our detailed overview of Scotland’s Regeneration Plan and of its scope.
An overview of Scotland’s Regeneration Plan
In December 2011, Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment Alex Neils stated that the Plan’s main objective was to achieve a sustainable future for Scotland. In this context, sustainability was understood as the opportunity of making Scotland a better place in which to live, work, and invest. The Plan has a strong focus on equality of opportunities and on helping disadvantaged communities achieve their full potential and contribute to the local economy. To achieve this, the implementation of Scotland’s Regeneration Plan entails the reallocation of resources, the development of specific strategies to foster community-led regeneration, and the provision of funding.
The Plan itself can be broken down into a series of micro-strategies that aim to bring Scotland to the forefront of economic and social development. Some of the most important components of the plan include:
-A 20-year plan devised to improved Scotland’s connectivity by expanding the road and railway network. This idea draws on the 2008 Strategic Transport Projects Review, which recommended the replacement of the Forth Crossing, a reduction of travel time in the Aberdeen-Inverness and Highland Main railway lines, the improvement of inter-city public transport links, and making remote communities more accessible.
-Scotland’s connectivity strategy also includes the improvement of Internet access in rural communities and the development of digital economy initiatives.
-Improving the access and the quality of education in Scotland’s rural areas as outlined by the Commission on the Delivery of Rural Education, which in 2013 made 38 recommendations on how to improve educational management in rural areas.
-To follow up on the 2011 Commission on the Future Delivery of Pubic Services, which recommended a public service reform in order to streamline public decision-making on strategic areas such as government, health, and infrastructure.
-To make Scottish communities safer and healthier by implementing antisocial behaviour and crime prevention strategies. Some of these strategies are already underway, as it is the case of initiatives like Promoting Positive Outcomes, A Road to Recovery, and Cashback for Communities.
Of course, this is only an overview of the elements that are expected to have a high impact on Scotland’s overall quality of life and economic prosperity. Below you will find additional information on other two key components of Scotland’s Regeneration Plan.
Economic Initiatives
Scotland’s Regeneration Plan recognises that having the adequate physical and economic infrastructure is key to the area’s future growth. As a result, the Plan contains a number of initiatives created to provide additional funding and support to local business owners and would-be entrepreneurs. For example, the Plan contemplates the establishment of four Enterprise Zones across Scotland, which will offer very attractive conditions and incentives to attract local and foreign investors in these key areas: life sciences, low carbon and renewable energies (mainly in the north and east of Scotland), and general manufacturing.
In addition, the plan establishes the creation of multiple Business Improvement Districts (BIDS) that will revitalise town centres and other areas known for their economic potential. Nearly three years after the Plan’s launch, Scotland is home to 19 town centre BIDS, and it is estimated that a further 16 towns and cities are currently developing their own BIDS strategy. BIDS projects have a wide scope, as they include initiatives in rural settlements, business parks, tourist and heritage areas, etc.
Scotland’s JESSICA Fund
Scotland’s JESSICA Fund is an integral part of the region’s regeneration strategy. The main aim of this initiative is to provide financial support to a number of Scottish locations that have been rated as being in urgent need of regeneration. The JESSICA Fund is a £50 million initiative that was originally developed by the European Commission and whose objective is to support regeneration projects in areas like urban infrastructure, energy efficiency improvement plans, the regeneration of brownfield sites, and the promotion of the R&D sector. The Scottish Government has allocated £24 million to this initiative and the remainder has been provided by European structural funds.
In Scotland, JESSICA’s funds have been earmarked to support specific projects in the following areas: Dundee, Edinburgh, West Lothian, Glasgow, Fife, Clackmannanshire, East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, Inverclyde, South Lanarkshire, North Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire, and Renfrewshire.
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