Dumfries town centre vision set to secure financial support

A competition earlier this year sought designs to overhaul the centre of the town

An artist-led group's bid to overhaul the centre of a south of Scotland town is set to secure financial support.

The Stove Network ran a competition earlier this year with the Glasgow Institute of Architects for designs for the Midsteeple Quarter in Dumfries.

It hopes to regenerate the area in the heart of the town and a number of empty shops nearby.

Dumfries and Galloway Council is being asked to agree to provide nearly £100,000 to take forward the project.

The funding would come from a £1m town centre living fund set up by the local authority earlier this year.

It would allow the Stove Network to take over the council-owned Bakers Oven building on the High Street as well as develop its vision for the area.

Two other projects are also being recommended to receive a share of the funding.

One would see work carried out on an abandoned residential property on Main Street in Kirkconnel in order to make it safe.

The other would allow a number of buildings in Friars Vennel in Dumfries to be made wind and watertight.