PRESS RELEASE

New look for historic Rothesay street	31st August 2001
A £2 million project to renew one of Rothesay’s most historic streets was officially opened today by Deputy First Minister Jim Wallace. The development at Victoria Place, which features 24 new houses and eight new shops, was sensitively designed to replace crumbling tenements dating back to Victorian and Edwardian times. Rothesay boasts the largest single outstanding conservation area in Scotland outwith the Edinburgh New Town. Although the new buildings boast many features sympathetic to the area’s historic past, they have all the benefits of modern design. The homes are all fully accessible for people with mobility problems and all have lift access. Six of the homes are for rent, 12 are for outright sale and a further six are for shared ownership. Shared ownership allows people to part buy and part rent a home at a price they can afford. Led by Bute Housing Association, the project was supported by the Bute Beyond 2000 project, a partnership involving Scottish Homes, Argyll and Bute Council, Argyll and Islands Enterprises, Historic Scotland and Bute Housing Association. Scottish Homes Board Member Lewis Shand Smith said: “The renewal of Rothesay’s historic town centre will bring many benefits to local people and visitors alike. By rebuilding Victoria Place in this way the association has helped to secure the long-term future of the area and made a lasting contribution to the town’s rich architecture.” Bute Housing Association Chair Lyn Bulloch said: “As a native of Bute I am extremely pleased by the clever design with its links to the past, which at the same time looks to the future. The development will enable us to provide quality accessible housing for a variety of tenures and housing needs right in the heart of Rothesay. “The association is extremely proud of this development and wish the tenants, sharing owners and owners many years of enjoyment in their new homes.” Local councillor and acting Chair of Bute Beyond 2000, Councillor Isobel Strong, said: “The partnership’s commitment to the ongoing development and regeneration of Bute is well established. The marker for this development was put down several years ago when the site was identified as having potential, with its prominent seafront location and importance within the appearance of the local townscape. “Argyll and Bute Council invested £1 million in the project when it acquired the site and sold it for a nominal fee. The project has involved many officers and councillors over the years, all of whom have worked very hard and striven to get us where we are today. It is satisfying that partnership working has once again proved the key to achieving success.” Notes: 1. A design competition was run by Bute Beyond 2000 for the project. The winning entry was by developer M&K MacLeod and the architects Holmes Partnership. 2. Carved figures of the 12 Apostles once formed part of the façade of Victoria Street. Local legend says that if the Apostles cease to look out over the bay then a curse will be visited on every mariner for miles around. During the demolition of these buildings the carvings were carefully removed and stored by Bute Housing Association. After being restored by local stonemason Andrew Wilson, they have been reinstated as part of the new building and once again look out over Rothesay Bay.
Wendy McInnes Tel: 0131 479 5173