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In response to last year’s Town Centre Action Plan review, a joint report by the Scottish Government and COSLA outlines actions for a ‘Town Centre First’ approach to meet people’s needs and tackle climate change.

Ms Grahame (SNP) said: “Our town centres have changed dramatically over the past few years with the increasing popularity of online shopping, shifting consumer habits and of course the pandemic.

“There is already some fantastic work being done on regeneration by a number of community groups, however the actions in this report provide a framework to meet our ambitions.

Photo of Ms Grahame, Mr Arthur, Isla Forsyth (Events and Marketing Officer at Great Tapestry of Scotland) and Mike Gray (Energise Galashiels) meeting in Galashiels to discuss town centre regeneration

“We all have a role to play in ensuring our town centres deliver for the needs of the whole community and these actions will help us deliver that ambition by creating healthier, fairer, greener and more successful towns.”

The report’s publication coincides with Ms Grahame recently welcoming the Community Wealth Minister, Tom Arthur, to Galashiels and Penicuik in her constituency to discuss town centre regeneration and see for himself some of the challenges and the successes those towns have.

Ms Grahame added: “To ensure their future we need to put in place plans that reflect this and look to the future of our town centres with new ways of working – I know from my visits with the Minister last week that he understands this.”

Actions in the publication include:

• ensure town centre regeneration contributes to climate action by reducing emissions, investing in low carbon transport and creating more green spaces

• support businesses with town centre premises by exploring a new online sales tax that helps traditional businesses compete with those operating online

• use the planning system to limit out of town development

• require developers to install and optimise digital connectivity in new town centre housing developments and support community organisations delivering digital skills training

Midlothian South MSP welcomes town centre regeneration plans