Dithering Angus Council have cost Brechin nearly £1 million after missing a deadline for using town centre regeneration funding.
The local authority had been in talks with the Scottish Government over extending the time limit to access the remaining £912,630 of a £1.8 million grant, provided specifically to enhance the town.
Having already previously pushed the cut-off date back, the government has now ruled out any further movement, meaning the funding offer will be withdrawn and Brechin will lose out.
A government spokeswoman said, “These are hard times for businesses and families across the country and the £60 million town centre regeneration fund made available in 2009-10 has assisted local high streets throughout Scotland to be better prepared to get through the economic downturn.
“Angus Council have been given substantial flexibility to legally commit to this project but have not managed to do so.
“Despite working very closely with Angus Council and given the delays that have already occurred, granting a further extension is unfortunately not considered feasible this close to the end of the financial year.”
The announcement that the council had secured the £1.8m pot came in November last year and the administration has had since then to come up with feasible projects.
The latest plan was to purchase the former Flicks nightclub building to knock it down and turn it into a cafe.
However a deal couldn’t be struck with the owner and the sale stalled on several occasions prior to failing.
Another proposal for the funding was to redevelop the former Woolworths building in St David Street, but a higher offer on the property was accepted from another party.’Great pity’Helen Oswald who leads the council SNP opposition said the loss would be a heavy blow to the town.
She said, “It is a great pity that this has happened.
“It would be very easy to apportion blame, but I am not in a position to do that having not been involved in the project.
“But clearly with an extension of a year already something has gone wrong somewhere.”
The final day for an idea to be table for the regeneration project should have been tomorrow, but both parties have now agreed it won’t be possible.
It had been hoped the money could redevelop Brechin, help secure jobs and attract visitors.
Council leader Bob Myles said he had hoped the government would grant a further consideration period.
He said, “It is bitterly disappointing that despite our best efforts to conclude a deal with the current owner (of Flicks nightclub) the repeated delays have now resulted in the loss of this money.”
As recently as June, Mr Myles indicated he was hopeful that the full entitlement would be spent.
The council has already used a share of the funding to purchase and redevelop six properties at 2 Market Street and 45/49 High Street as well as paying for other associated costs such as acquiring building warrants.
These projects accounted for £887,380 from the grant.
A strict set of rules apply to regeneration funding and projects must meet objectives such as the removal of derelict properties, job creation and improvement in amenity.