Perth is to receive £750,000 to maintain and restore some of the best architecture in the city.
Historic Scotland is donating the money to the Perth City Heritage Fund to enhance the conservation areas in the centre and Bridgend over the next three years.
The cash will maintain and expand the regeneration work carried out over the past two and a half years, during which time several key buildings benefited from a £650,000 windfall.
Among them was the birthplace of John Buchan at 18 York Place. The property, which for many years sat empty and in need of repair, is now to become offices.
The fund has also supported the continuing significant repairs at 13-17 High Street, the city’s oldest inhabited building.
The elaborate door surround bears the date 1699 and the initials of the original occupants, town clerk Robert Graham and his wife, Elspeth Cunningham.
The old name for the entry to the building was Kings Arms Close, a reference to the public house that was situated behind the house until the end of the 19th Century.
The fund is providing a 75% grant to all the owners of the building for a thorough refurbishment of the external fabric.
This will involve re-roofing and repairs to rainwater goods and windows, and for the stonework to be reharled with a breathable lime render.
Improvements will also be made to the frontage, shop fronts and close entry to ensure the historic building is properly conserved to enhance its prominent location.
Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust chairman Sue Hendry said: “The heritage trust is delighted to be working in partnership with Perth and Kinross Council to assist owners and businesses in Perth and Bridgend to enhance and improve historic buildings in our fair city.
“The funding will provide improvements that will last generations and much of it will address shop fronts and empty buildings, hence generating economic benefit.”
Convener of the council’s enterprise and infrastructure committee, John Kellas, said: “I greatly welcome this funding from Historic Scotland, which will allow us to revitalise, enhance and improve areas of the city. “I look forward to seeing the money being put to good use to help improve things like shop fronts and possibly even help find some new uses for empty buildings. We will work closely with our partners and local business owners to bring these areas of Perth back up to the standards they deserve.”