CULTURE & LEISURE EVENTS

• The historic Castle of St John and surrounding public realm was remodelled in a conservation scheme; now an attractive central gathering point with pavement cafes facing and inside, historic interpretation of the Covenanters and Bloody Cleavers and views over the town.

• The local Museum is being upgraded. It hosts collections related to the town’s rural and agricultural history and our seafaring history - including the maritime disaster, the loss of the Princess Victoria and the story of Sir John Ross, Arctic explorer and astronomer whose home in Stranraer (now North West Castle) housed the nation’s largest telescope - its lens now safeguarded by the National Museum of Scotland. His nephew, James Clark Ross, discovered the magnetic North Pole.

• Curling, rugby and football are all long-standing clubs in the local sports scene with local clubs and grounds in town for Stranraer Football and Wigtownshire Rugby Club. Stranraer’s curlers have become Olympic champions from the curling rink in North West Castle hotel - the first hotel in the world to have an indoor curling rink.

• The Library is located right in the town centre.

• The George Hotel has secured funding to transform into an arts centre with workshops, studios, bunkhouse and climbing/caving centre. A temporary arts hub in King Street will trail the way to 2025 when The George opens.

• A town trail shares many of the town’s stories… from a sculpture remembering local character, Blin’ Johnny to the Agnew Park memorial to the loss of the Princess Victoria and a new mural, Cup O’ Kindness, by Tragic O’Hara capturing key features of Stranraer’s story.

• Stranraer Development Trust has developed a sense of pride through flower boxes throughout the town and manages the tourist information at Gateway to Galloway on the waterfront.

• Stranraer has fewer evening leisure options in town than the national average. 32 of the 37 leisure outlets are bars/pubs (9), restaurants (7) and takeaways (6). There are fewer people here to support these businesses.

• The town has a long-standing Cattle Show (Agricultural Festival) each summer.

• ParkFest is an end-of-summer music festival aimed at local families and featuring local and visiting talent.

• The Oyster Festival is a showcase for Loch Ryan oysters held over a September weekend. This Autumn festival celebrates Scottish produce, food and drink and its unique offer and is targeted at the visitor market.

• In 2022, The Unexpected Garden project hosted a Harvest Festival to celebrate what this region is known best for… growing. This could be a welcome addition to the rural town’s calendar.

• It is vital to sustain and grow these popular events for the continued health and vibrancy of the town centre and wider area.

• Stranraer Development Trust is doing positive work in this area with the Oyster Festival creating and promoting its unique status as the last remaining sustainable, native oyster fishery. Loch Fyne has made great capital out of its oyster reputation which we can learn from for brand recognition.

• The waterfront successfully hosted the World Skiffie Championships in 2019 and is bidding to host this again in 2025.

• Stranraer Watersports Association’s Get Wet events have offered a great precursor to trail the waterfront development and watersports centre.

• Much of the event activity has been led by volunteers building skills for work, promoting social connection and improving health and wellbeing www.creatingstranraer.co.uk www.creatingstranraer.co.uk

Housing

• The housing target is to build over 500 new homes between 2017 and 2029.

• In 2020, there were just under 1,100 houses in the town centre and just over 1,700 people living there - almost 1 in 5 of the local population; the same as the national average.

• Over the decade to 2020, the town centre population dropped by around 440 people. Other town centres have generally seen an increase in town centre living - up by 1 in 10.

• Just under half the housing is semi-detached, less than a third is terraced and a quarter is flats of 3-4 beds. Almost half of the housing stock in the town is privately owned.

• Stranraer town centre already has a relatively high level of housing (for example, Princes Street is entirely residential). This puts it in a good position to grow. Much of it was built in the 19th century.

• House prices are much lower than average eg £70,000 compared to £114,000. Most are in council tax bands A, B or C.

Planning Context

• Planning and development in Dumfries & Galloway is guided by a Local Development Plan. The current version - LDP2 -was published in 2019 and runs until 2028.

• The Scottish Government’s National Planning Framework (NPF4) guidance requires the Council to produce an Evidence Report of local need, due in March 2024. This will inform the next Development Plan - LDP3.

• The current planning objectives aim to consolidate Stranraer as the district centre, focus on synergies between waterfront and town centre and protect the natural environment and historic assets.

• In 2022, the Council explored potential to develop the area as a Green Freeport with a 45km boundary from Cairnryan to Newton Stewart. This did not progress. Stranraer falls within the boundary of the anticipated Belfast Freeport investment zone.

• A future potential might be setting up an Enterprise Zone to take advantage of tax relief and tax benefits for businesses related to renewable energy.

www.creatingstranraer.co.uk