Success of recent efforts to boost northern economy

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 2nd Oct 2009

Over the past year 120 jobs have been created and £24 million invested in Caithness and Sutherland thanks to rejuvenation efforts in the north. These were the numbers presented to delegates at the annual Caithness Conference, this year held in Wick. The conference brings together interested parties and reviews the work of the inter agency group that is looking at ways to develop the economy in the north in response to the winding down of Dounreay. This years guest speaker was the Secretary of State for Scotland Jim Murphy.

Local MP John Thurso was optimistic at the conference and felt that a path had now been put in place for the northern economy to survive the closure of Dounreay and even prosper. Rejuvenation efforts in the north have focused largely on areas such as tourism, engineering, the environment and particularly energy. Indeed Lord Hunt, the Energy Minister had recently visited Thurso in order to discuss the potential development of the Pentland Firth for offshore power generation.

John said "We've moved from the exciting, interesting phase of working out strategy into an action phase. We've set the scene; we've worked out where we want to go; and we've now set out on that road." Eann Sinclair of the Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership said that progress was being made in many key areas. In terms of tourism, ambitious plans were now in place for John O'Groats and for the development of Wick waterfront. In terms of energy, significant funds were now available for North Highland College to support the marine energy industry and leases should soon be given for marine power ventures in the Pentland Firth.

A list of the high priority projects for our area and of the targets for each is available at http://www.cnsrp.org.uk