Highlands and Islands Partnership Programme logo
… prosperous, inclusive and self-sustaining communities,
where the unique cultures,
traditions and environments are enhanced …
Priority 3
ESF Trainee
 

Priority 3

Enhancing Sustainable Growth of Peripheral and Fragile Areas

The objective of this Priority is to:

"support sustainable growth in fragile and peripheral communities of the region in order to contribute to Lisbon goals."

The funding under Priority 3 is weighted towards projects from fragile areas within the region.  Projects must be contributing to areas which satisfy one of the three sets of criteria (Geographic, Demographic and Economic) set out in the Programme on page 85 to be deemed fragile. Currently, areas included in both the Fragile area maps produced by HIE are deemed fragile and are displayed at the end of this section.

Eligible Activities are:

  • Conversion and adaptation to enterprise/community centres/facilities that offer employment or training opportunities to local inhabitants, especially those employing "green design" principles;
  • Refurbishment of existing business development facilities to make them suitable for new or established businesses, including the development of local incubator and business support centres, especially those employing "green design" principles;
  • Development of e-skill/learning/commerce facilities;
  • Development of childcare/dependent care facilities;
  • Support for medium-sized energy production and distribution from renewable energy technologies in response to community energy needs (small-scale facilities - typically for farms and individual enterprises - will be funded through the Scottish Rural Development Programme);
  • Small-scale strategic transport links in improving access and reducing peripherality, especially linked to road and ferry services, incorporating "green design" principles wherever possible;
  • Small-scale projects involving connections between smaller islands and (island) mainlands that will significantly enhance community access, incorporating "green design" principles wherever possible;
  • Investments in ICT infrastructure to enable fragile areas to take better advantage of the region's broadband infrastructure (unless it relates principally to higher and further education links, in which case, the activity should be pursued under Priority 2).

Since the approval of the Programme, additional guidance was issued in respect of certain types of projects that could be submitted under Priority 3 for support.  This guidance covers transport, community halls, sports/leisure facilities and pontoons/marinas.  It is available under the Additional Guidance section under Downloads.

Under this Priority, approximately €10 million has been allocated to Community Planning Partnerships whom have been invited to submit local plans during the lifetime of the Programme.  

€29.247m of ERDF has been allocated to this Priority.  This equates to 24% of the Programme. 

Fragile Area Maps

HIE Fragile Areas Map

HIE Priority Areas Map 2008

HIE Priority Areas Map 2008