Following a period of strategic review, the new generation model, under the umbrella of Scotland’s Improvement Districts, was launched in Autumn 2018 to better reflect the changing economic landscape in Scotland and breathe innovation and fresh thinking into the project.

The strength of the Improvement Districts proposition is in its simplicity. By pooling and sharing resources, local businesses, working with other private, public and third sector partners, take a leading role in improving local economic conditions by delivering an agreed package of investment and initiatives over and beyond that delivered by local and national government.

The new model is a more innovative, flexible and holistic approach, which leverages greater corporate-community-public partnerships, to deliver the ambitions of local businesses and communities.

New innovation and flexibility will encourage more diversity within the Improvement Districts project with the development of Maritime, Food and Drink, Tourism, Cultural, Innovation, Energy and Community Improvement Districts to sit alongside our traditional City Town Centre Improvement Districts.

To read an overview on progress made in the first six months since the launch of SIDs, published in May 2019 by National Programme Director Phil Prentice, please click here.