News
HRH launches the Caithness Redundant Buildings Inventory
4th August 2008
The Prince of Wales today welcomed efforts to restore buildings across a region of northern Scotland that has close royal ties.
His Royal Highness was speaking at the launch of a catalogue containing more than 1,000 buildings in the North Highlands considered worthy of restoration.
He described the document as "a truly groundbreaking inventory" and insisted it must be acted on for future generations.
The Caithness Redundant Buildings Inventory was drawn up for the North Highland Initiative (NHI), launched by The Prince in 2005, with the aim to conserve and promote the North Highlands.
The document has a number of recommendations on how the buildings can be returned to use to benefit the local economy.
Today's reception was held at the Castle of Mey, where The Late Queen Mother spent many of her summers.
The Prince was honoured with the Freedom of Caithness yesterday in recognition of his work with NHI.
His Royal Highness met dignitaries today before making a short speech.
In it he said The Prince's Regeneration Trust and The Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment, which collaborate with NHI, would try to take on projects in the area based on the inventory.
He said: "I suspect many of you will express astonishment at the number of these remarkable buildings dotted over this remarkable landscape.
"I happen to believe in the enormous economic and social potential of bringing back to life buildings which have so long lain dormant.
"It would be verging on the criminal to allow the built heritage to drift away."
The catalogue was drawn up by Andrew Wright, an architect and heritage consultant, and contains 1,350 sites, including crofts, shops and farm buildings.
Mr Wright made 50 recommendations to NHI's board for future action to encourage restoration.
Among the recommendations were that the action programme be carried out locally by several organisations.
He said: "Everyone can see that Caithness is a landscape littered with ruins, and so there is a vast amount of potential for economic regeneration.
"I will consider the exercise worthwhile if people visiting the area in future stop to look at what makes this area so special."
Click here to find out more about The Prince's work on the built environment.
Click here to find out more about the North Highland Initiative.