COUNCIL officials will write to the Scottish Government to seek approval to financially re-profile the remaining regeneration projects in Clackmannan.

More than £3million has been invested in the town to date by the local authority with the help of government funding, following approval by elected members in 2017.

A number of projects, including the refurbishment of the primary school, have been completed.

However, "delays" and "legal issues" mean some work still remains to be done, council officers told last week's Place Committee as they answered questions from Councillors Craig Holden and Kenny Earle.

A few projects, which will bring the total combined investment up to more than £4m, are still to be completed.

These include a construction and development project on the Main Street, which will see the council take over derelict and vacant commercial premises under numbers 57 and 59 as well as the former print works on North Street.

The vision is for a mixed commercial and residential development with Kingdom Housing taking on the planned mid-market flats upstairs and the council commercially letting the premises downstairs.

Original estimates put the cost for this project at £900,000 and more than a third of that has already been spent.

But "rising construction prices" mean the indicative cost has gone up by around £200,000.

When prompted by Cllr Earle, council officers explained there had been legal issues with brownfield sites and historical buildings.

The next stage will see the finalisation of legal matters and construction work put out to tender, they added.

The extra £200,000 needed there will be offset by around the same amount related to the streetscape upgrade along the same two stretches of road.

Council documents say the original cost estimate of £800,000 was over, the revised estimate is coming in at around £540,000.

It is understood the redevelopment of the bus garage at Lochies Road is still to be completed as well.

When asked, council officers said this project was due to be signed off soon with "demolition imminent".

Collectively, the cost of all projects remains within the £4.07m allocated.

But council papers explained: "To enable completion of all projects, some re-profiling of the expected costs is required and a letter will go to the Scottish Government Regeneration Division to seek approval for the amendments to the financial profile."

Cllr Holden asked officers what would happen if the government decided to say no.

The chamber was told the council would have to look fill the gap from its capital plan in that instance.

However, officers said they were "confident" that they will get a positive result from the government.

In closing remarks, Cllr Donald Balsillie sought to look at the positives and felt the regeneration was "still a brilliant project".

Colleague Cllr Les Sharp highlighted the overall project was "probably one of the biggest we had recently", adding there was a need to "bring back control".