Major boost for Highland community groups from the Scottish Land Fund

Eight projects across the Highlands are set to share in £859,305 following the latest round of funding from the Scottish Land Fund. The money will allow the groups to take ownership of local assets and put them to use for the benefit of their local communities.

Amongst those groups receiving funding are Assynt Development Trust, which has been given £65,750. It will use the money to purchase 55 acres of land in Lochinver for affordable rental housing, self-build plots and commercial units along with tracks and trails and motorhome pitches.

The Knoydart Foundation has received £391,150 to buy 111 acres of land near the village of Inverie, along with a disused cottage which it will renovate into homes for rent, while the land will be used for affordable housing, self-build plots and business units.

Edinbane Community Company has received £81,500 to purchase the former village shop.

Am Fasgadh Regeneration Company has been given £85,500 in order to purchase the Old Telephone Exchange in Kingussie for meeting and office space and as a bike hub social enterprise.

Acharacle Community Company will use its grant of £45,015 to purchase the local community centre in order to upgrade it and increase the number of services available to people in the wider Lochaber area.

Go Golspie has received £147,890 to purchase the town’s Fountain Road Church Hall for a multi-use community space.

Insh Community Holdings in Kingussie has been given a grant of £23,500 to purchase Insh Community Woodland, which it currently from Forestry and Land Scotland.

And Kilmuir Community Trust has received £19,000 in order to extend ownership of land around the existing village hall in order to creating parking and space for mobile services.

Willie Jack, Chair, Assynt Development Trust, said: “News of this award from the Scottish Land Fund is a turning point for our community as it means that the Lochinver Future Homes project can now proceed to the next stage allowing our young people and families to remain at the very heart of Assynt.”

Grant Holroyd, Chair, Knoydart Foundation, said: “The community-run Knoydart Foundation is absolutely thrilled by this award to help us acquire this keystone site. We thank all community members for their input and support and our board, staff and volunteers for all their help. We also thank the current owner for their patience and willingness to sell to the Knoydart Foundation. This acquisition affords many opportunities for our community. There is scope and opportunity for additional affordable housing, agriculture, devolved tenures, renewables research and forestry. We are excited by this positive result and thank the Scottish Land Fund for their support and the Highland Small Communities Housing Trust for their hard work.”

And Alastair Danter, Chair, Edinbane Community Company, said: “The purchase has been a priority wish expressed in every community consultation in recent years, making it a reality is a dream come true.”

These awards are amongst 29, totalling £3.6 million, shared by groups across Scotland in the latest round of grants from the Scottish Land Fund.

Land Reform Secretary, Roseanna Cunningham said: “The coronavirus pandemic has continued to set us all unprecedented challenges throughout 2020, acutely affecting local communities right across Scotland, and beyond.

“But despite these challenges – in fact, because of them - communities up and down the country are playing an increasingly vital role in maintaining and building our resilience, our spirit and local support networks.

“I commend the latest recipients of Scottish Land Fund grants for driving forward plans to support and enhance their local areas as part of our Green recovery, in what are clearly difficult circumstances. I am particularly pleased that, through what is the final round of funding for this year, the Scottish Land Fund is supporting such a high number of unique and diverse projects, and I look forward to these projects delivering on their ambitions in the new year.”

Sandra Holmes, Head of Community Assets at HIE, said: “These successful projects announced today are all great examples of people taking control of local resources for the long-term benefit of their communities. Knoydart Foundation for example, will be able to purchase a disused cottage and associated land near the village of Inverie on the Knoydart Peninsula to provide three affordable homes, business units and as well as for agricultural use, all which is vital for future development of the area. Ownership will give these communities greater control over important assets and will help ensure their long-term future. We wish all the successful groups the very best in their new ventures.”

And John Watt, Chair, Scottish Land Fund Committee said: “This wide range of groups across the Highlands sharing in £859,305 of funding are now in a unique position to take control of land and property assets that will reap rewards for people now and for generations to come.”