Scottish Land Fund

Land for housing in the Highlands, new plans for an old ceramics factory and a community garden in Glasgow all set to benefit from the Scottish Land Fund

£1,972,701 for 16 projects across Scotland

The site of a former hydroponicum in Achiltibuie in the Highlands, where vegetables were once grown without use of soil, will now provide land for affordable housing and an amenity space following a grant of £304,7000 to Coigach Community Development Company from the Scottish Land Fund.

The development, which will help to strengthen the community’s long-term viability, has received one of 16 grants totalling £1,972,701 that have just been awarded to projects across the country by the Scottish Land Fund in their latest round of awards.

Other groups to benefit include Dunoon Community Shed, who have been awarded £153,000 to acquire a former ceramics factory in Dunoon from where it will continue to offer multiple activities to the local community in order to build skills, reduce isolation and provide a community gathering space; and Concrete Garden, an urban community food growing project in Possilpark, Glasgow, which received £140,287 to buy two sites, one currently used by the group and another vacant site nearby where the project plans to expand its growing, creative play and outdoor services.

Richard Williams, Chair, Coigach Community Development Company, said: “We are delighted that our application to the Scottish Land Fund has been successful. This funding will prove a real game changer for Coigach, allowing us to now purchase what for the past 12 years has been a derelict piece of land in the centre of our village.

“Once in community ownership we have ambitious plans to transform this site for the long-term benefit of Coigach – by constructing a range of housing types and tenures, realising a long-held goal and key aspiration for the community.”

John McGhie, Chairman, Dunoon Community Shed, said: “It is with real excitement that we are to become the owners of the industrial unit that we have called home for the last six years. Whilst we were renting half of the unit our membership has doubled to 120 and the number of activities we undertake has blossomed beyond our expectations, we need room to grow, and the Scottish Land Fund are giving us the resources to do so.”

Rev David K Wostemholm, Chair, Concrete Garden, said: “This funding will make a huge difference in our community. Ownership will ensure our much loved and valued Community Garden is preserved and enhanced. It will also create space to expand our outdoor play and learning project, ensuring children in our community have protected space for outdoor play for generations to come.”

Cara Gillespie, Scottish Land Fund Committee Chair said: “Every one of these grants allows for the provision of assets and services that individual groups have identified as being essential to their areas. This localised approach helps to strengthen both urban and rural communities.”

Sandra Holmes, Head of Community Assets at Highlands and Islands Enterprise, said: “The successful projects announced today across Scotland are all great examples of people taking control of local resources for the long-term benefit of their communities. The Coigach Community Development Company, through the purchase of the land at the former hydroponicum site, will now be in a position to build much-needed affordable community housing. The new homes are vitally important to create a sustainable future for the area.

“All these projects announced today will help retain the population, attract visitors and create jobs. Ownership will give the community groups greater control over important assets that will reap rewards for people now and for generations to come. We wish all the successful groups the very best in their new ventures."

Other groups receiving funding are:

Alyth Development Trust

Award - £76,774

Alyth Development Trust will purchase the Milhaugh site in Alyth, Perth and Kinross. The group intends to develop the site in order to provide a broad range of outdoor community activities.

The Heart of Argyll Wildlife Organisation

Award - £136,192

Heart of Argyll Wildlife Organisation will purchase Argyll Beaver Centre at Knapdale, Argyll. They will continue to provide educational and volunteering opportunities from the centre alongside their conservation work.

Inspire Inverary

Award - £121,374

Inspire Inverary will acquire and restore Inverary Pier in Argyll. This will provide safe access for leisure, water sports and fishing activities, increased use by yachts and cruisers and offer opportunities for investment in moorings, pontoons and slipways.

Nether Lochaber Community Association

Award - £45,186

Nether Lochaber Community Association, Highlands, will take ownership of the Inchree Barn. The group plans to repair the building to address isolation in the community by providing a community hub for people and groups to meet.

Netherthird Initiative for Community Empowerment

Award £111,268

Netherthird Initiative for Community Empowerment will purchase Netherthird Community Centre in Cumnock, East Ayrshire, and continue to offer various community and wellbeing services from the building, including a community cafe.

Staffin Community Trust

Award - £116,064

Staffin Community Trust will purchase a slipway protected by a breakwater, plus onshore hard standing, a derelict boathouse and a parcel of land in Staffin, Skye. The Trust will continue to redevelop and improve the local harbour to serve a range of different users and meet the demand for onshore facilities.

Scenic Sandbank

Award - £119,890

Scenic Sandbank will acquire land in Sandbank, near Dunoon, Argyll, for the purpose of creating a community garden to develop the group’s horticultural activities and to provide an attractive green space for residents of Sandbank and the wider area.

WHALE Arts Agency

Award - £157,483

WHALE Arts Agency, Edinburgh will bring their entire building into community ownership by buying the land that the current WHALE building sits on. Community ownership of the land will secure the future of this well-used amenity from which WHALE Arts have delivered services and activities to the community for 30 years.

Dornie and District Community Trust

Award - £66,316

Dornie and District Community Trust will acquire the former Dornie Store building in Dornie, Highlands. The group will renovate the building and reopen the shop and post office, open a café and offer the flat above as an affordable rental opportunity.

Take A Bow Development Trust

Award - £65,650

Take A Bow Development Trust will purchase the Take A Bow Community Centre in New Farm Loch, East Ayrshire. TABDT will continue to run the site as a community centre offering a range of community-focused events and classes.

Tiree Community Development Trust

Award - £73,415

Tiree Community Development Trust will acquire land in Crossapol, Tiree, and construct four light commercial business units which will be leased to local businesses at affordable rates.

Granton Community Gardeners

Award - £89,902

Granton Community Gardeners will acquire land in Granton, Edinburgh. GCG will continue to host various community activities related to the growing and sharing of food to around 700 visitors per month.

West Linton Enterprise Group

Award - £97,600

West Linton Enterprise Group will purchase a building in West Linton, Scottish Borders. The group currently uses this asset and will continue to use the building as a volunteer-run community thrift shop and local art gallery called The Knot.