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A future for St Andrews: Community Stewardship of an Historic Highland Landmark

Proposal code: THC-2026-05-130

A phased restoration project to protect key heritage, create a cultural and visitor experience on the NC500, and develop a sustainable wedding venue generating income and local jobs

The community of Tongue seeks to purchase and reopen the A-listed 16th centuary St Andrew's Church building as a sustainable community owned asset. The project will address immediate, urgent, necessary and desirable repairs, estimated in 2025 at around £220,000, with at least £50,000 required in the first year to stabilise and conserve the building. Once restored to a level safe for the public to enter, the building will operate as a non -denominational community space, a heritage interpretation point for visitors, a venue for clubs and cultural activities, a potential film set location and a boutique wedding venue, potentially affiliated with NC500, Venture North and Historic Environment Scotland. The long term aim is to restore the building fully, secure the building's future, create some local employment and ensure it remains a central, living part of village life. St Andrew's is one of Tongues most recognisable landmarks and a constant presence in a rapidly changing village landscape. It holds deep emotional, cultural and historic significance for residents, has centuries long connections to the Clan Mackay and Sutherland's heritage story. For 100's of years it has been a place of gathering, reflection and shared memory and is a vital anchor of local identity. Community ownership ensures that the church remains accessible to the community for life celebrations, and community events, while opening opportunities for learning, tourism and economic development. The project reflects the community's determination to protect its heritage and shape its future. The aim is to deliver multiple long term benefits, including protection of a historic A listed 16th centuary building, community wellbeing,economic development, increased tourism stay and spend in the area while also strengthening community capacity and governance and enabling long term stewardship of  a local asset. Overall the project will protect our heritage, enhance social cohesion and create new economic opportunities in a fragile rural area. To progress this project a steering group has formed and is waiting for the SCIO application to come through ( hopefully in July 2026), enabling the group to take ownership forward. A conditions survey has been carried out and estimates of cost for structural restoration obtained, these being for immediate repairs £10,000, urgent restoration £40,000, necessary restoration £160,000 and desierable works £10,000. Works totalling around £220,000 over a 1-10 year period.  This figure does not include the need for upgrading of electrical wiring and lighting in the building,  the purchase cost of £20,000 or the requirement costs for feasibility/business case, planning applications and any further surveys that may be needed on this project. An energy audit has been requested to support future efficiency and sustainability planning and there is a desire to incorporate renewable energy sources for the building where possible.  The project started out through community engagement with formation of the steering group through public meetings and the group continue to inform the community of progress. Requests for letters of support will be going out to the community and stakeholders. Initial engagement has taken place with the Scottish Land Fund and the group is preparing to launch a crowdfunding campaign. The group's next steps, on receipt of the SCIO registration will be developing and finalising their feasibility and business case, discovering and securing the necessary consents for an A listed building restoration, working towards being able to purchase the building from the Church of Scotland, obtaining updated quotes for phased restoration, submitting funding applications and launching the public crowdfunding campaign.  It is hoped that restoration will begin as soon as ownership and funding becomes a reality, with the priority to concentrate on immediate and urgent restoration and repairs to the building. We are aiming to protect our heritage, strengthen community resilience, enhance local identity, develop learning and create new economic opportunities.

• Arts & Heritage
• Job Creation
• Energy Efficiency
• Visitor Infrastructure
• £ Capital
• £ Revenue
• Footpaths & Trails
• Local Events

• Sutherland