The Poolewe Community Owned Business Park is a community-led regeneration project that will transform the former industrial site into a thriving hub for businesses, employment and community resilience
Estimated Cost
£480,000
1. What do you want to do?
Loch Ewe Community Enterprise (LECE) is developing the Poolewe Community Owned Business Park at Bac Dubh, Poolewe. The site comprises approximately 8,500 square feet of workshop, storage and office accommodation together with extensive yard space. Our aim is to create a sustainable, community-owned business park that provides affordable premises for local businesses, tradespeople, social enterprises and community organisations.
Funding is being sought for refurbishment and development works including:
Essential building repairs and maintenance.
Fire safety and compliance improvements.
Electrical and mechanical upgrades.
Energy efficiency improvements to reduce operating costs and carbon emissions.
Refurbishment of workshop, storage and office accommodation.
Improvements to site infrastructure and access.
Creation of flexible business units suitable for a range of local enterprises.
Facilities that support community resilience and future economic development.
These improvements will enable the site to become a productive, income-generating asset that supports the long-term sustainability of the local economy.
2. Why is your project important for your community?
Wester Ross faces significant challenges including population decline, limited employment opportunities, a shortage of affordable commercial premises and barriers to business growth. Local businesses often struggle to find suitable workspace, while young people and working-age residents frequently leave the area due to limited employment and enterprise opportunities.
Community consultation has consistently identified the need for local economic development, affordable business premises, job creation and greater community resilience. The Poolewe Community Owned Business Park directly addresses these priorities by creating infrastructure that supports enterprise and employment within the local area.
The project aligns strongly with local and regional priorities contained within community planning and place-based development strategies, particularly those focused on supporting sustainable rural communities, retaining and creating employment, encouraging entrepreneurship, strengthening community resilience and bringing underutilised assets back into productive use.
By placing the site into community ownership and investing in its refurbishment, the benefits generated by the asset will remain within the community and support future local development initiatives.
3. What positive impact will your project have?
The project will deliver long-term economic, social and community benefits.
Expected outcomes include:
Creation and safeguarding of local jobs.
Affordable workspace for local businesses and start-up enterprises.
Increased opportunities for business growth and diversification.
Support for local trades, contractors and supply chains.
Increased economic activity within Poolewe and the wider Wester Ross area.
Improved opportunities for young people and working-age residents to remain in the area.
Greater community resilience through community-owned infrastructure.
Sustainable income generation that can be reinvested into future community projects.
Increased collaboration between businesses, community organisations and public bodies.
The project will create a lasting community asset that supports economic growth and community wellbeing for many years to come.
4. What key milestones have you achieved so far and what will your next steps be?
The project is already well advanced and has benefited from extensive preparation and community engagement.
Community Engagement & Support
Loch Ewe Community Enterprise has been established as a Community Benefit Society.
Extensive community consultation has been undertaken through public meetings, surveys and engagement activities.
Strong community support has been demonstrated through membership growth and stakeholder engagement.
Letters of support have been received from a range of organisations and elected representatives.
Project Planning & Feasibility
Feasibility work and business planning have been completed.
A detailed business model has been developed.
Independent valuation of the property has been obtained.
Potential tenants and future users have been identified.
Revenue projections and operating plans have been prepared.
Consents & Due Diligence
Site investigations and due diligence work have been undertaken.
Legal and governance arrangements are in place through the Community Benefit Society structure.
Funding Applications
Scottish Land Fund Stage 1 funding was successfully secured.
A Scottish Land Fund Stage 2 application has been submitted to support community acquisition of the site.
Discussions have taken place with a range of potential funding partners regarding refurbishment and development funding.
Next Steps
Complete the community acquisition process.
Secure refurbishment and capital development funding.
Finalise specifications and refurbishment plans.
Obtain contractor quotations and procure works.
Deliver refurbishment and improvement works.
Bring business units into occupation and commence operations.
Develop the site as a long-term community-owned business park supporting employment and enterprise.
5. What is your anticipated start date/end date?
Subject to completion of the acquisition process and funding approvals, refurbishment works are anticipated to commence during Autumn 2026.
The initial refurbishment phase is expected to be completed by Summer 2027, with businesses beginning occupation during the project period.
The business park will then continue operating as a permanent community-owned asset, delivering long-term economic, social and community benefits throughout Wester Ross.
This is an excellent initiative to provide the opportunities our community needs for small independent businesses to survive and new ideas to flourish. Also a hopeful start to keeping younger folks in the community.
The vision and energy of the folks behind this, deserve support.
Very hopefully for this development and the positive impact it will have on our rural community which is in much need of business opportunities to keep the young population in the area and encourage young families to live here.
This is a much-needed facility to provide affordable business units and kick-start economic regeneration in the Poolewe area. It has much support in the village and many businesses and entrepreneurs who could benefit from it. I fully support this initiative.
The creation of all year round jobs is the key to safeguarding communities like Poolewe - jobs help sustain the population, in turn sustaining important services for young people, families and the older generation too. The Poolewe business park has great potential to create job opportunities and will be an inspirational community hub and asset.
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Great idea
Great positive scheme for our area, making much needed business accommodation available for local new and existing businesses
This is an excellent initiative to provide the opportunities our community needs for small independent businesses to survive and new ideas to flourish. Also a hopeful start to keeping younger folks in the community.
The vision and energy of the folks behind this, deserve support.
This sounds a brilliant proposal for the Poolewe and surrounding area making these communities more sustainable.
This is an excellent project which will benefit our local economy and communities and will I am sure insopire others too.
Very hopefully for this development and the positive impact it will have on our rural community which is in much need of business opportunities to keep the young population in the area and encourage young families to live here.
I support this project, which has the potential to bring enormous benefits to Poolewe and the wider area.
This proposal has the potential to make a radical improvement to our community. It needs all the support it can get in order to do so
This is a much-needed facility to provide affordable business units and kick-start economic regeneration in the Poolewe area. It has much support in the village and many businesses and entrepreneurs who could benefit from it. I fully support this initiative.
The creation of all year round jobs is the key to safeguarding communities like Poolewe - jobs help sustain the population, in turn sustaining important services for young people, families and the older generation too. The Poolewe business park has great potential to create job opportunities and will be an inspirational community hub and asset.