Kyle & Lochalsh Community Trust seeks funding to progress a transformational affordable housing, economic development and sustainable land use project in an area of social & economic decline
Estimated Price
44000
Kyle & Lochalsh Community Trust (KLCT) will develop a Micro-ecovillage (MEV) at Ratagan & Saraig in Loch Duich with 6 affordable homes, 2 business units, 5 woodland crofts each with a site for a croft house, 3 house plots, a community growing area & potentially a community space. The project will create up to 14 new homes to help keep families in the area. We have produced a feasibility study/business plan, concept layout plans, agreed and completed Community Asset Transfer with Forestry & Land Scotland for the land & secured purchase funding from Scottish Land Fund. We have funding for a woodland management plan, now in progress. We have tendered for project design & survey stage, & have been awarded funding from Crown Estates Coastal Communities Fund for design & survey costs to take the project to build ready from our preferred bidder. This will include engineer and surveyor reports and architect designs for the 6 affordable houses for rent; outline planning permission for 3 self-build plots, designs for business units and a community space, which the community has recently asked us to develop.
We have a funded project officer role until June this year but we are looking for funding for a project officer position to lead the project to build ready stage, supported by the trust manager and trust finance officer. As well as overseeing the project, liaising with Community Housing Trust and architect, an important aspect of this role will be continuing to liaise with & consult the community, holding regular public meetings and drop-in events, attending community council meetings, producing newsletters and media coverage. An important part of the role will be to identify and secure the funding required for the construction phase. The work will commence as soon as funding is approved, and be completed by June 2027.
Outcomes will be: KLCT will have the financial and human resources to be able to develop this crucial next stage of the MEV project
The MEV project will be ready to enter the construction phase, having secured planning permission, building warrant and have a full business plan with cost and income projections.
The social outcomes from the MEV will be: population retention and regrowth; rebalancing the demographic by giving young people/families opportunities to live in the area; a strengthened school roll; two new developments to bring community members together: a new community space in an area currently without one and a new community growing area.
The economic outcomes will be: two new business units for rent; space in new homes for home working or running a business; opportunity for 5 new croft businesses; homes for employees of local businesses currently struggling to recruit or keep staff because of lack of affordable housing.
Environmental benefits: five woodland crofts which will be replanted with native woodland to support biodiversity, including the reintroduced red squirrel, in line with the Community Woodland Management Plan currently being developed; affordable homes built to high ecological and energy efficiency standards, thus reducing carbon emissions.
The project was initiated by Loch Duich Community Council in order to support population retention and economic revitalisation in an area with an aging population, falling school roll & few business opportunities. KLCT, working with the Lochalsh Collaboration, a forum of all 7 community councils, 6 community trusts and other organisations in Lochalsh consulted the community & then wrote the Lochalsh Community Action Plan (LCAP) in 2022, based on 600 community responses to a community survey (out of 2,100 Lochalsh adults): Top priority – affordable housing. 86% want to keep children and families in Lochalsh; 75% concerned at their increasingly elderly community, 104 businesses see business units as the second most important measure to support business, 57% want to see new tourist facilities; 50% want access to land for individuals/communities. Lochalsh Local Place Plan (LLPP) 2024 highlighted the Saraig and Ratagan project as a means of achieving its top priority of 'housing that is affordable on local salaries'. The project also meets the LLPP's priorities of 'better year-round paid employment' & 'land for growing & promotion of local produce'. The LCAP and LLPP were endorsed by all 7 Lochalsh community councils and 6 community trusts. Housing Needs Survey 2024: 157 responded, plus 10 business owners, 78% supported the proposals, 44 residents have housing need. 31 have tried to find alternative housing. 33% of these have children under 16. 20% will look for housing outwith the area if necessary. 28 of 44 want to work from home, or from a business unit, 27 are interested in woodland crofts. 57% of business owners reported difficulty in recruiting/retaining employees through lack of affordable housing. We have support letters from Kate Forbes, MSP, Isabelle Campbell, Councillor, Scottish Crofting Federation, Loch Duich Community Council, Loch Duich Parent Teacher Council, marine businesses: MOWI, Eco-Cascade, Misty Isle Boat Tours.
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