People in eight communities are celebrating after they were awarded grants by Crown Estate Scotland to support a range of social enterprises in their areas.
This year’s winners have a particular focus on constructing new houses and renovation of existing buildings to provide affordable homes and better facilities for small businesses and communities.
In addition, outline plans to create an ambitious ground-source heat network for people living in Iona have received backing from Crown Estate Scotland’s Community Capacity Grants programme.
The Community Capacity Grants are part of Crown Estate Scotland’s Sustainable Communities Fund which, since its launch in 2020, has distributed more than £1.4m to a wide range of innovative projects across the country, including 12 affordable housing projects which have together shared in more than £400,000.
The latest successful Community Capacity Grant projects, delivered in partnership with Foundation Scotland, include £37,000 for Morvern Community Development, funding a project manager to help deliver plans for 10 eco-friendly family homes in Lochaline. Nether Lochaber Community Association has also been awarded £47,000 to help transform a derelict barn into a viable community hub.
On Skye, Ionad Throndairnis receives £18,000 to fund a feasibility study to renovate the Dun Flodigarry Hostel, providing a new community resource, while Uig Development Trust gets £32,000 to help develop modern, affordable, energy-efficient workspaces for local businesses via seven steel-fabricated business units.
In Argyll, community-owned energy company Iona Energy has been granted £47,000 towards a plan to install a ground-source heat network to provide islanders with clean, green, sustainable energy.
Shiona Ruhemann, of Iona Renewables, said: “Crown Estate Scotland’s grant is a fantastic boost to help our small island community deliver a communal, low-emission, low-cost heating system and to enable residents to move away from a reliance on fossil fuels.
“The ground source heat network will be owned, operated and maintained by the community and support Iona’s sustainability in the long-term. The heat network is the optimal and only viable solution in this specific island context and, having experienced construction delays due to COVID-19, it’s great to finally be back on track. We’re delighted to have such valuable support from Crown Estate Scotland.”
Community Capacity grants are open to all communities located within five miles of Scotland’s coastline, or within five miles of Crown Estate Scotland’s four rural estates, to undertake early-stage projects that contribute to local regeneration and sustainable development.
Annie Breaden, Head of Policy for Crown Estate Scotland, added: “The latest applications were of a very high standard and we are excited to be supporting such important and positive projects.
“This year has seen a particular ask for assistance with providing new, sustainable homes and improved business and community spaces. These practical ideas to help improve everyday life for thousands of people are precisely the types of projects we are keen to enable and we look forward with great interest to see how they develop.”
Yes! I would like to be sent emails from West Coast Today
I understand that my personal information will not be shared with any third parties, and will only be used to provide me with useful targeted articles as indicated.
I'm also aware that I can un-subscribe at any point either from each email notification or on My Account screen.