Highland Communities Are To Benefit From Over £800k Regeneration Funding Awarded To Rural Projects

5th September 2024

The Highland Strategic Local Action Group who met during August, considered, and agreed funding for 49 projects submitted to the Community Led Local Development fund (CLLD), which makes up part of The Highland Council Community Regeneration Funding (CRF) programme.

Chair of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans, said: "It is the third year in a row that we have been successful in securing a large allocation of CLLD funding from the Scottish Government. With this year's approvals, over 150 projects are benefitting from the CLLD programme in Highland, representing an investment of £2.8m in our rural communities. This funding is essential to support grass roots economic regeneration, allowing communities to grow and develop new opportunities".

CRF is an umbrella term used to cover multiple external funding programmes administered by The Highland Council. Decisions on which projects are to receive CLLD funding are taken by the Highland Strategic Local Action Group. This decision-making group is made up of third sector representatives, public agencies, and private organisations.

This latest round of CRF was heavily oversubscribed which evidences the level of innovation and dynamism of Highland rural communities. A total of 100 applications were received with grant request amounts far exceeding the amount of funding available to award. 49 applications were approved funding totalling just over £827,000 of revenue and capital investment for rural areas across Highland.

A wide range of projects were approved funding, including feasibility studies and development phases for capital projects as well as development support to improve community facilities and amenities.

In 2024/25 the Scottish Government made a budget commitment to invest £12.2 million in rural and islands communities to continue to support CLLD. This funding has been released in tranches with tranche one totalling £6.65 million distributed to Local Action Groups across Scotland. A further announcement is expected later this year to determine an equitable distribution of remaining funding across rural and island Scotland within the financial year.

The projects approved funding are listed below:

Portree and Braes Community Trust

Helipad Improvement Works

£11,037.02

Embo Trust

Embo Community Centre Solar Panels - Final Phase

£6,346.00

Tain & District Bike Track Association CIC

Tain Bike Track Re-Build

£20,440.00

Staffin Community Trust

Staffin Community Harbour Units

£14,625.00

Keiss amenities Association

Lighting Replacement

£11,349.60

Nairn Community and Arts Centre

Phase 2 - Environment & Energy Sustainability Project

£22,253.90

Columba 1400

Staffin Leadership Centre - Improving Community Access

£24,977.69

Glendale Community Hall Association

Exterior Painting of Glendale Community Hall

£11,177.25

Kinlochbervie Community Company

Phase 1 Regeneration of Seaweed Industry in NW2045 area.

£23,805.20

Wick Community Hub SCIO

Sensory Space at Wick Community Hub

£19,085.98

Communities Housing Trust

Borrodale School Renovation Project

£25,000.00

Bettyhill Village Hall

Conversion to a SCIO and feasibility study on modernisation

£14,214.00

Wester Loch Ewe Community Council

Wester Loch Ewe Local Place Plan, Phases 2&3

£8,100.00

Lochaber Action on Disability

Community Cafe Kitchen upgrade

£17,189.34

Glendale Community Hall Association

Upgrade of Glendale Community Hall Toilets

£5,719.00

Edinbane & Communities Company

Demolition of former Edinbane shop

£24,000.00

Wester Ross Biosphere

Community led tourism: ‘Press Pause' Mini Programme - Wester Ross Biosphere

£19,907.00

North Kessock Village Hall

Safe, secure and inclusive access to the village hall

£24,879.50

Highland Wool CIC

Knitting strong foundations for the Highlands & Islands wool industry

£10,000.00

Skye Camanachd SCIO

Community Hub Stand at Pairc nan Laoch

£25,000.00

Inver Hall

Making Every Penny Count

£14,858.00

Dunbeath & District Centre
Phase 2 Development - Jigsaw Project
£21,981.00

Dunvegan Community Trust SCIO

Dunvegan Community Action Plan Project

£5,000.00

Dunvegan Community Trust SCIO

Dunvegan Affordable Community Housing Project

£12,570.00

Arisaig Community Trust

Church Buy-out Feasibility Study

£15,804.30

Assynt Leisure

Indoor Soft Play Climbing Frame with Parent & toddler group support

£12,512.00

Culbokie Community Trust

Business and Community Units - Tender Development

£9,996.00

Morvern Community Woodlands

Woodland Crofts Feasibility Study

£24,792.00

Go Golspie Development Trust

Refurbishing Front entrance, cleaner's cupboard and storage spaces and creating a new office area within Fountain Road Hall

£13,904.00

Nairn River Enterprise (Green Hive)

Rewiring Seaman’s Hall

£19,135.68

Kinlochewe Village Hall

Bouldering Wall

£25,000.00

Kinlochewe Village Hall

Toilets Refurbishment

£25,000.00

Glenuig Community Association

Glenuig Inn Community Buyout

£10,296.00

Assynt Development Trust

Clashnessie Falls Footpath

£25,000.00

Broadford and Strath Community Company

Renovation of Old Broadford Public Toilets – Preparatory Works

£6,136.00

Torridon District Community Association

Improving Access to Local Services

£6,115.00

Coigach Community Development Company

Badentarbet Estate for Coigach

£14,400.00

Radio Skye

Youth SPACE Studio

£10,408.09

Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust

Net Zero Housing Phase 1

£25,000.00

Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust

Eigg Contractor Accommodation

£25,000.00

Lochalsh and Skye Swimming Pool Association

Lochalsh Leisure Centre – Restart Project

£25,000.00

Dementia Friendly Communities Ltd, known as Connecting Communities

Helmsdale Youth Club

£9,025.33

Scoraig Community Centre Group

Scoraig Community Centre Refurbishment

£25,000.00

Community of Raasay Retail Association

Raasay Free Presbyterian Church – purchase and renovation into a new community shop

£5,629.66

Stratherick and Foyers Community Trust

Improve toilet facilities at the Wildside Centre

£22,000.00

Scourie Community Development Company

Repopulating Scourie – RIBA Stage 4 - Phase One Affordable Housing

£21,968.00

Portree and Braes Community Trust

Website Re-design for Income Generation and Accessibility

£8,761.00

Nairn Museum

Exhibiting Nairnshire: Renovating the Galleries of Nairn Museum

£15,172.00

Glen Urquhart Rural Community Association

Demolition of Hall Cottage

£ 23,000.00