CarES CaSE STUdY kyle of development Trust

background

Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust was established in June 2011 to support and encourage sustainable activity in the Kyle of Sutherland. The Kyle of Sutherland, comprising communities within & District and Community Council areas, had been in economic decline since 1991 when the opening of the Dornoch Bridge and improvements to the A9 meant less visitors were passing through the area.

The Trust was created as a response to local needs and concerns about the future of the area and to the opportunities beginning to emerge from community benefit funds pledged by onshore wind farm developers. It is now well established and works to strengthen the local community, supporting local groups to improve the services they offer and providing a sustainable community development service in the area. It also works with others to secure inward investment.

Since it was set up, the Trust has secured funding for a range of projects from community benefit funds, linked to onshore wind farms in the local area. CarES CaSE STUdY

The Trust was created as a response to local needs and concerns about the future of the area and to the opportunities beginning to emerge from community benefit funds pledged by onshore wind farm developers. The Trust is now well established and works to strengthen the local community, supporting local groups to improve the services they offer and providing a sustainable community development service in the area. It also works with others to secure inward investment.

Since it was set up, the Trust has secured funding for a range of projects from community benefit funds, linked to onshore wind farms in the local area. • Equipment for local schools, and • Employment of a part time Development CommunIty Officer The Trust also became the coordinator of the development plan Kyle of Sutherland Apprenticeship Scheme, originally set up by Foundation Scotland in When the Trust was established, a local partnership with the Panel overseeing SSE’s consultation was taking place to create a Achany Community Fund. By 2013/4 the Trust Community Development Plan for the Kyle employed five members of staff. The Board of Sutherland. Local groups, businesses and reviewed progress made against the Community the public were encouraged to have their say Development Plan and held more consultations through surveys and events. to see where the Trust should focus its activities in the future The Trust now owns its own offices The plan identified needs within the community and works in partnership with others in the voluntary, and the Trust worked to help meet these needs public and private sector to drive forward economic by providing: development and support local groups and businesses. Highlands & Islands Enterprise also work • Cycle Stands in public spaces with the Trust, providing support and assistance in • Transport Grants to community groups delivering sustainable growth. CarES CaSE STUdY recent outcomes and achIevements The Trust has lead on a number of important projects including East Sutherland Energy Advice Service which works to tackle fuel poverty, Keep Active Together, a programme of health and wellbeing activities and training opportunities, and Community Food Stop, a cafe providing healthy and nutritious food which is based in Community Hall every Monday.

The Trust is also leading on the Ardgay opportunities and attracting visitors to the area. Regeneration Project. This involves the Recognising the impact of both facilities closing, demolition of a derelict hotel site in the centre of the Trust brought together all the relevant Ardgay village creating a new site with a village agencies to take action quickly, and decided to square, office rental space, and storage space for rebuild the Visitor Centre. a local expanding business. The project plan also includes four terraced houses developed by The Trust established a Falls of Shin community Albyn Housing Association, and a self-build plot project team to take this forward. The local Panel for sale through The Small Communities that oversees the E.ON Community Housing Trust. Fund was quick to support the community and the Trust was given a £10,000 emergency award, spotlIght on: falls allowing it to take action to lessen the immediate effects of the Centre closing. This initial funding helped the Trust develop projects to benefit the of shIn vIsItor community and to support other organisations In 2013, two unexpected events occurred in the bringing visitors to the area. Kyle of Sutherland. Within just three weeks the Carbisdale Castle Youth Hostel closed and the The award was seen as a vote of confidence in the Falls of Shin Visitor Centre burnt down. This was Trust, recognising it as a key anchor organisation catastrophic for the area as the venues were vital in the area, validating its proposals and showing to the local economy, providing employment it had the support of the local community. This CarES CaSE STUdY helped to bring in the additional funding needed to make the Falls of Shin project happen – in total the team secured funding of £1.4M. This included a further award from the E.ON Rosehall Community Fund of £15,000 in 2014 to help develop signage and branding for the Visitor Centre.

A key condition of the contract for building the new Centre was that, where possible, any sub-contractors should come from the local area and the main contractor was encouraged to take on a local apprentice. This has helped create a sense of ownership of the project within the community. By the end of the construction period £240,000 had been injected into the local economy through sub contracts or wages of locally employed tradespeople. SpotlIght on: bonar

The Falls of Shin Visitor Centre reopened in May brIdge post OffIce 2017 to much excitement from the community and further afield. Visitors can see wild salmon Securing a Scottish Land Fund grant of £144,512, leap the beautiful Falls, walk in the woodland the Trust also purchased Bonar Bridge post paths created by Forestry Commission Scotland office and sorting offices, securing its future as a and visit the new café/restaurant or enjoy a traditional village post office These facilities are picnic. There is a play area for children and used by several hundred people every day, some crazy golf. By December 2017, the new Centre travelling 12 miles or more. The property includes had seen over 90,000 visitors and had hosted an associated flat and garden and planning its first wedding and Chamber of Commerce permission has been gained to build a terrace of Breakfast meeting. It now employs 13 members three one-bedroom homes for rent. of staff, some on a seasonal basis, making it a key contributor to the local economy. There are plans Pete Campbell, Chair at Kyle of Sutherland to develop the Visitor Centre further and create Development Trust, said: new activities for visitors. CarES CaSE STUdY

“The buy-out has enabled us to safeguard the post office in Bonar Bridge for the future. This will allow continued provision of the current services for people living in the Kyle of Sutherland. The community from the outset has shown its faith in the Trust and this is the very best result.”

Since 2011, community benefit funds from onshore wind helped Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust to secure a total of £5.5 million in key inward investment to the local area which might not have happened otherwise. The Trust is now an effective and well connected local anchor organisation able to meet the needs of the community. lessons learned

Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust is an example of how community benefit funds can help generate a strategic approach to an area’s long-term development. Strong local support for the Trust allowed it to get other key players on board and deliver projects which benefit the whole community.

From the outset, the two local Community Councils were ambitious and recognised Website: http://www. the unprecedented opportunity brought by kyleofsutherlanddevelopmenttrust.org/ community benefit incomes. This leadership and drive has helped in building and sustaining To find out more about community momentum and making sure that developments benefits from renewable energy projects, are driven by the community itself rather than visit www.localenergy.scot/community- external organisations. benefits