Scottish Land Commission and more than 40 other landowners – including Transport Scotland, SSE Renewables, Highlands & Islands Enterprise, and Tomatin Distillery – have met with representatives of the Strathdearn community to encourage communication and transparency around community benefits from land in the area.
The event was initiated and organised by Strathdearn Community Developments and supported by Scottish Land and Estates.
The event was attended by a number of landowners, windfarm investors, and members of the community alongside the Good Practice team from the Scottish Land Commission who were there to provide advice.
Topics on the agenda included four proposed new windfarms, the dualling of the A9 and train links to Tomatin, as well as the challenge of access to affordable housing in the area.
The community was recently gifted land by Tomatin Estate to develop six houses with housing built on the land then offset against any future private developments.
Maureen MacDonald-Cooke, Project & Development Manager for Strathdearn Community Developments, said: "Strathdearn Community Developments have worked with Tomatin Estate by releasing land to the community for affordable housing.
"This venture is of mutual benefit and will mean the Community plan to deliver six much needed family homes within Tomatin."
Head of Land Rights and Responsibilities at the Scottish Land Commission, Emma Cooper, opened the roundtable by outlining some key developments in reform and the Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement (LRRS).
The LRRS sets out the Scottish Government's vision for the ownership, use and management of land, setting out the balance between the rights of landowners, managers, and local communities.
Duncan Bryden, Director of Strathdearn Community Developments shared information on the anticipated investment in the area over the next five years as well as insight into the work of the community, one of the primary drivers for this meeting.
Participants also heard from the Chair & Founding Director of Highland Tourism Community Interest Company, Yvonne Crook, and Elle Adams, Strategic Lead from the Findhorn Watershed Initiative. The Findhorn Watershed Initiative have been working with a number of local landowners on the River Findhorn where important discussions and projects have taken place to safeguard the wellbeing and its inhabitants of the river.
The roundtable closed with a panel discussion that included speakers from the day where a positive dialogue as to how the community of Strathdearn can benefit from land use and investment in the area emerged.
Emma Cooper said: "Events like this are hugely important in building open and transparent communication between landowners and the communities that live on and use the land.
"It is encouraging to see a community take the initiative to organise an event like this, and for the invitation to be so enthusiastically received by so many local landowners and land managers.
"By initiating this roundtable, Strathdearn Community Developments have shown how communities can take the lead in engaging landowners, something at the Scottish Land Commission we are keen to see more of."
Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Latest Construction News
22/11/2024
SP Energy Networks has announced a major investment in Britain's electricity grid, selecting 19 preferred partners to deliver a £5.4bn supply chain programme. This significant initiative aims to meet increasing energy demand and facilitate future growth. The selected companies, many of which are ...
22/11/2024
Edinburgh City Council has launched a 12-week public consultation on a new strategy to revitalise Princes Street and the wider Waverley Valley. The vision aims to create a more vibrant and welcoming city centre, attracting investment, supporting businesses, and enhancing the visitor ...
22/11/2024
Ener-G Services Limited, a leading UK electrical engineering company specialising in renewables, marine, and offshore sectors, has expanded its operations in Westhill, Aberdeenshire. The company has leased Unit 6E at Kingshill Commercial Park, a 2,500 sq ft space, on a 5-year lease. This new ...
22/11/2024
A consortium of leading scientists, industry experts, and academic institutions has joined forces to accelerate Scotland's offshore wind sector. The £2.5 million project, led by the University of Edinburgh in collaboration with the University of Dundee and the Forth and Tay Offshore cluster (FTO), ...
22/11/2024
The Port of Aberdeen and Turner & Townsend were highly commended in the 'Engineering, Construction & Infrastructure Project of the Year' category at the APM Project Management Awards 2024. The award recognises excellence in project management and the positive impact on end-users. The £420 million ...
22/11/2024
South Lanarkshire Council's £10 million fire safety improvement programme has reached a significant milestone, with CCG (Scotland) completing installations in over 1,700 high-rise residences across East Kilbride and Cambuslang. The Glasgow-based construction firm has been working closely with the ...
22/11/2024
SSEN Transmission, a key player in the UK's energy transition, is set to further expand its workforce and move into a new, sustainable office space in Glasgow. The company's commitment to net zero and the increasing demand for green energy workers has led to significant growth, with the number of ...
22/11/2024
Scottish Water is investing in the upgrade of its Loch Eck clean water plant in Dunoon. The project involves replacing outdated dry well pumps with new, more reliable pumps capable of operating in both wet and dry conditions. WGM Engineering, an RSK Group company, has been tasked with carrying out ...
22/11/2024
Scottish Land & Estates has expressed serious concerns over the Scottish Government's Land Reform Bill, particularly the provisions that would allow ministers to force landowners to sell large estates in lots. Sarah-Jane Laing, the organisation's chief executive, stated that while the land-based ...
22/11/2024
Clark Contracts employees have once again shown their commitment to community engagement by volunteering at Silverburn Park in Leven. On Thursday, 21st November, 16 members of the team spent their day planting over 400 trees and carrying out other landscaping tasks. This latest volunteering effort ...