CGDTAnother small step towards achieving the right to buy, and eventually the forest itself, was made today. We had confirmation that our application is eligible for the scheme.
Our application and our supporting documents (also published here) will be placed on the Forestry Commission website and a press release will be issued. We’ll also shortly have a formal visit from a member of the NFLS panel along with the Forest District Manager.
Today we met with the Glendaruel Village Hall to talk about how the space we’d be using in the back-room would be structured. The idea is to see if we can create a set of shelving and desk space that will fulfill our requirements as a two-day-a-week office, and the Hall’s need for a creche-and-quiet-space for the children. We think we have worked it out, so next steps are to cost, implement and then move in.
Once we have the broadband in place, we are hoping to make it accessible to all residents wanting an internet connection in the hall by supplying a computer in the hallway. Those with laptops will be able to access the wifi.
BTW. One of the more interesting challenges with getting a phoneline and broadband to the hall is that it has never been allocated a postcode — we now have one, PA22 3AE!
Written by Munro Gauld, the business plan has now been submitted as part of our application to the National Forestry Land Scheme.
Our thanks to Munro for all his hard work.
To read the document, please download it from our publications page.
Colintraive and Glendaruel Development Trust was supported in the production of this Business Plan by Highlands & Islands Enterprise.
We’re delighted the vote has been covered here.
SNP Parliamentary Candidate for Argyll & Bute, Michael Russell MSP – who lives in Glendaruel – has given a warm welcome to the vote by local residents which will start the process of community purchase for the Stronafian Forest by the Colintraive and Glendaruel Community Trust.
Mr Russell said:
“As a former Environment Minister as well as a Member of the Trust I am a strong supporter of community land purchase and particularly the purchase of forests and woodlands by communities. The ambitious plan by Colintraive and Glendaruel Community Trust to seek to acquire Stronafian Forest and use it as a community resource shows a positive belief by that community in a better and more secure and sustainable future for the community. I am therefore delighted that the local ballot of residents has resulted in two thirds backing the plan.
“The community now have 18 months to raise the necessary finance and put in place a sustainable business plan for the forest. There are a lot of good ideas around and some very positive models elsewhere in Argyll to look at, including the North Mull Forest and the newly purchased woodlands at Kilfinan and on Bute.
“There will be much hard work ahead, but this vote is a vital and very commendable next step in the process. I am sure the community will get every help and encouragement from the Forestry Commission and from other public bodies as the plans develop as well as from local business and from local elected representatives.”
Over the last month or so we have been fine-tuning our application to the Leader Broadband Challenge Fund for a significant upgrade to our internet connectivity as a community. The application went in today, and we’re keeping our fingers crossed. What makes this particularly exciting is that alongside being able to offer everyone in Colintraive and Glendaruel a significantly better connection, we’ll be employing a couple of people on a part-time basis to install and help households get their new, faster and more reliable connections working.
Put up on all the noticeboards in Colintraive and Glendaruel today:
We’re thrilled to announce that the community voted to purchase Stronafian Forest. We’re delighted with this, and have just issued a press release.
Here’s the confirmation of the result as issued by returning officer Shirley MacLeod:
Once we have a positive determination from the NFLS Panel and the Forestry Commission, the work of raising the funds for the purchase will begin. This is a great opportunity for our community and could ensure a sustainable future.
The story about the ballot on Stronafian Forest is in the Dunoon Observer today, page 4 lower right.
The Development Trust has begun its rental of space in the Colintraive Village hall today! A great step forward. We now have to wait for BT to get their act together and install the new line and broadband connection. Tsk!
On our other premises at the Glendaruel Village Hall, we’re presently awaiting the result of some survey work to allow us to plan how the shared space will work. More on this soon.