Author: CGDT

So this is not for everyone, but for those of us who have been engaged in Community Development work over the years, this report is highly significant. Not only does it recommend a right to buy for communities, but the ability for Community Councils to recommend compulsory purchase orders (see below). There’re also recommendations on State Aids and de minimis which are very welcome. The Community Land Scotland conference is well-timed to discuss and debate the recommendations, and I am looking forward to it!

Here’s the detail on Right to Buy

At present, local communities have the option of one statutory land right. This is the right of local communities acting through an ‘appropriate community body’ to exercise a right of pre-emption over land under Part 2 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003.

The Land Reform Review Group considers that local communities should have other statutory options to fit different circumstances and issues. The Group recommends in this Report that local communities should have four additional land rights. These are described in the text of the Report and summarised below.

With each right, the criteria for the appropriate local community body remain the same and based on those in Part 2 of the 2003 Act. The thresholds of requirements to be met for each right would progressively increase from numbers 1 to 5, with the increasingly significant nature of the rights involved.

1. Right to Register an Interest over Land
Process that enables an appropriate local community body in defined circumstances to register an interest over land where that is judged to be in the public interest, and then to be notified of the sale and any change of ownership of the land.

2. Right of Pre-emption to Buy Land
Process that enables an appropriate local community body in defined circumstances to register a right of pre-emption over land and to exercise that right if the land is to be sold, where that is judged by Scottish Ministers to be in the public interest.

3. Right to Request to Buy Public Land
Process that enables an appropriate local community body in defined circumstances to buy public land, whether or not it is for sale, where that is judged to be in the public interest by the public body responsible for the land or by Scottish Ministers.

4. Right to Buy Land
Process that enables an appropriate local community body in defined circumstances to buy land which is not for sale, where that is judged by Scottish Ministers to be in the public interest.

5. Right to Request a Compulsory Purchase Order over Land
Process that enables an appropriate local community body in defined circumstances to request Scottish Ministers to exercise a CPO over land for re-sale to the community body, where that is judged by Ministers to be in the public interest.

The lo-res report is available on Scottish Government website here and the high resolution version here.

The picture shows communities which own land in our area, including Colintraive and Glendaruel’s own Stronafian Forest.

Last night at the presentation by CGDT’s consultants Locogen Ltd. in the Colintraive Village Hall, those assembled moved that we progress to the next stage of the process which will hopefully result in the construction of three wind turbines for the community on Stronafian Forest.

Over the next couple of weeks Locogen will finalise and submit a planning application for a Meteorological Mast on site in the forest to test the wind speeds available. The mast will provide the community a clear indication as to whether the development will be economically worthwhile. Alongside this the environmental and landscape impact surveys will continue, and the Development Trust board will report progress on the project in full at the AGM on the 20th July which of course the entire commuinty is invited to.

In the meantime, the trust will be publishing the presentation on the CGDT website shortly, along with an opportunity to ask questions both of the board and the consultants. We’re also happy to make presentations to any group in the community who want to know more.

As readers may remember, the development of a wind turbine was a key element of the Stronafian Forest Plan developed by the CGDT consultant Munro Gauld, and will provide for the longterm sustainability of our community. In his research for this project, CGDT director Bill Carlow has calculated that a single turbine will offset all electricity use in ColGlen entirely – that is reduce our carbon footprint to 0 tonnes for all household electricity.

Bill went further, and to offset all our energy use, including transport, business use and construction, we only require three turbines (our ideal solution for this project). In other words, for this community we can, in one fell swoop, cancel out all the carbon we emit as well as provide for an income which will ensure we are sustainable longterm.

Scoping Document 28032014

The Scoping Document submitted last month has been accepted by Community Broadband Scotland. The document can be viewed by following the link.

‘A story of music, movement, recycling, re-using, puppetry and fun’

13^th March, 2014: Greener ColGlen – a Colintraive and Glendaruel Development Trust (CGDT) project – and the Colintraive Village Hall, are delighted to announce that the York Theatre Royal is coming to Colintraive to perform a fun and educational play with music, on Saturday 5^th April, at the Village Hall. ‘Bin Men’, which is aimed at young children (5+) and their families, is a light-hearted play promoting the importance of recycling and reuse. There will also be a recycling craft workshop and bin surgery, to demonstrate that we can find a use for anything.

The event is sponsored by Greener ColGlen, an ongoing project delivering carbon saving and green initiatives within the ColGlen community.  Project Officer, Sara Maclean, comments: “Everyone is welcome to come along to our event; it promises to be a fun evening for both children and adults, and hopefully informative too! This is a free event, and we want to encourage as many people along to learn about what happens to the things we throw away. We look forward to seeing you there!”

Below is an event schedule; for more information and to book tickets, please contact Nikki Woolf on 01700 841358 or email nikki@cgdt.org.

Event schedule

• 6pm bin surgery and recycling workshop
• 7.30pm ‘Bin Men’ performance
• 8.35pm finish

Press Contact

Nikki Woolf, Admin and Communications Officer, Greener ColGlen

nikki@cgdt.org / 01700 841358

www.cgdt.org

The Village Hall,  Colintraive,  Argyll  PA22 3AS

Registered as a Charity SC 040002

Registered in Scotland No. SC 350010

Following a successful funding application to Forestry Commission Scotland, we are in a position to offer a series of community training days.

The project aims to train the participants in a series of workshops; to enable a feasibility study for a path to be built, leading to the Chambered Cairn (opposite the Clachan in Glendaruel).

These workshops (more details below) will be delivered by the Clydesdale Community Initiative on the following dates:

25th and 26th January- Colintraive hall, 10.00-3.00

30th January- Colintraive hall, 10.00-3.00

8th and 9th February- Glendaruel hall, 10.00-3.00

There will be a good mix of indoor and outdoor learning. Refreshments and lunch will be provided.

If you would like to attend these training days please email confirmation to Mark Chambers on mark@cgdt.org. If you are not able to attend all of the days don’t worry, it will be possible to keep up to date with the workshops by emails and hand-outs, etc. Spaces are limited.

Thanks,

Mark.

Below is an outline of what the days will comprise of:

 

Day 1: Survey principles

Introduction to survey equipment, SWOT analysis of potential route, legislation, H&S, Statutory consents, Services and utilities.

The community would be introduced to the range of survey of equipment that could be utilised to deliver the above the project and the varying information that would be required to deliver an outline design.  Practical experience will be given in utilising both ‘dumpy’ levels and laser levels. Information will be provided on the use of total station CAD integrated survey equipment.

The principles of survey and analysis will also be discussed with demonstrations of previous examples of projects and the constraints that were placed upon them by local environmental conditions and the original design brief. This will enable the participants to think in detail about the factors that will influence the final design and potential external funding bid. This will lead to the SWOT analysis, discussions on the legislative considerations pertaining to this particular project and the required desk top studies including historical land use mapping, service restrictions potential environmental and habitat restrictions and utilities. Michael can provide practical examples where these studies have altered and influenced other projects in the past. Information will also be provided on what potential external consultancy may be required to meet planning and legislative requirements.

 

Day 2: Survey Practice Day 2 of the training will be a more practical day- we would particularly like to encourage children and young people to attend this day.

The group will participate in a practical path survey on a sample site survey over approx 250m. They will identify the primary physical and technical issues including:

·         Topographic

·         Ground Conditions

·         Habitat (leading to recommendation for ecological survey)

·         Watercourse and drainage

·         Hazards

 

Day 3: Mapping

The group will interpret and transfer the data from the survey onto a base plan.

While this will be practically undertaken on a paper base plan there will also be an introduction to the principals of CAD. The group will be introduced to the theory and practice of interpreting and interrogating drawings.  Michael will provide examples of what level of detail is required for previously successful externally funded path projects . Upon the completion of the day a site survey and analysis drawing will be completed and an outline design agreed upon

 

Day 4: Specification, construction detailing and costing requirements

CCI will presentation the outline design and completed site survey and analysis drawing resulting from the first three days of tutorials. The group will then be introduced to good construction practices illustrating a variety of construction techniques and material available to undertake the work identified. The group will then make an informed decision as to the most appropriate materials to use on the identified site relating to the outline design, site constraints and operating constraints concerning access etc.  Construction detailing will then be discussed and drawn up. In the afternoon an introduction to tender preparation will be given and the group will work on the creation of a bill of quantities for the work identified during the first three days of tutorials.

 

 

Day 5: Creation of funding action plan / contract management

The group will be given an overview of the external funding process with examples of previously successful projects where both CCI and Michael have worked with community groups.  The various funding streams available to the Colintraive and Glendaruel Development Trust Community Access Project will then be discussed highlighting the various constraints and opportunities and examples of the application forms will be presented.

The group will also be introduced to project management and be given advice from the principles of procurement to financial management of contracts to making claims for external funding.  An introduction to CDM will also be given demonstrating the roles of contract managers, clients and contractors which may or not be applicable for this project depending on the detailing.  This will allow an overview of health and safety to be given from a construction point of view.