The Garbh Allt Community Initiative – a new organisation set up to pursue a community buyout of the 3000 acre West Helmsdale Crofting Estate –has received a boost of £273,025 from the Scottish Land Fund, as it seeks to take on responsibilities that include 20+ historic sites.
The estate, which comprises the townships of Marrel, West Helmsdale, Gartymore and Portgower, has more than 20 sites of historical interest.
Securing the estate’s future will allow for the development of business opportunities and will create a stream of income into the community.
Ailsa Raeburn, head of community assets for Highlands and Islands Enterprises (HIE), said: ‘The awards made by the committee cover a really interesting range of projects across Scotland. The scale and geographic spread demonstrate the level of interest we are seeing across the country from communities of all types and sizes that recognise the importance of owning local land and buildings and how this can benefit their local area.’
Read the article in the Northern Times
