News / Cash for community groups
TWO community groups in Shetland have received funding to explore plans which include developing a marina in Yell and buying an old Nesting school.
North Yell Development Council has been given a development grant of £22,478 from the Scottish Land Fund to explore extending the existing community owned industrial estate in Cullivoe.
It also hopes to develop marina services and provide deep water berths and a breakwater in response to increased activity in marine-based industry and tourism in the area.
Earlier this month Yell-based Kevin Tulloch took ownership of a new boat as he looks ahead to launching the first tour business in the North Isles.
The Community Development Company of Nesting meanwhile has been given nearly £14,000 to develop a business plan as it continues its attempts to take on the old school in South Nesting.
The group has been in discussions with Shetland Islands Council about buying the site and its outbuildings and there is a number of possible uses mooted for the old school.
North Yell Development Council director Andrew Nisbet said the pre-acquisition grant should help towards boosting the local economy.
The money will be used by the community group to create a business plan, fund a civil engineer’s report on capital development costings, support legal fees and provide a market valuation of the sites.
“NYDC is delighted with the award of this grant and that we will be able to move our industrial estate expansion forward and support local businesses to grow and develop,” Nisbet said.
“This is an important part of our community development plan as we look to support employment, tourism and strengthening our community.”
Dougie Stevenson, a member of the Community Development Company of Nesting, added: “The help we have received from the Scottish Land Fund has been extremely beneficial and the grant we have received will give us the professional help to develop our concepts and move into the acquisition and development phase. We are very grateful for their support.”
The Scottish Land Fund is a Scottish Government programme run in conjunction with Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Big Lottery Fund which aims to help communities buy land and land-based assets.
Both the Yell and Nesting groups will now move onto ‘stage two’ of the Scottish Land Fund as they aim to secure money to acquire land and properties.
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