HOME | CONTACT

Sgoil an Iochdair agus a'Choimhearsnachd

PAST PROJECTS picnic bench

Purchase of plot of land

Date: March 2004

Lead organisation: Committee

Funding:

  • £3,375 Land Fund
  • £843.75 Land Unit
  • £4,000 BNSF
  • £281.25 Own Funds

Total cost: £8,500

In 2003, we became aware that a segment of our circular walk used a footpath that crossed a site that was for sale as a house plot. The path is very well used and popular locally, so rather than see it being lost, we applied to the community land fund, the land unit and to BNSF (Better Neighbourhood Services Fund) and raised enough money ourselves to purchase the plot and safeguard it for the benefit of the community.

Since the purchase, we have performed an environmental survey, guided ably by Mary Harman of SNH. There is very little of special environmental interest on the plot itself, but it looks over a loch that is home to moorhen, diving ducks, swans and many other birds.

There seems to be a big gap in our activity levels but this reflects the amount of work that was going on in the background. Throughout 2004, we were trying to raise funds for the original plans for the school playing fields. The plans were far too ambitious; draining and raising the playing fields bought the cost up over a million pounds, and did not fit in with the council's sports facility strategy, which had more pressing concerns.