Members of a Moray community group met local dignitaries last night to celebrate being awarded more than half a million pounds for a land buyout.
The Findhorn Village Conservation Company will receive a £520,000 grant towards its bid to boost its bid to purchase the land and foreshore from Novar Estates, bringing it into community ownership.
Moray MSP Richard Lochhead, Highland and Islands Enterprise area manager for Moray David Oxley and Dr John Watt, chairman of the Scottish Land Fund – which is providing the funding – met company directors at The Piers last night to mark the landmark announcement.
The funding means the group is ever closer to owning the area, which includes 61 hectares of amenity ground in Findhorn and 800 hectares of land next to the village.
The package has been valued independently by the district valuer at £575,000 and the award means 90% of the funding is now in place.
Company director Christine Hunt said: “We have carried out all the necessary work to show we can manage, develop and improve the area.
“The company was set up to conserve Findhorn and to improve the village for the residents of Findhorn and for visitors as well. Securing the village from Novar will insure that for decades to come we can improve it and preserve it for everybody to enjoy.”
Mr Lochhead said: “I’m delighted that the Findhorn Village Conservation Company has been awarded this funding, which will allow them to bring the land and the foreshore into community ownership.
“This is great news for the community of Findhorn, and the residents now have a fantastic opportunity to further enhance what is already a unique and special part of Moray.
“Having met some of the people involved in the community purchase, I know how hard they’ve worked to get to this point, and I’m very much looking forward to hearing more about their plans for the future.”