Community Regeneration Fund approved for The Storr and Elgol Path Project

At a special meeting of The Highland Council’s Skye and Raasay Area Committee held today (26 June 2023) Members agreed to fund 2 projects from the Community Regeneration Fund (CRF) totalling £63,072.16.

The Storr development was awarded £51,162 to install 1 x 22kW and 1 x 50kw EV chargers at the Old Man of Storr site as part of wider developments at The Storr. Broadford and Strath Community Company – Elgol Path Project was success in being awarded £11,910.16 towards a £50K project to complete a footpath taking residents and visitors safely off-road between two main areas in the village of Elgol. 

Skye and Raasay Area Committee Chair, Cllr John Finlayson said: “The special committee held today unanimously agreed the approval of funding for both the The Storr and Elgol Path Project.

“The projects approved today were done so according to RAG rating formula and both projects awarded demonstrate economic recovery; community resilience; mitigating impacts of the climate/ecological emergency and/or addressing the challenges of rural depopulation.”

Skye and Raasay has a funding allocation of £ 484,888 for 2023/2024.

• Highland Coastal Communities Fund (capital/revenue) - £438,595
• Place Based Investment Programme (capital) - £46,293

Total funds available - £484,888.

The next phase of the Community Regeneration Fund will open for Expression of Interests in August 2023, with a view to develop an official application should the project satisfy the criteria of the fund.  Stage 2 applications are expected around October/November and funding decisions anticipated to be made at the January 2024 Skye and Raasay Area Committee. Exact dates are yet to be announced but Expression of Interest will begin in August and confirmed dates of the opening of the next phase confirmed shortly.

Community Regeneration Funding is an umbrella term for funding streams available for communities/organisations to access and support economic regeneration and sustainable development in Highland. This round of funding includes the Highland Coastal Communities Fund and the Place Based Investment Programme. The allocation of these Scottish Government funding streams is devolved to Area Committees and decision making on which projects should receive funding sits with Elected Members.