Plans by Applecross Community Company to turn Church of Scotland building into community resource unanimously approved at AGM
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MEMBERS of a Wester Ross rural community have unanimously given the go-ahead to an initiative aiming to turn a church building into a community hub.
The last AGM of Applecross Community Company (ACC), held on Monday (April 25) both in person and online, saw members voting favourably to a special resolution regarding the acquisition of the Church of Scotland-owned church in Camusterrach.
The plan is to purchase the building and convert it into a multi-purpose community hub, as well as creating two flats for affordable housing in the community.
ACC local development manager, Megan MacInnes said the move will be a big opportunity for local businesses and the community.
"That's great news for us. The the feasibility study which we did in early 2022 showed very positive results in terms the community benefits.
Options highlighted in the feasibility study, which was funded by the Scottish Land Fund after a successful application, involve converting the building into a community hub with community storage and workshop space, hot desks and office spaces as well as premises for a base for ACC and the Applenet network.
Ms MacInness said: "At the moment our community, like many other rural communities, struggles with availability of infrastructure or amenities. There are a lot of people working from home now and we don't have access to office space, there is limited access to workshop or industrial spaces so there are a lot of people who are producing things at home or using the limited access they have in their own sheds, but this is a real need."
She added: "We are also considering developing a library of things, which is like a library but instead of books you borrow tools or equipment that members of the community could use.
"Because so many people have crofts but we are quite far away from Inverness, where you can find places where to hire equipment, that would be very beneficial to have that. It's of course more sustainable than everyone buying their own equipment.
"We also have the possibility to convert part of the building in one-bedroom apartments. The three things that were guiding the community vision for this project were that what we did with the building was in line with our strategic plan and that it didn't overlap with other venues at the village (like community hall) and that it was going to be financially viable. Having apartment for rent would enable us to make it so that it is viable.
"This building has been used by the congregation for many years and there is a strong feeling that people want to keep it within the community ownership rather than having it on the open marked, in which case it would probably be converted in holiday let or second home. It's important for the community that the building keeps being an asset for the community."
Ms MacInness said the next steps will be securing funding from Scottish Land Fund, which ACC aims to apply for in May, and finalising the negotiation process with Church of Scotland.
