DCT are furthering an ambitious project to purchase and transform a local building into a multi-use community hub.
The Gaeltec Buildings at Lonmore, Dunvegan, once housed one of the largest employers in the area, manufacturing specialised electronic pressure measuring equipment. The building is now mostly unused apart from current tenants The Isle of Skye Sea Salt Company, and we are keen to bring them into community ownership and use them to further economic, environmental and social development in the area.
Following a well-received community consultation to gauge feedback for the project aims, DCT were successful in applying to Stage 1 of the Scottish Land Fund (SLF) to fund development works for the project. This included a building market valuation; building condition survey; specialised business and feasibility planning; and architectural support to produce concept designs, and a quantity surveyor to prepare two cost plans for the chosen concept design.
Following the submission of this work, DCT has also recently been awarded Stage 2 funding towards the purchase of the buildings, the refinement of the business plan and financial projections, and the production of a costed final design. We are currently negotiating the purchase of the buildings and working toward tight deadlines in the summer, to begin to secure funding for renovation costs, and to refine the architectural plans of the buildings, in order to maximise the space and ensure it is an asset that the community will benefit from for many years to come.
Based on the results of the original consultation, and the space within the buildings, we are hoping to include:
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- Office space to rent
- Shared workspace
- Commercial space for the inherited tenant
- Smaller commercial spaces to rent
- Community Gym
- Facilities for Childcare
- Multi-use Community Space for craft workshops
- Community Space for Tool Library and repair workshop
Join the Tool Library/repair Workshop Working Group
Link to Original Consultation Report
Link to Design Report incl Provisional Plans (these will be refined over the coming months)