Draft Estate Management Plan
Assynt FoundationDrumrunie and Glencanisp
Estate Management Plan for 2007 and beyond
DRAFT
Contents
Summary
Foreword
Management Plan
Governance
Organisation and Communication
Finance and Economic Activity
Community
Housing
Crofting
Social benefits
Culture
Land
Landscape and Habitats
Woods
Deer
Livestock
Fish
Infrastructure
Access
Buildings
Energy
Backwords
Maps
Plans
Agreements
Summary
To be written last.
Foreword
The purpose of this document is to help Assynt Foundation and its partners to achieve their objectives, by laying out a coherent plan of action for the coming year and a strategy for the future. This part of the document, the ‘foreword’, sets out Assynt Foundation’s objectives and explains the methodology we are adopting to achieve them. The second part of the document discusses the full range of our activities that we will undertake in pursuit of our objectives. The third part of the document, the ‘backwords’, gives the background to how we got where we are, and details a range of features of our land, from the mountains to the mice, from the people to the politics.
Although Glencanisp and Drumrunie are seen by many as ‘natural’ or ‘wild’ they are first and foremost cultural landscapes. What we see today, both in landscape terms and in terms of habitats, is the result of generations of human activity. Evidence of human settlement is scattered throughout the landscape (see map 1): features of prehistoric settlements, ruins of shielings and shepherds’ houses, dykes (including even a dyke on the high bealach of Suilven) and turf enclosures. The habitats have been heavily influenced over millennia by grazing, first dominated by cattle, then by sheep, and more recently by high numbers of red deer. Continuous overgrazing, trampling and burning have led to a spectacularly naked landscape almost devoid of woodland cover and with many degraded habitats. Of the designated habitats on Drumrunie, with the exception of standing water, none are considered to be in favourable condition after many decades of ‘traditional’ estate management, despite management agreements in recent years with various government agencies. The Drumrunie area was formerly part of the Inverpolly National Nature Reserve, however Scottish Natural Heritage de-declared Inverpolly as a National Nature Reserve in 2004 because they could not get a commitment from the previous owners to make primacy of nature their management objective. Assynt Foundation is committed to giving primacy to nature in the management of Drumrunie. Despite their ecological degradation, Glencanisp and Drumrunie are awe-inspiring areas of land that provide local people and visitors with powerful experiences of wild places and adventure.
By 2005, when the Assynt Foundation bought the land on behalf of the community of Assynt, nobody lived year round on either estate. Community ownership is a tremendous opportunity to make long term plans both to restore the ecosystems and to develop activity based on the land to generate economic and social benefits for local people. (NB: Throughout these documents, although Drumrunie strictly speaking falls in Loch Broom parish, ‘Assynt’ should be read to cover the parish of Assynt and include the area of Drumrunie.)
Who we are
Assynt Foundation is a company limited by guarantee with charitable status, open to membership by everyone living in the community of Assynt and on the electoral register. We have a board of directors and currently employ a development manager and a project officer full-time, and several other staff on a seasonal, part-time or self-employed basis. Assynt Foundation has a subsidiary trading company called Assynt.biz, with its own board of directors appointed by Assynt Foundation. As well as our members, local people and visitors to Assynt, we are committed to consulting and co-operating with a wide range of organisations, including other charities, businesses and national and regional government agencies. This plan is based on the results of consultation with the community for the feasibility study carried out in 2004, ongoing discussions since then, discussions with Government agencies, discussions with our partners and interviews with the current directors and staff.
Our objectives
Our overall long term objectives as stated in our Memorandum and Articles are:
‘To manage community land and associated assets for the benefit of the community and the public in general as an important part of the protection and sustainable development of Scotland’s natural environment, where ‘sustainable development’ means development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. To advance the education of the community about its environment, culture and/or history’.
We want to increase the opportunities for people to enjoy the special qualities of our land and to create opportunities for local people to live and work on the land.
We have also agreed with Scottish Natural Heritage the following more specific natural heritage management objectives.
a) On Drumrunie Estate, to ensure that all management activities are undertaken in a manner maintaining the concept of the primacy of nature conservation.
b) To manage the land to meet the objectives of all the European and national designations on the Drumrunie and Glencanisp Estates.
c) To protect, maintain and enhance as appropriate, the nature conservation interest of the land to meet biodiversity objectives at local and national levels
d) To undertake and assist in monitoring and research to meet biological objectives and demonstrate positive land management techniques.
e) To encourage the adoption of land use practices which are compatible with the requirements to protect, maintain and enhance biological, geological and landscape interests.
f) To increase the understanding of habitat management and the enjoyment of the special interests by the local community and visiting public.
g) To ensure that visitor use of the estates is compatible with other natural heritage management objectives.
h) To encourage responsible informal and formal recreation on the estates.
i) To protect, maintain, and enhance as appropriate, the landscape features of the land including the sense of mass and scale, wildness and richness of detail.
j) To protect, maintain and enhance as appropriate the archaeological and historical interest.
Our strategy
This is a management plan, but with a difference. It is not dogmatic, linear or rigidly prescriptive. Assynt Foundation will take a collaborative and adaptive approach to planning and management in order to achieve our objectives. This will involve a process of explicit and conscious learning which involves repeated iterations of planning, taking actions, monitoring, reflecting and adapting. The lessons learned through reflection may well lead to alterations in the management plan in subsequent iterations. Mistakes and failures will be seen as opportunities for learning and triggers for adaptation. Successes and surprises will be noted and reinforced. A process of full review will be undertaken annually, with additional assessments at seasonally appropriate times feeding into the full review.
Our management of Glencanisp and Drumrunie will be guided by collaboration with our members, our partners and supporting agencies in agreeing specific aims and actions to meet our objectives, subjecting these aims and actions to regular assessments and modifying them in the light of their findings. To achieve this we will establish a liaison group, involving SNH, FCS, DCS, JMT, ACC and HC and meet with this group twice yearly to help ensure that we, and our partners, are working together as effectively as possible, sharing lessons learned and building consensus about the future of our land.
A spreadsheet version of this action plan will be used to record details such as who, when and where actions will be carried out and as the basis for tracking progress, discussion with our partners and structuring reviews. This plan will thus be a living document, not one to be filed and forgotten.
In setting our management aims and actions our strategy is:
• to plan, act, reflect and learn, and to adapt our aims and actions in accordance with what we learn and the needs of our community;
• to be inclusive, participative and responsive to the community of Assynt in developing our actions towards achieving our objectives and in meeting our specific aims;
• to encourage, value and support volunteers, and encourage wide participation in our work;
• to collaborate with those agencies and other organisations who share our objectives and want to work with us to achieve them;
• to assess all our proposed actions to ensure they are compatible with our objectives and the objectives in agreements signed up to with our partners (SNH, JMT, DCS and Tubney Trust);
• to seek permission for any actions in designated areas that are ‘operations requiring consent’;
• to employ highly motivated and skilled staff;
• to adopt the best standards and practices in all we do.
Glencanisp and Drumrunie is a large area of land, containing many places which will each be managed according to different priorities (see map 2). For example, the land closest to Lochinver village will be used to optimise social benefits to the community, such as affordable housing. Efforts to create new crofts will be focused at the former farm at Ledbeg. The land close to Glencanisp Lodge will be developed with an emphasis on its use for cultural and recreational and economic use. The area around Cnocnaneach has been identified as the most suitable part of the estate for noisy recreation. Drumrunie will be managed to ensure all activities give primacy to nature conservation with a focus on woodland regeneration and bringing the designated habitats in to favourable condition. The south shore of Loch Assynt will be the site of innovative efforts to encourage woodland regeneration, in an effort to link up with other regenerating woods and ultimately to bequeath to future generations a ‘Great Wood of Assynt’ (see map 12).
Management Plan
This plan sets out our aims for the full range of our activities, under the headings of Governance, Community, Land and Infrastructure. For each area of activity it also states comprehensively our planned actions for year 1 (April 2007- April 2008) and some of the actions we intend to carry out in year 2 or beyond. (NB: "(ongoing)" indicates that an action will be ongoing from year to year.) We are satisfied that all of our aims, and the actions to be carried out in year 1, are compatible with our objectives and the objectives in the agreements signed up to with our partners (SNH, DCS, JMT and Tubney Trust); and we commit to assessing this compatibility for future years’ action plans.
Governance
Organisation and communication
Long term aims
Ensure competent governance of Assynt Foundation with full community involvement. Keep Assynt community, the wider community and the supporting agencies fully informed of our objectives and activities. Grow the membership of Assynt Foundation. Provide high quality information, interpretation and education. Ensure excellent staff conditions and training. Organise training for directors. Manage a range of working subgroups.
Year 1 actions
Hold two community open meetings. (ongoing)
Publish four newsletters. (ongoing)
Keep web site up-to-date. (ongoing)
Review and update Health and Safety policy and other Assynt Foundation policies. (ongoing)
Carry out a risk assessment of all Assynt Foundation activities.
Prepare a general information leaflet.
Recruit 20 new members of Assynt Foundation. (ongoing)
Set up culture and communications subgroups.
Set up a Friends of Assynt scheme.
Employ an administrative assistant.
Hold regular line management meetings with staff. (ongoing)
Set up and meet with a liaison group of our partners (SNH, FCS, DCS, JMT, ACC and HC). (ongoing)
Review and reflect on implementation of this management plan and record the results. (ongoing)
Develop detailed management plan for year 2. (ongoing)
Year 2 actions
Hold two community open meeting to review activities and progress towards objectives (ongoing)
Commission a plan (including objectives) for high-quality interpretation about the land, wildlife, paths and history.
Update the information about Assynt Foundation in the visitor centre.
Finance and economic activity
Long term aims
Ensure financial competence. Meet Assynt Foundation’s revenue needs through sensitive and sustainable economic activity managed by Assynt.biz. Ensure sufficient income to support core staff. Develop a stable market for Glencanisp Lodge and other properties.
Year 1 actions
Produce monthly budgets and statements, quarterly cash-flow analyses and annual return and accounts. (ongoing)
Develop a stable market for stalking (including camera stalking) spread across the season (Assynt.biz).
Meet with Wilderness Scotland about the potential for ecotourism.
Year 2 actions
Investigate ways to add value to venison produced from stalking. (Assynt.biz)
Market Glencanisp Lodge particularly for corporate and commercial clients. (Assynt.biz)
Promote the use of the boathouse as bunkhouse accommodation. (Assynt.biz)
Identify a source of revenue to complete Development Manager funding package.
Meet with Assynt Tourism Group and Wilderness Scotland about developing ecotourism.
Community
Youth
Long term aims
Encourage young people to access and use our land responsibly. Engage youth in the community in the management of the land. Develop water sports and other outdoor facilities, with local tourism operators and the Assynt Leisure Centre. Work towards a multi-day outdoor sports event including a Suilven hill race. Develop an outdoor centre at Cnocnaneach, linked to facilities for trail bikes, paintball and other outdoor activities.
Year 1 actions
Create employment for a young local person with learning disabilities. (ongoing)
Create opportunity for young local people to be trained as stalkers. (ongoing)
Buy 12 kayaks and safety boats for use by visitors and locals.
Run training in use of canoes and water sport safety.
Organise a triathlon terminating at Glencanisp with Assynt Leisure.
Make plans with local entrepreneurs for establishing an outdoor activity centre at Cnoceaneach.
Year 2 actions
Create more employment for young people with disabilities.
Seek funding for sailing dinghies, trailer and boathouse.
Develop triathlon, to cater for several skill/age levels.
Support local entrepreneurs developing outdoor activities at Cnocnaneach, and implement plans agreed in year 1.
Organise a mini land-use seminar for local young people, involving walk-and-talk to envision long term landscape and vegetation dynamics.
Housing
Long term aims
Help meet Assynt’s housing needs with ecologically sensitive housing most of which is retained as affordable to those in most need. Make land available for affordable housing for local people.
Year 1 actions
Meet with Highland Council Housing Development group and other potential partners to identify the best approach and identify a partner for taking this project forwards.
Input to local plan seeking for the site identified as most appropriate to be zoned for housing.
Commission a technical report on foul water disposal at the housing site.
Commission a landscape assessment and design for the site.
Year 2 actions
Consider findings of advisors and work with partners to take affordable housing forward.
Undertake a full technical site study of the site, with partners.
Refine understanding of local demand for houses.
Year 3 actions
Prepare a programme for the delivery of affordable houses.
Consider a land release policy for sale of individual house plots
Crofting
Long term aims
Establish crofts on Assynt Foundation or nearby land and let them to local tenants.
Year 1 actions
Discuss with FCS the potential for woodland crofts on Forestry Commission land in Ledmore Forest.
Year 2 actions
Discuss with people in Ledmore, Elphin and Knockan the possibility of creating crofts on Ledbeg farm.
Prepare proposals for the creation of crofts.
Prepare criteria and process for the letting of new crofts
Year 3 actions
Apply to Crofters Commission for permission to create new crofts.
Let crofts to suitable tenants.
Social, Cultural and recreational benefits
Long term aims
Create and take opportunities to use Assynt Foundation’s assets to improve services for the local community. Develop Glencanisp as a hub of arts, crafts and cultural activity, involving the local community. Help meet Assynt’s health needs by providing good access and recreational opportunities. Support the entrepreneurial and social aspirations of the people of Assynt, and enhance local skills with local training providers. Develop recreational use of whole estate by clients based at Glencanisp Lodge. Involve people with learning and physical disabilities and elderly people in an all-abilities garden at Glencanisp,
Year 1 actions
Discuss with Highland Council and other potential partners about ways of co-operating with them to enhance social services for people in the Highlands.
Discuss with Health and Happiness and the current tenant about using of part of the walled garden, including potential use of pigs to clear the ground.
Set up an arts/culture subgroup within Assynt Foundation.
Organise two fun days for the local community at Glencanisp. (ongoing)
Continue trial of writers retreats and develop a creative writing course.
Trial other arts-based residential weeks at Glencanisp Lodge.
Establish opportunity for a writer/artist in residence at Glencanisp.
Host a craft event (such as wine-making workshops) at Glencanisp. (ongoing)
Year 2 actions
Run training in risk assessment for outdoor activities.
Carry out consultation with the community about Glencanisp developing as an arts and crafts centre.
Develop a programme of arts and crafts activities. (ongoing)
Discuss with Comunn Eachdraidh Asainte and Historic Assynt about their potential interest in the old buildings.
Continue writing retreats in refurbished lodge.
Promote opportunity for writer/artist in residence. (ongoing)
Land
Landscape and habitats
Long term aims
Safeguard the exceptional landscape qualities. Protect and enhance habitats, ensuring no projects are detrimental to the biodiversity of the estate. Bring the designated habitats to ‘favourable status’. Ensure all activities on Drumrunie give primacy to nature conservation. Achieve a biodiverse and resource rich land and enhance the exceptional environmental qualities through the restoration of damaged habitats and ecosystems. Encourage the local community and wider public’s enjoyment of the natural heritage of Glencanisp and Drumrunie. Develop a vision for the most appropriate land use for the estates into the very long term.
Year 1 actions
Collaborate with the DCS on monitoring each May of the seedling response to deer reductions on Drumrunie, as detailed in the deer management plan. (ongoing)
Establish a regime in collaboration with SNH for site condition monitoring on SSSIs.
Devise a programme of monitoring activity on UK BAP species and habitats, to begin with selected baseline surveys.
Visit Drumrunie SWGS exclosure with Forestry Commission Scotland and local community and SNH (including investigating wood ants).
Liaise with MacAulay Land Use Research Institute about research into detailed monitoring of grazing impacts.
Year 2 actions
Set up a site condition monitoring regime involving 1km transcripts of dry and wet heath on Glencanisp.
Organise monitoring training for stalkers and other staff.
Seek and develop input from the community into a long-term vision for the landscape and land use.
Begin a programme of drain blocking between Knockan and Drumrunie corner. (ongoing)
Woods
Long term aims
Encourage regeneration of woods at key areas of the estate, particularly on Drumrunie and along the South shore of Loch Assynt, aiming ultimately for continuous woods along the shore. Plant useful timber species in suitable areas.
Year 1 actions
Carry out fixed point photographic record of existing woods. This will be repeated at five year intervals.
Visit the Drumrunie exclosures with SNH advisors and local staff.
Visit the three woodland grant scheme exclosures with FCS.
Meet with Forest Enterprise to get advice on wind blown timber around Glencanisp Lodge.
Carry out tree regeneration monitoring in the South Loch Assynt woods. (ongoing)
Identify some control plots for monitoring to compare with areas where active intervention will take place and carry out baseline monitoring.
Apply for funding from Highland Council to support experimental interventions on the South shore of Loch Assynt with pigs to poach ground, disturb deer and thereby speed up woodland regeneration.
Carry out and review impacts of a first pig trial.
Year 2 actions
Develop a plan of action for the Drumrunie exclosures, taking into consideration the original purpose of each one.
Establish and improve woodland monitoring regime, including small plot exclosures.
Continue experiments in regeneration. (ongoing)
Plan for removal of wind blown timber around Glencanisp Lodge, linked to contract for wood fuel heating system if possible.
Prepare a planting programme for useful timber close to Glencanisp Lodge and other suitable areas.
Check condition of exclosure fences and repair if needed (ongoing)
Deer
Long term aims
Have a healthy herd such that vegetation regeneration is taking place. Manage the deer population in accordance with the Deer Management Plan and Deer Commission Scotland (DCS) ‘Best Practice’.
Year 1 actions
Carry out deer management plan actions: culling and reviewing progress. (ongoing)
Meet with DCS and SNH and neighbouring landowners twice. (ongoing)
Attend Deer Management Group and involve neighbouring landlords in management activity. (ongoing)
Work with DCS on monitoring on Drumrunie. (ongoing)
Carry out annual deer count by helicopter on both estates. (ongoing)
Attend DCS ‘Best Practice’ events and training. (ongoing)
Provide annual deer management records and an annual record of management to SNH. (ongoing)
Investigate out-of-season hind shooting in sensitive areas.
Discuss with MLURI about setting up research project incorporating DeerMap and inter-species interactions.
Year 2 actions
Use results of MLURI DeerMap project (if applicable) to inform and update deer management plan.
Refurbish and extend deer larder including installation of chiller and processing facilities
Livestock
Long term aims
To use livestock to enhance biodiversity of the estate and provide food for the local community. Establish the optimum grazing regime to achieve a healthy and resource-rich land. Endeavour to accommodate individuals in the community wanting to use the land for stock.
Year 1 actions
Assess fence repair and maintenance needs to prepare old parks around Glencanisp Lodge for cattle.
Commission a feasibility study into a community cattle herd, with North West Cattle Producers Association and Scottish Agriculture College.
Hold a public meeting with local community on a community cattle scheme.
Meet with residents and crofters at Elphin about land management and particularly livestock.
Consult with SNH over the possible use of livestock in the Drumrunie exclosures.
Year 2 actions
Follow through on the results of local meetings, consultations and feasibility study.
Fish
Long term aims
Maintain the trout fisheries and keep them available to the public through the Assynt Angling Group.
Enhance salmon stocks. Enhance riparian zone consistent with the Culag River Management Plan.
Year 1 actions
Carry out spring and autumn survey of salmon and brown trout stocks in Loch Druim Suardlain. (ongoing)
Join West Sutherland Fisheries Trust.
Year 2 actions
Open Abhainn Bad na h-Achlaise system to the inland lochs.
Stock Abhainn Bad na h-Achlaise with indigenous salmon.
Explore potential for developing a hatchery.
Increase number of boats on lochs.
Infrastructure
Access
Long term aims
Enhance access to the estate by developing and maintaining paths.
Year 1 actions
Carry out path maintenance as in the Land Management Contract paths plan. (ongoing)
Establish and carry out a maintenance schedule for fences, paths, bridges etc. (ongoing)
Year 2 actions
Apply for Rural Development Contracts to support further pathwork.
Develop a programme of pathwork in conjunction with Assynt Footpath Group and SNH local staff.
Resurface Glencanisp Lodge driveway.
Review use of all terrain vehicle access to Gleann Laoigh for stalking.
Assess the impacts of recreation and all terrain vehicle use.
Buildings
Long term aims
Renovate Glencanisp Lodge. Let Glencanisp Lodge commercially 50% of the year, and 50% of the year for social and community users. Develop bunkhouse and bothy accommodation to complement the Lodge. Make optimum use of other buildings, including Ledbeg House.
Year 1 actions
Apply for funds for lodge refurbishment.
Get renovation well under way.
Build log boiler house, laundry and community woodfuel energy building, involving training of local people in chain-saw skills, post-and-beam building and log scribing.
Carry out building survey of Ledbeg House.
Draw up and carry out maintenance schedule for all buildings. (ongoing)
Carry out maintenance and install woodfuel stoves in Gardener’s cottage and Stalkers Bothy.
Upgrade the ‘old boathouse’ to bunkhouse standard.
Explore with Scottish Mountain Bothy Association the potential for developing bothies at old buildings on the estate.
Year 2 actions
Complete Lodge renovation.
Hold a grand community re-opening of the Lodge.
Set up a community interest company to develop and use wood building skills.
Facilitate the development of laundry and catering businesses based at the Lodge.
Produce a strategy for the use of all buildings behind the Lodge.
Identify suitable locations and funding for eco huts including a multi-purpose bothy in Drumrunie for environmental/educational experiences for locals.
Year 3 actions
Build a multi-purpose bothy in Drumrunie.
Energy
Long term aims
Ensure the lodge and other buildings are energy efficient and use renewable energy. Help to meet Assynt’s energy needs from renewable resources. Work to develop an Assynt Community Renewable Energy Company.
Year 1 actions
Carry out Energy Savings Trust audit of lodge.
Upgrade the Lodge’s windows, insulation and install solar water heating.
Install woodfuel heating in the lodge, Gardener’s cottage and Stalkers’ bothy.
Explore the establishment of a woodfuel business by a local entrepreneur.
Engage with the local community on how to take forwards the results of the wind generation feasibility study.
Engage with the wider Assynt renewable energy initiative.
Hold regular meetings of the renewables subgroup and attend other relevant community meetings.(ongoing)
Year 2 actions
Carry out Energy Savings Trust audit of other buildings.
Support a local entrepreneur in setting up a woodfuel business.
Follow up on the results of consultation with community on developing renewable energy generation.
Backwords
Assynt Foundation
Climate – Peter Kohn
Geology - Fiona Saywell
Landscape – Mick Blunt
Historic sites - Malcolm Bangor- Jones
Socio-economics and demographics – Kirsty Macleod
Education and youth - Rosmarie Shairp
Crofting - Bill Ritchie
Housing - Peter Hardwick
Business start-ups – Derek Louden
Renewable energy – Derek Louden
[Tourism – Nick Gorton - awaiting submission]
Glencanisp Lodge – Derek Louden
Habitats - Viv Halcrow
Designations and BAPs – Bill Ritchie
Flora – Viv Halcrow
Existing woodlands - Robin Noble
Woodland schemes - Robin Noble
Drumrunie exclosures – with notes from SNH
Birds - Andy Summers
Animals – Ian Evans
Fisheries - Duncan May
Stalking – Bill Ritchie
Grazing Impact on Drumrunie – Rory Putnam
Paths – Andy Summers
[Interpretation – Bill Ritchie - awaiting submission]
[Land Management – Claire Belshaw – awaiting submission]
Maps referred to in text
1. Historic sites
2. Management zones
3. Geology
4. National Scenic Area
5. Wild Land recognised in Sutherland Local Area Plan
6. Croft lands
7. Proposed site for affordable housing
8. Glencanisp Lodge Renovation plan
9. Habitats
10. Boundaries
11. Footpaths
12. Great Wood of Assynt
Other maps
SWGS woodlands
South Loch Assynt woodlands
Drumrunie woodlands
Drumrunie exclosures
Proposed core footpaths
Access points
Fisheries Protection Area
Neighbouring community owned land
Nearby social assets (schools, community buildings, etc)
Plans and Agreements
Assynt Foundation Business Plan 2007
Glencanisp and Drumrunie Deer Management Plan 2005
South Side of Loch Assynt Plan 2007
DCS Drumrunie Estate- Section 7 Control Agreement 2006
Management agreement with SNH
Agreement with JMT
Other information held by Assynt Foundation
Memorandom and Articles
Assynt Foundation
Assynt Foundation is a company limited by guarantee with charitable status established in August 2004. Membership is limited to those living in the parish of Assynt and on the electoral role. (NB: Throughout these documents, although Drumrunie strictly speaking falls in Loch Broom parish, ‘Assynt’ should be read to cover the parish of Assynt and include the area of Drumrunie.) Directors are appointed by the members under the rules of the Memorandon and Articles. AF purchased Glencanisp and Drumrunie Estates on 14th June 2005 under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. Funding was provided by The Scottish Land Fund, HIE Community Land Unit, Tubney Charitable Trust, Scottish Natural Heritage and John Muir Trust.
As a charity Assynt Foundation cannot carry on any profit making activity. In order to maximise revenue raising activities from its assets Assynt Foundation has set up Assynt.biz as a trading company wholly owned by Assynt Foundation. It is a separate legal body with independent directors appointed by Assynt Foundation set up to carry out profit making activities. Any profits are gifted to Assynt Foundation to allow the Assynt Foundation to carry out its charitable activities. Current activities of Assynt.biz include managing the letting of Glencanisp Lodge as a self-catering facility and the management of the let red deer stalking.
Glencanisp and Drumrunie – summary description.
The 13,150 ha (32,500acres) Glencanisp Estate lies in the parish of Assynt in Sutherland. At the time of purchase nobody lived full time on the estate. It has been managed as a traditional sporting estate for over 100 years and includes the mountains of Suilven (731m) and Canisp (846m). It includes Glencanisp Lodge, a 14 bedroom Victorian house, one mile east of Lochinver up a single track road. It also includes Ledbeg, the oldest inhabited house in Assynt. There is also a 2 bedroom house and a bothy along with various out buildings near the lodge. The upper storey of the former stable building is used as Assynt Foundation’s office.
The 4,800 ha (11,900acres) Drumrunie Estate lies in the parish of Loch Broom in Ross and Cromarty. It has been managed along with Glencanisp Estate as a sporting estate for over 100 years. It includes the mountains of Cul Mor (849m) and Cul Beag (769m). There are no houses on Drumrunie estate.
The vegetation on both Glencanisp and Drumrunie is mainly upland heath with small fragmented areas of semi-natural ancient native woods. Glencanisp and Drumrunie contain four Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The entire estate of Drumrunie has been designated as part of the Inverpolly Special Area of Conservation. Many of the lochs are designated under the Inverpolly, Loch Urigil and nearby Lochs Special Protection Area for the breeding birds. These lochs form part of the core breeding range of Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica in the UK. Loch Assynt is part of the Assynt Lochs SPA. Both estates form a significant core of the Assynt – Coigeach National Scenic Area. In 2004 in recognition of its outstanding geology and landscape, the North West Highlands including Assynt was awarded European Geopark status by UNESCO.
Climate
Being on the western seaboard of Scotland, the parish of Assynt enjoys a maritime climate: rainfall is high and the range of temperatures is quite limited with comparatively mild winters and cool summers. The Meteorological Office has never had a full weather station within the parish but there are three stations just outside the boundaries: to the north at Duartmore Bridge; to the south at Inverpolly; and to the southeast at Knockanrock. There are also long term records of rainfall at Strathcanaird Power Station and Inchnadamph and short term records for Stoer, Lochinver and Kerrachar. None of these stations has records for more than about thirty years. Making allowances for altitude, the records for Inverpolly and Knockanrock are particularly relevant to the Drumrunie and Glencanisp Estates.
The high rainfall arises from the moist air brought from the sea by the prevailing (SW-W) winds. As this air hits the land, and particularly as it is lifted by the hills, it cools and moisture is lost as rain, hail or snow. The driest part of the parish is the Stoer peninsula with only 1230 mm of rain per year whereas 2080mm falls at Knockanrock. Almost certainly rainfall will be even higher on the hill tops and especially on the eastern boundary of the estates. Although the records are somewhat incomplete, and sometimes cover only a few years, the general pattern of variation through the year is quite clear. Everywhere May is the driest month and November (or December) the wettest: rainfall in the driest month is around 40% of that in the wettest month.
As expected, the inland (and higher) recording station at Knockan is noticeably colder than Duartmore or Inverpolly. The daily fluctuation in temperature is four or five degrees Celsius in winter and six or seven degrees in summer. Typical summer temperatures are 16 at Knockan and 17 at Inverpolly though 20?C will be exceeded in most years in any month between May and September.
Assynt is also a windy parish. The far north-west of Scotland is acknowledged to be one of the windiest parts of Europe. Although the hurricane of January 12th/13th 2005 was exceptional, gale force winds are quite common. At Duartmore Bridge gales (above about 40mph) are only recorded on nine days each year. Nevertheless, there is an average wind speed of nearly 10mph and the calmest month (August) still has winds of two-thirds the strength of those in the windiest month (January).
Winter days are short and the number of days with no sunshine at all is also much higher in winter - these account for two days out of three in December but less than one in ten in May. May is the sunniest month, well ahead of June and then April.
Although relatively temperate, Assynt still experiences frosts on up to 50 days a year at Duartmore (this figure will be much lower right on the coast but much higher at Knockan), and lying snow was observed on 13 days per year on average.
A fuller summary of the Assynt climate has been presented in “The Flora of Assynt” written and published by P.A. and I.M. Evans (with G.P. Rothero)
Note by Bill Ritchie: average wind speed around the coast and on higher ground range from 7 – 10 m per second, around 26kph or 16mph. The coastal and mountains also have many more gales than recoded at Duartmore Bridge with frequent severe gales on the mountain summits. The wind speed on the summits can be estimated as on average nearly double that at sea level.
Geology
Introduction
The geology of Glencanisp and Drumrunie estates spans over 2.5 billion years of earth history. The majority of the land lies within the Lewisian Gneiss, a metamorphic complex dating back to approximately 3 billion years. These rocks have been repeatedly heated and compressed to form the distinctive low-lying landscape of the western sections of Glencanisp and Drumrunie. Moving east, the gneiss is overlain by the Torridonian Sandstones, comprising several thick layers of sandstones, mudstones and conglomerates. A sequence of pure quartz sandstone, worm burrowed sandstone, calcareous siltstones and grits and dolomitised limestones form the eastern fringes of the estates. This last sequence was formed at around 550 million years. Up to this point in Earth history Assynt and the rest of Scotland lay on a separate piece of crust to England. At around 450 million years ago these two separate pieces of crust collided and formed a mountain chain to the southwest. The compressive forces were far reaching and although Assynt lies on the foreland region to this mountain chain, the rocks were affected by a major low angle fault or thrust, known as the Moine Thrust, which dips down to the southwest. As a result much older rocks of the Moine succession have been brought up from depth and from the east to the surface to lie on top of the youngest sequence of rocks in Assynt. These Moine rocks lie at the southeastern corner of the Drumrunie estate and consist of a series of metamorphosed sandstones and mudstones. Other rock types found in the area are sills and dykes composed of rare types of igneous rocks, the emplacement of which are all linked to the movement on the Moine Thrust.
The Lewisian Complex
The Lewisian Complex was originally a series of granite type rocks, fragments of ocean crust and some sedimentary rocks which underwent several phases of metamorphism and deformation to produce typically grey and banded gneiss grade rocks. The oldest parts of the complex have been dated as 3.03Ga (billion years) with the youngest phase of deformation occurring at 1.63 to 1.86Ga. These gneisses are crosscut by WNW to ESE trending basic and ultra basic dykes which were emplaced around 2.0 to 2.4Ga.
The Torridonian Sandstone
Following formation of the Lewisian Complex a time gap of circa 600 Ma (million years) allowed the exposure and weathering of the gneiss to take place. At around 1000Ma (1Ga) the Torridonian Sandstone was laid down on this exposed land surface in rift valleys by large river systems. This time gap is known as an unconformity and can be traced through Glencanisp estate along the base of Suilven, Canisp, Beinn Reidh and Beinn Gharbh. The Torridonian sandstone comprises the majority of Drumrunie estate and the unconformity is not as extensive in this vicinity.
Cambrian Rocks
A second unconformity of circa 300 Ma occurs between the Torridonian and the overlying quartzite. In a few small areas the quartzite lies directly on the on the Lewisian, the largest section of which can be traced northwards from Cam Loch. The quartzite beds were laid down as beach sands and pass up into a sequence formed at the opening ocean to the southeast. This sequence finishes with limestones which were dolomitised after burial. Some of these limestones have also been altered to marble where contact to large igneous bodies is close providing heat for this change to occur.
Moine Thrust Zone (MTZ)
A period of mountain building forming the Caledonian Mountains to the east of Assynt took place 450 Ma with the closure of the Iapetus Ocean which lay between present day Scotland and England. Assynt lies on the western edge of the Caledonian mountain belt. This western edge is characterised by low angle thrust/reverse faults. These faults transport rocks from lower levels to higher levels of the crust, emplacing older rocks onto younger.
The structural geology in this area is dominated by the Moine Thrust Belt where older Moine rocks (1000 Ma) have been transported westwards to lie on top of the foreland rocks. Complications arise where the locking up of thrusts occur and the subsequent forward propagation of thrust faults creates complex sequences of thrust bound sections.
Along the west coast from Skye to Durness the Moine Thrust zone is usually quite narrow. However in Assynt, due to the intrusion of large igneous bodies at similar times to the thrusting, the thrust planes created a bulge that has since been eroded and has exposed the complex sequence of events below. The oldest thrust is the Moine thrust, which then locked up and propagated forward to form the Ben More Thrust, followed by the Glencoul Thrust which is mainly exposed in the north of Assynt and finally the Sole Thrust is the most westerly exposed thrust in this area.
Igneous Rocks
Closely associated with movements in this thrust zone are several types of igneous intrusions, which are linked by their mode of formation and composition. The Loch Borrolan intrusion is the largest area of igneous rock in Assynt. It was emplaced during movement along the MTZ and dating of this intrusion has been integral to establishing the date of movement along the MTZ in Assynt. Other minor intrusions are dykes and sills, which cut both rocks of the foreland and those involved in thrusting. Two main types are Canisp Porphyry and grorudite. Canisp Porphyry is confined to the unmoved foreland rocks, and grorudite is only found in the Ben More and Glencoul Nappes (which are outwith Glencanisp and Drumrunie).
Quaternary
The cooling in the quaternary, which resulted in the ice ages, started at 35-40 Ma. However the last major glacial event was at a maximum 20,000 years ago. When the ice sheet was at its thickest it is believed that the summits of some of the mountains which are at present covered with extensive block fields were exposed above the level of the ice. Block fields occur where freeze thaw processes can operate to weather the rock by frost shattering. A later glacial period called the Loch Lomond readvance, about 10,000 years ago, reintroduced corrie glaciers to the area on some of the higher peaks. The ice ages have left a landscape legacy creating deepened valleys and sea lochs.
Geological Conservation Review Sites (GCR sites)
GCR sites are earth science sites identified as at least nationally important for Earth heritage conservation. Many of these sites are also of international importance. There are 5 GCR sites within the Glencanisp estate, 3 of which lie within the Cam Loch Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
In the southeast corner of the Glencanisp estate there is an isolated part of the Ben More thrust nappe known as the Cam Loch Klippe. The thrust plane carried older rocks up above it and bulged upwards in this area as repeated stacking and folding of the rocks in the overlying nappe took place, following erosion this section was left isolated away from the main Ben More Thrust. This area has been identified as a Geological Conservation Review Site (GCR site) and shown on map 3 as site 1.
The exposures of Canisp Porphyry are particularly spectacular on Beinn Gharbh and have been assigned as a GCR site (GCR site 2). Another GCR site (3) shows the relationship between the Canisp Porphyry and the Sole Thrust plane and is important as the porphyry does not cut across the Sole Thrust plane and appears to be terminated by it. This indicates the confinement of this particular rock type to the foreland sequence of rocks. GCR site 4 is a good example of a grorudite dyke within the Cam Loch Klippe illustrating the confinement of this rock type to the Ben More (and Glencoul) Nappes.
The fifth GCR site is associated with the quaternary deposits of sediment on the floor of Cam Loch, which contain a valuable record of environmental changes between 13,000 and 10,000 years ago. The sediments have been analysed and indicate significant periods of cooling at the end of the last glacial period.
Other areas of interest
An important geological structure within the Lewisian Gneiss is the WNW to ESE trending Canisp Shear Zone. A shear zone is a linear area of dislocation, which is formed at depths in excess of 10km. At this depth the temperatures and pressures are high therefore movement along a shear zone occurs in a ductile fashion resulting in a wide zone of deformation. This is different to a fault, which fractures in a brittle fashion and produces a much narrower zone of deformation. In the case of the Canisp Shear Zone the width has been established as 1-2 km. This area forms the northern limb of the Lochinver Antiform, a large fold in the gneiss banding which forms the bay at Achmelvich to the northwest of Glencanisp Estate. Although the exposure of the shear zone is significantly clearer on the coast between Achmelvich and Clachtoll, it does pass through Glencanisp estate to the north of the lodge east-southeastwards to the southern side of Canisp.
A new landform associated with the Minch palaeo ice stream was discovered in 2006 during remapping of the area by the British Geological Survey. They have been termed glacial megagrooves and are large trough like features cutting across the rock types, which were eroded beneath the ice by water under high pressure. Several examples lie within an area of the Drumrunie estate between Cul Mor and Elphin. These exposures along with examples in the vicinity of Ullapool are the only known examples at present in Britain and may become significantly important in the future.
Landscape
Drumrunie and Glencanisp lie between Knockan and Lochinver (to the south and west of the A835 and A837, from the Achiltibuie turn off to Lochinver), and both estates contribute greatly to the spectacular Assynt landscape, with isolated mountains rising from a broken and rocky, loch smattered moor land. The peaks of Assynt rise as striking individuals from the low-lying moor and act as powerful landmarks. The hills are unique geologically and form part of an iconic landscape valued by a national scenic designation and eulogised in poetry and song, literature and art.
Drumrunie and Glencanisp lie entirely within the Assynt-Coigach National Scenic Area (NSA), see map 4. Cul Beg, Cul Mor, Suilven and Canisp lie within Glencanisp and Drumrunie Estates, a reflection of the national significance of the area in landscape terms. Part of the description in Scotland’s Scenic Heritage (Countryside Commission for Scotland, 1978) runs ‘The area contains seven well known mountains: Ben More Coigach, Stac Pollaidh, Cul Beg, Cul Mor, Suilven, Canisp and Quinag… They are famed for their strange spectacular shapes, which are thrown into relief, higher than their statistical height would indicate, by the comparatively uniform ground of moorland and loch out of which they rise. Some of them have knife-edged ridges of white quartz and grey scree slopes that contrast with the weathered red sandstone that forms the core of their structure. The contrasting lowlands are a jumble of morainic hillocks and pink-grey rock, interspersed with lochans and peaty hollows.’
Much of the estate lies within the search areas for wild land, as identified in Scottish Natural Heritage’s (SNH) policy statement ‘Wildness in Scotland’s Countryside’. Highland Council has produced a detailed draft map (map 5) showing the extent of those parts of Assynt it has recognised as wild land, as part of the latest draft Sutherland Local Plan. This new recognition of wild land covers large parts of both Drumrunie and Glencanisp estates.
The character and experience of this landscape are a crucial part of the area’s identity and a resource that underpins the tourist economy. SNH has identified its key characteristics as:
Sense of mass and scale
The vertical faces of the hills reinforce the sense of drama, especially Cul Mor and Suilven. The free-standing peaks cast shadows emphasising their individuality.
Sense of wildness
The dominance of landforms and processes gives the area a profound sense of naturalness. There are few regular shapes, no cultivation, extensive areas of semi-natural vegetation and very little in the way of human artefacts to interrupt the skyline and reduce the sense of scales by providing visual reference points. There are few paths and tracks crossing through the area and the relatively little-visited hinterland provides a unique wild land experience.
Richness of detail
The generally expansive nature of the landscape belies the small scale and rich detail which can be found towards the coast, and in sheltered pockets of fertile limestone rich land, within the area of more intimate cnocan landscape and along rivers and burns. The texture and colour of this rock-strewn landscape is a key characteristic of the area.
Historic Sites
As a cultural landscape, Glencanisp and Drumrunie are dotted with sites of former habitations, many of which are gazeteered below and shown on map 1.
Glencanisp
Cnoc Bad na Cleithe NC 240 146
Chambered cairn on north east facing slope of Cnoc Bad na Cleithe within area of former enclosed sheiling. Scheduled Ancient Monument described as 400m W of S end of Loch Awe. Scheduled area measures 50m in diameter. Described with plan in Henshall, A S & Ritchie, J N G (1995) The Chambered Cairns of Sutherland pp.114-115.
Ledbeg NC 234 131
Chambered cairn with central chamber and entrance passage. Described with plan in Henshall, A S & Ritchie, J N G (1995) The Chambered Cairns of Sutherland p.141. A cairn nearby NC 235 131.
Loch Awe NC 248 159
Possible crannog site in Loch Awe.
Eilean Assynt NC 195 250
Small low-lying island which has traces of a low dry-stone wall around its perimeter. Possibly a place of temporary refuge or habitation in the historical period, and recorded during the 17th century (though events which are said to have taken place on the “Isle of Assynt” refer to Ardvreck). A quern was found in the loch nearby. The plant Peucedanum ostruthium or Masterwort, known for its medicinal and other uses, occurs on the island and was no doubt introduced.
Ledbeg NC 242 134 approx for house
Ledbeg is a category C-listed building. It is, however, earlier than its attribution of early 19th century, and indeed is probably the oldest inhabited house in Assynt.Described in Home’s survey of 1774 as “the House possess’d by Ardloch the factor, which is the Principal one in the Parish, consisting of two Stories.” It is depicted on the plan of Ledbeg. It was built in about 1740 by Alexander Mackenzie of Ardloch who belonged to a branch of the Mackenzies of Cromartie. John Mackenzie of Ardloch, had received a mortgage of more than 10 farms in Assynt from the Mackenzies of Assynt in 1726 and moved to Ledbeg from Achnahaird in Coigach. The mortgage was redeemed in 1757 but Alexander continued as one of the leading tacksmen farmers and for a time acted as local factor for the Sutherland family. The family, traditional tacksmen, were among the leading families in Assynt, and active in introducing sheep in the 1790s. They went bankrupt in the 1820s. It was not subsequently used a sheep farmer’s house nor shooting lodge, and has remained remarkably unaltered.
In the vicinity of Ledbeg may be seen various footings of pre-Clearance structures and cultivation remains. These include a structure at Badair Chrag, probably a large byre (NC 235 140), with later nearly fank, and probable small pre-Clearance house at Bad a Ghille Dhuibh.
Cnocnaneach
Multi-period site. Structures dating from pre-Clearance period include footings of buildings (eg NC 109 210; NC 110 211), kailyards, and dykes. Later shepherd/keeper’s house with datestone of 1870 abandoned 1980s. Dry-stone walled enclosure.
Dubh Chlais NC 121 229 (centre)
Pre-clearance settlement. Most of the settlement, including a prehistoric round-house, lies outwith the Glencanisp estate. However, the footings of several pre-Clearance structures are within the property.
Druimsuardalain (Glencanisp) NC 116 221 (Lodge)
Footings of probable pre-Clearance structures lie within the enclosed area (eg NC 119 220). Pre and post- Clearance enclosures and cultivated areas in the vicinity. Achadh a’ Braghad, for instance, (NC 125 217) comprises two dykes enclosures with superimposed dry stone walled square enclosure.
Glencanisp Lodge and associated buildings: although commonly referred to as a shooting lodge, Glencanisp Lodge is of two periods. The earliest dates from 1848-49 and was built as the dwelling house for the sheep farmer, John Scobie. It was unusually opulent for such a house of this period and it is clear that normal estate policy was waived in this instance. It is probable that the house was designed by Charles Wilson, the eminent Glasgow architect. If this attribution is correct, the earliest part of the Lodge is of particular significance. A corrugated iron extension, or ‘iron house’, added when the house became a shooting lodge, was demolished to make way for the considerable 1935-36 addition designed by Horne and Murray of Golspie. Some alterations were also made to the 1848-49 house including a bay window. The former corrugated iron servants’ quarters still remains. Walled garden of 1848-49 and outbuildings associated with sheep farm, including sheepfold or fank (NC 119 219). Two corrugated iron deer larders.
Poll a’ Gharbh Bhair NC 148 243
Structures of both pre-Clearance (long-house footings and field boundaries) and post-Clearance periods (large enclosure and shepherd’s house). Poll a’ Gharbh Bhair was a small pre-Clearance township later inhabited by a shepherd. The township of ‘Polgarvier’ is depicted on Home’s survey of 1774: it was then possessed by the tenant of Dubh Chlais. It was said that “The Infields [arable lands] of it are much broke with steep stony Baulks having a North Aspect and declivity.” There were two families living there in 1774. In 1811, it was inhabited by Mr Alexander Mackenzie, son of tacksman of Stronechrubie, and the land was already under sheep.
Clach Airigh NC 170 200
Abandoned shepherd’s house, outbuildings and enclosures. Early generation shepherd’s house with, according to valuation, hingin’ lum against gable wall. Shieling site on 1774 survey belonging to farm of Druimsuardalain.
Loch na Gainimh NC 183 183 approx
Shieling shown on 1774 survey belonging to farm of Druimsuardalain.
Loch Feith an Leothaid NC 188 220 approx
Shieling at head of loch shown on 1774 survey belonging to farm of Dubh Chlais and Poll a’ Gharbh Bhair.
Airigh nan Greassaichean NC 207 207 approx
Shieling on east bank of burn shown on 1774 survey belonging to farm of Inchnadamph.
Loch Assynt NC 226 233 approx
Shieling shown on 1774 survey belonging to farm of Inchnadamph.
Loch Assynt NC 235 225 approx
Shieling shown on 1774 survey belonging to farm of Inchnadamph.
Airigh Shomairle
Footings of sub rectangular shieling hut near to burn. One of three small shielings within a detached portion of the farm of Inverkirkaig which was described in 1774 as “a large Tract of Pasture detach’d from the Farm lying upon the South Side of the Soalving or Sugar Loaf Mountain and betwixt the Marches of Culack and Ledbeg, which tho’ the greatest part be remarkably rocky, yet it affords a pretty good variety of pasture for Goats, Sheep, and all sorts of Bestial.”
Achadh an Ruighe Choinich NC 145 228
Shieling site with clear evidence of cultivation which extended in north westerly direction to outlet of Allt na h-Airbhe. Shown on 1774 survey belonging to farm of Dubh Chlais and Poll a’ Gharbh Bhair.
Achadh Mor NC 147 224
Shieling site with clear evidence of cultivation. Shown on 1774 survey belonging to farm of Dubh Chlais and Poll a’ Gharbh Bhair.
Bad an t-Sluic NC 158 224 approx
Shieling site shown on 1774 survey belonging to farm of Dubh Chlais and Poll a’ Gharbh Bhair.
Gleann a’ Mhadaidh NC 144 168 approx
Faint footings of rectangular structure and remnants of head dyke on north side near the entrance to Gleann A’ Mhadaidh. Possible site of early 19th century shepherd’s house.
Gleann a’ Mhadaidh NC 145 167
Roughly built small fank or gathering enclosure for sheep (not an unroofed shieling hut as suggested by NMRS).
Stronechrubie NC 243 194 approx
Substantial hut (for herd) on north bank of burn near formerly cultivated area.
Cul na h-Innse Ruadh NC 222 136 approx
Shielings shown on 1774 survey belonging to farm of Ledbeg.
Bad na h-Achlaise NC 122 209
Complex site structure of pre-Clearance and post Clearance periods. In the pre-Clearance period it was within the farm of Cnocaneach. Horizontal mill on east bank of burn (NC123 211) and dam and evidence of raised water level on Loch na Circe. Probable shepherd’s house of early 19th century (NC 122 209) and outbuilding later converted into a small sheep fank. House has buttressing. Small late 18th century settlement. Depicted as a shieling on Home’s survey of 1774. Mentioned as inhabited 1790s. Cleared before 1811 in early 1800s by George Ross, tacksman of Cnocaneach.
Bracklach NC 187 150
Roofless shepherd’s house of mid-19th century date abandoned after the creation of Glencanisp Deer Forest. Nearby evidence of pre-Clearance settlement, including head-dyke. Bracklach was a small settlement within the farm of Ledbeg which enabled exploitation of the distant grazings. In Home’s survey of 1774 it was described as “Brackloch subset to John Mackinzie who herds Ardloch’s Cattle in the Western parts of the Farm”. There were two households in 1811: a John Mackenzie and a single woman, Margaret Mackenzie. Afterwards a shepherd’s residence. It was known as Bracklach of Ledbeg to distinguish it from small farm of Brackloch of Inver (near Lochinver).
Tubeg including Easter Tubeg NC 189 252
Roofless shepherd’s house of mid-19th century date at Easter Tubeg abandoned after creation of Glencanisp Deer Forest. Structures of pre-Clearance settlement, including site of horizontal mill with extensive lead off burn from Loch a’ Mhuilinn. Several shieling sites associated with farm not (as yet) listed separately. The pre-Clearance settlement of Tubeg consisted of three detached areas. In 1774 it was stated that there were “three Tenaments of Houses lying detached from each other upon the South side of Loch Assint, the Corn Lands about which have a North Aspect and declivity.” In 1691 Tubeg comprised six hearths. In the 18th century the farm tended to be possessed in conjunction with Inchnadamph, with an emphasis on the grazings. In 1774 Tubeg was possessed by tacksman of Inchnadamph. There may have been only one household on the farm in 1774 – at Lower Tubeg, Upper Tubeg being uninhabited.
In 1811 there were three households, at least one of which was a shepherd. Shepherd’s house at Easter Tubeg abandoned after creation of Glencanisp Deer Forest.
Suileag NC 149 211 approx
Former shepherd’s house, abandoned 1882. In 1910 used as ‘roadman’s bothy’ (for repairing stalker’s tracks). Restored as mountain bothy.
Suilven NC 157 182 approx
Dry-stone wall crossing the ridge of Suilven. A well known feature. Late 19th century.
Iron fence
Iron fence marking the boundary between the Strathan and Inverkirkaig crofters’ grazings enlargement and the Glencanisp Deer Forest. It was constructed after the estate was bought by the Vestey family in 1936 and damaged soon afterwards in what was probably the last anti-landlord action by crofters in Assynt (until the 1990s).
Drumrunie
Lochan Gainmheich NC 147 109 approx
Pre-Clearance settlement. Occupied by shepherd(s) in immediate pre-Clearance period (ie pre 1810) and in Clearance period until late 1820s. Abandoned shepherd’s houses.
Clais (added by plan authors) NC 138 138 approx
Farmstead
Cul Mor (added by plan authors) NC 150 112 approx
Stones
Na Leitrichean (added by plan authors) NC 181 132 approx
Shieling
Assynt Area Socio-Economic Profile
An Area Profile summarises the key social, economic and environmental aspects of the local area and compares these local aspects with patterns and trends at the county, regional and national level. The purpose of this is to see in what ways local circumstances, strengths and challenges differ from or mirror regional and national concerns. With this information it is possible to develop projects and activities which fit local circumstances and to explain using statistics, when applying for funding, why and in what ways local circumstances merit local solutions. By providing information in this form, it makes it easier for policy makers and public agencies to quickly understand the local circumstances as local knowledge has been translated into a form which is more familiar to them. It also acts as a base for the group to track changes in those local circumstances by referring back to the Area Profile as time goes on. This will put Assynt Foundation in a good position to make representations on behalf of the community if circumstances do not change for the better, or to take action on behalf of the community to change things for the better.
What is a ‘Fragile Area’?
Across the HIE and Highland Region areas, a range of aspects characteristic of fragile rural areas are regularly examined to establish the relative fragility of each sub area. The seven indicators used by Highland Council are:
• population density, by Highland Council settlement zone
• % population change between 1981-1991, by Highland Council settlement zone
• % change in population aged 0-15 years, between 1981-1991, by Highland Council settlement zone
• % people aged over 18 claiming income support, by 1996 Ward
• % of long term unemployment, by District Ward
• 10 minute drive time to 5 key services – PO, Food Shop, GP, Primary school, Petrol facility
• areas more than 1.5 hr drive from Inverness
Figure 1.1 shows the pattern across Highland Region. In the 1999 map, within the Assynt Community Council area, Lochinver and Loch Assynt have three of the seven Indicators, while Stoer has four and Drumbeg and Unapool have five. The 2003 map alongside shows fragility having increased in Assynt, with all areas having between four and six of the seven indicators.
HIE uses a slightly different method of ascertaining fragility, but the same core areas emerge as most fragile. HIE’s Network Strategy Office uses the following to define fragility:
Geographic
• Islands which lie off other islands and are not linked by a causeway
• A distance of more than 50 miles from a population centre of 5000
• Over 70% of roads are single track
Demographic
• Islands with a population of less than 2,500
• Population density less than the HIE area average (9 persons per square kilometre)
• More than 20% of the population is of pensionable age
• Population loss between last two censuses
• In-migration of economically active below the HIE average
Economic
• Economic activity rate below the HIE area average
• High average and/or seasonal unemployment
• Long term unemployment more than 25% above the HIE average
• High dependency on primary sector employment
Figure 1.1: Fragile Areas: HC Areas with 7 Rural Indicators
Source: Highland Council Planning & Development Service
(graphic to be added here soon)
Demography
Demography involves recording and analysing information about the local population - what sort of work people do, what sort of housing people live in and what number of people are retired, of school age or of working age. Demographic information illustrates very simply the key issues and challenges faced by the local communities.
At the time of the 2001 census the population of the Assynt Community Council area was 953 people living in 466 households, giving an average household size of 2.05 people in 2001. The population decreased since the 1991 census by nearly 10% from 1,047, while Highland has seen an increase of 2.4%.
Figure 1.2 shows the area’s age structure in 2001 compared to the Highland area. It is worrying that in Assynt the percentage of the population of school age is lower than Highland Region at 11.1% of the population compared to 12.9% in Highland. This reflects the trend in certain areas of the north and west coast, which is characterised by an ageing population and depopulation historically.
In comparing the 2001 population to that of 1991, it is noticeable that the population has become older. The main differences are an increase in the 45-64 age group from 19% to 33.7%, while the proportion of the population in the 0-14 age group fell from 20.6% to 16%.
Housing and Households
In 1991, 28.5% of houses were second homes or holiday homes. By 2001 this had risen to 36.1% of houses in the Assynt area. Broken down into smaller areas, there are striking differences, with Lochinver at 22.4%, Loch Assynt 32.4%, Unapool 32.4%, Drumbeg 38.2%, and Stoer very high at 51%.
By 2001, a much higher percentage of households were living in owner occupied properties (65% in 2001 compared to 55% in 1991). Far fewer households were living in private rented accommodation (8.8% in 2001 compared to 19.7% in 1991). Housing Association Rentals rose from 3.3% to 5.2%, while Local Authority/Scottish Homes fell from 21.7% in 1991 to 12% in 2001. Since 2001, four new two and three bedroom homes for rental have been built in Stoer and a further eight in Lochinver, both Albyn Housing, whose allocation criteria take into account the “Local Lettings Initiative”.
Figure 1.2 : Age Structure 2001 (Source: Census)
(graphic to be added here soon)
Essential Services
There are three Post Offices locally, two of which operate on part-time hours – Lochinver, Drumbeg and Kylesku. The Post Office and shop in Stoer ceased operating in 2000. There is a Royal Bank of Scotland in Lochinver, and on Mondays the Royal bank of Scotland Mobile Bank calls at Kylesku, Drumbeg and Stoer. There is an ATM at the bank in Lochinver, and more recently one in the Post Office in Lochinver. A vet and solicitor are available once a month in Lochinver. In terms of shops, the area is served by two grocers, a butcher and a newsagent in Lochinver, and a grocer in Drumbeg. Also in Lochinver are the chandlery and general stores at Lochinver Fishselling Co., and MacKay Brothers fish counter (part-time). Fuel was available at Inchnadamph Hotel in the past, but the only petrol station now is in Lochinver. The nearest alternatives are in Scourie, Ullapool or Lairg.
The Health Centre in Lochinver has two full-time GPs and one part-time, Community Nurses, Midwife and Health Visitor services. Visiting services available are Physiotherapy, Chiropody, Community Psychiatric Nurse, Addiction Counselling and Diabetic Specialist Nurse. Optician services are provided quarterly, and Occupational Therapy and Speech therapy are provided at the centre if required. Two NHS Dentists visit the practice at present.
There is a Post Bus from Drumbeg to Lochinver and from Lochinver to Lairg six days per week. In 2002, a Community Taxi Service was introduced. The subsidised Taxi service has expanded and is now available Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5:30pm (70p one way or £1.40 return, plus 10p per mile), and from 4:30pm to 6:30pm on Fridays. The taxi operates at normal rates outwith these times.
Until the upgrading of the Lochinver to Inverness road in the 1970s, the Lairg road was the main route ‘south’ for people on this coast and many key services were available in Lairg. Since that time Lairg has suffered decline as Ullapool has grown.
There are Primary Schools at Lochinver and Stoer. Both have pre-schools, but the Pre-school at Stoer currently operates two days per week only. High school age children attend Ullapool High School, travelling daily from Lochinver by bus.
The Assynt Centre in Lochinver provides day care. Sheltered housing, formerly managed by the Assynt Centre, is now run by Trust Housing Association. Care needs in the area are increasing due to the fact that people are living longer, there is often reduced family support available compared to years ago, and elderly people now retire into the area and have no family support at all. There is an increasing need for local residential care, local respite care and sheltered housing. The Assynt Centre provides the only residential care in north west Sutherland, and the decision by Highland Council in November 2005 axing the two residential beds and one respite bed was strongly opposed locally. Two respite beds were reinstated, but restricted to weekdays and six weekends of the year. The Council agreed at its last meeting in June 2007 that a review of small care homes should be undertaken in conjunction with NHS colleagues, with a further report back in due course. A network of Home Helps, either provided by Highland Council or employed privately, some through the Direct Payments Scheme, support elderly residents in their homes.
The Highland Council Service Point, based in the Harbour Offices by the Culag Hotel, acts as a ‘one stop shop’ for information, advice and access to Council services.
The R.N.M.D.S.F. (Fishermens Mission) provides meals and other services to fishermen and the general public, including laundry facilities. It is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 9pm. However, many of the foreign fishing vessels land at weekends, when the Mission is closed.
Local Economy
At the time of the 2001 census 66.9% of the local population were economically active, compared to 62.2% in 1991. It should be noted that ‘Economically active’ means of age to economically active (16-74). In 1991 some 24.8% of the economically active population were self-employed, but this figure had fallen to 18.9% by 2001. This is still high compared to the rate of self-employment for Highland Region, which also fell in that time from 13.3% in 1991 to 10.2% in 2001.
Figure 1.3 Unemployment Rates for North, West & Central Sutherland
(source: Highland Council Unemployment Monitoring Service, Department for Work and Pensions date from NOMIS
(graphic to be added here soon)
At the time of the 2001 census, 6.6% of the population were unemployed in April, although this fell to 4.6% in May and 4% in June 2001. Not surprisingly, given the number of seasonal jobs in the area, lower rates occur in the period between April and October. In the year from April 2002 to March 2003, the rate of unemployment ranged from 1.9% to 5.4%. Since then, unemployment figures have been calculated using the new council wards and economically active numbers, so the figures are not directly comparable. The rate for North, West & Central Sutherland was 4.0% in December 2006, falling to 3.0% in April and 2.6% in May 2007. The recent trend can be seen in Figure 1.3.
The number of households in the Assynt area with no car fell between the censuses from 28.3% in 1991 to 19.7% in 2001. In 2001, 25.5% of households in the area had two or more cars. Households in the more remote rural areas tend to sacrifice a great deal in order to own a car because other forms of transport are scarce.
Figure 1.4 illustrates the employment pattern in the area at the time of the 2001 census. The largest category is ‘Hotels & Catering’ at 17.4%, compared to a Highland level of 9.3%. Fishing and aquaculture account for 10.6% of local employment, the third largest sector in the area, compared to a Highland average of 1.4%. In this sector, self-employment in inshore creel boat fishing, packing and grading on the pier for French company Euroscot, Highland Council harbour staff and jobs at Ardvar Salmon were included. Ardvar Salmon was taken over by Loch Duart of Scourie in 2001, and the number of Assynt residents employed has fallen significantly since. The number of jobs in sea fishing has declined significantly over the last 20-30 years. Although Lochinver still has a relatively large tonnage of fish landings, it does not get the number of jobs attached to it as in the majority of the fish landed goes elsewhere for processing, mainly to France and Spain. It should be noted that the activities of the Lochinver Fish Selling Company will have been included in the category of ‘Wholesale, Retail & Motor vehicle repair’ which comes second largest at 11.3%. The fourth largest is Health & Social Work at 10.0%, closely followed by Manufacturing at 9.9%, then Construction at 7%.
The categories were slightly different in the 1991 census. Since then, Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing combined fell from 25.6% to 15.5% and Mining & Quarrying fell from 4.2% to 0.8%. Meanwhile Construction rose from 1.4% to 7% and Public Admin, Education & Health increased from 12.3% to 20.8%. Distribution, Hotels & Catering, which was the second largest category in 1991, rose from 24% to 28.6% over the same period.
Figure 1.4: Employment Profile 2001
Source: 2001 Census
(graphic to be added here soon)
Youth and Education
We live in a nation where one in five young people leave school labelled as ‘under achievers’. In Assynt and Ullapool much work and dedication continues day by day to see that we serve our young people better than this.
In 2007 Lochinver Primary has 54 pupils with 3 full time members of staff and 4 specialist teachers. Stoer Primary has 21 pupils, 1 full time teacher and 2 part time teachers. There is Pre-school education at Lochinver and Stoer with 13 and 4 pupils respectively. Secondary education is at Ullapool.
Looking at the three schools in their local settings and thinking about how they are influenced by, enjoy, and make use of their environment, we see the two primary schools set in surroundings that many would describe as idyllic. They are schools where the young can develop in an atmosphere that keeps them aware of their surroundings and natural heritage. Children are encouraged to be ‘out of the building’ as much as possible and both schools encourage walking to school when practical. Various projects see that they are familiar with their area such as an investigating work entitled ‘the Sea’ and ‘Land Use of the Local Area - past and present’. The help of the Highland Ranger Service is valuable here. Children have also been taken to a ‘Forest Quest’ at Rosehall which is an adventure day of problem solving, and visited Knocken Crag as part of the Geo-park experience. Listening to the Story Tellers in Ullapool, promoting Highland Book week, was yet another visit. More would be done in this line and more work undertaken by the two schools together if transport were not the problem that it is: both schools would like to have a dedicated schools bus.
The two schools are closely connected to the communities that they serve. Schools benefit from a School Board who are seen as an asset to the school particularly as a ‘lobbying tool’ when further services or skills are needed. Parent open days achieve 100% attendance at Stoer - a consultation time where parents are shown the children’s work by the children themselves.
When the two head teachers were asked what they would particularly like to see happen in the future, Claire Warwick, head of Lochinver Primary, said that she would like to see the roof blow off her school! Lochinver school is old and much patched up. Angela Macleod, head at Stoer, expressed concern about lack of space, no staff room and a playground that is unsuitable for play. .
Ullapool High School, which involves a journey of at least 37 miles twice a day for Assynt pupils, is a school with a growing reputation for excellence for the way in which it serves the young people of a wide area. There are 259 pupils and 30 members of staff. The school has an IT network that links all classrooms and the library, which acts as a community as well as a school facility. The school is very much a community resource with the Macphail Centre working in co-operation with the school. This has allowed many visiting drama groups,dancers and musicians to perform to the community and at times interact with the pupils. The community is very supportive of the school. The school and staff have to be very flexible in terms of the range of groups and the composition of the groups that they work with. It currently has a wide range of pupils with special needs.
Ullapool High School has a tremendous team spirit which includes staff and pupils as part of the same team. Staff dedication is exceptional. The examination attainment reflects the hard work put in by all the staff and pupils – in 2006, for example, the percentage getting 3 plus highers in S5 was third highest in Scotland.
Since it was founded in 1997, Assynt Community Christian Youth Project (ACCYP) has held a vision to support young people, building confidence in the individual rather than just using youth work as a means to keep young folk occupied.
Youth Work in Assynt is seen by ACCYP as being more involved with education than recreation, although the latter is often the contact point and a useful means to form relationships and establish strong and vibrant youth work. It is for this reason that the newly appointed Youth Worker for Assynt, Erick Olsen, spends two days a week at Ullapool High School as well as being available to help and encourage at supported study sessions in the evenings. Erick Olsen will also be visiting the two Primary Schools on occasions to get to know the older pupils and help to encourage confidence building as they prepare for High School.
Assynt Foundation and ACCYP will be increasingly working together to develop educational/recreational youth work. During the summer holiday, in conjunction with Assynt Foundation, work is developing to set up many challenging recreational activities, some which help to develop leadership skills. On Glencanisp estate it is hoped to establish kayaking, swimming, paint ball, a permanent campfire site, ‘capture the flag’ and a ropes challenge course.
The recent addition of a Learning Centre for Assynt, housed within the Assynt Leisure building, means that education in Assynt does not stop when young people leave school. Lifelong Learning is for all ages but particularly useful for those young adults who struggled at school or college and prefer to live and work in Assynt.
Crofting
Background
Crofting is a form of land tenure in which an individual has heritable rights to dwell on and manage a small area of land, called the croft. Both the crofter (tenant) and the owner of the land (landlord) have rights and responsibilities towards each other and over the land. These rights and responsibilities were originally enshrined legally in the 1886 Crofting Act. There have been several reforms to the Crofting Act and the Crofting Reform Act was passed in early 2007 by the Scottish Parliament.
In addition to their personal ‘in-bye’ croft, most crofters also have a legal share in an area of common grazings. This too is heritable. Each common grazing is managed by an elected grazings committee, and administered by the grazings clerk. Each area of common grazings has a set of grazings regulations which regulate land use, for example, the number of stock each individual crofter may graze on the land (the souming). Crofters with rights in common grazings have rights to graze livestock, but no rights to exploit fish, game, minerals, water or other resources of the land. These rights belong the landowner.
Since 1991 crofters have rights to establish and manage woodlands. There is a question of who actually owns trees planted by crofters on their common grazings. Currently, legal contracts must be drawn up between landlords and crofters for each crofter forestry scheme in order to safeguard the crofters’ use of their trees.
Crofters with rights in the common grazings can apply to have their share apportioned for their exclusive use. This normally requires the agreement of the land owner. A crofter has a discretionary right to buy an apportionment. The agreement of the land owner is also required for the establishment of crofter forestry. Crofters with rights in the grazings also have rights to share in the development value if the landowner resumes (takes out) land from crofting tenure for development purposes. The value of these rights can be agreed by the tenants and the landowner or failing agreement can be decided by the Scottish Land Court.
Current crofting activity
In-bye croft land
There are no crofts on land owned by Assynt Foundation. However there are several crofting townships adjacent to Assynt Foundation land. These are, to the south and west, Inverkirkaig with 12 tenants, Badnaban with 8 tenants, Strathan with 11 tenants, all with trustees of E H Vestey as the landowner. To the north are the townships of Inver with 1 tenant and Baddidarroch with 9 tenants, both with the trustees of E H Vestey as land owner. To the east are Elphin with 10 tenants and Knockan with 7 tenants both with trustees of D E Bulmer as the land owner. The level of crofting activity in these townships varies, with Elphin and Knockan being the most active with both cattle and sheep. Few of the crofts are currently used to grow fodder crops and most of the in-bye is used as rough grazing. Some of this is improved grass land especially in Elphin and Knockan.
Common Grazing
Assynt Foundation is the land owner of approximately 93 ha of common grazing land. This is an extension to the Badnaban common grazings. Only 6 of the 8 Badnaban tenants appear to have shares in this area of common grazing. The access road from Lochinver to Glencanisp Lodge goes through the middle of this common grazings. This is also the area (to the south of the road) being considered by Assynt Foundation for the development of Social Housing. Currently none of the Badnaban crofters exercise their rights to graze this area. Inverkirkaig, Badnaban, Strathan, Elphin, Knockan and Inver all have common grazings adjacent to Assynt Foundation land. Most of it, with the exception of Elphin and Knockan is currently under stocked (i.e. livestock well under the souming). At this time we are unaware of any proposals to establish crofter forestry on the common grazings owned by Assynt Foundation but that option remains open to the crofters of Badnaban.
Opportunities for joint working
There is a need to cooperate with the tenants of Badnaban over the proposals for affordable housing on the Badnaban common grazing. If the land is resumed from crofting by Assynt Foundation the shareholders will be entitled to a share in the value of the development. Assynt Foundation will get their support in principle for the proposal and ensure they are represented at any discussions and meetings with planners, potential development partners etc., as early and as often as possible.
The demand for new crofts
It is impossible to detail the demand for crofts in Assynt or indeed anywhere. At the time of writing the Crofters Commission’s demand database shows 80 people have registered their interest in obtaining a croft in West Sutherland, of these 25 are specifically looking for a croft in Assynt and 16 people looking for a croft in the Parish of Lochbroom. When Assynt Crofters Trust and the Crofters Commission ran a young entrants scheme in the area a few years ago there was strong demand from local people. Whenever a croft tenancy or title becomes available on the open market in Assynt there is strong demand. One of the problems is that strong demand from outwith the area pushes the price of crofts way beyond the reach of local young people. This is one of the reasons behind the proposal to create new crofts and to regulate them in a way that keeps them affordable for future occupation.
Establishing new crofts
Assynt Foundation is committed to establishing new crofts and common land under the regulations in the Croft Reform (Scotland) Act 2007. The intention is to create affordable access to land and to housing for young people in particular. Though no firm decision has been made Assynt Foundation has identified Lebeg farm as being a potential site for new crofts. It is currently grazing land that has fewer designations or biodiversity interest than some areas of the estate, close to the crofting townships of Elphin and Knockan, close to site services and mid-way between the service centres of Lochinver and Ullapool. Much of Ledbeg is currently let to Roddy Watt for grazing under an informal arrangement. Informal discussions have been had with staff from the Crofters Commission who have expressed support for the idea of new crofts at Ledbeg.
There is also the possibility of creating new crofts at Glencanisp and the farm at Cnocnaneach. There is an issue of access, housing and services in these areas but the creation of new croft land could be tied in to the creation of new affordable housing being proposed for Glencanisp.
Informal discussions have also been held with FC /FE on the possibility of creating woodland crofts on the Ledmore forest to the east of Ledbeg through a community purchase of forest land under the National Forest Land Scheme. Discussions on this are ongoing.
Two models for the creation of new crofts at Ledbeg have been considered in these informal discussions. The first is an ‘open’ township with a croft house on each area of croft in-bye together with an area of common land. The second is a cluster of croft houses separate from but near to the croft in-bye lands with an area of common grazings. It is too early to decide which model is preferable and the matter may well be dictated by access, planning and service requirements.
In creating new crofts consideration will need to be given to setting in place measures which will ensure that the housing and the lands remain as affordable crofts. Two measures in the Croft Reform (Scotland) Act 2007 will help. First is the measure to allow the landlord to let the crofts without the right to buy (a right enjoyed by current crofters). The second measure is to restrict the absolute right to assign croft tenancies to close members of the family only. These together would mean that if a tenant wishes to relinquish the tenancy and not assign to a close member of the family then the landowner would compensate the outgoing tenant at a value agreed between the tenant and the landowner or, failing agreement, a value set by an independent valuer. The landowner could then relet the vacant croft with the incoming crofter paying the valuation. The details of how this would work in practice need to be worked out with the relevant agencies but the above is indicative of the issues that will need to be addressed when Assynt Foundation goes ahead with the proposals to create new affordable crofts.
The Crofters Commission has produced an application form and guidance notes for landowners who wish to create new crofts under the Croft Reform (Scotland) Act 2007. These are available on the Crofters Commission website. The Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) is producing guidelines for the creation of new woodland crofts under the National Forest Land Scheme together with guidance notes on some of the issues that need to be addressed by landowners and prospective tenants in the creation of new crofts. These are available on the FCS website.
A set of guidelines on crofting issues prepared by the crofters Commission is kept in the Assynt Foundation office. A list of current tenants in the adjacent crofting townships is also available in the office as is a list of tenants with grazing rights on the Badnaban common grazing extension owned by Assynt Foundation. Map 4 shows the relationship of the croft lands adjacent to Assynt Foundation land.
Housing
Main Conclusions
There is a considerable demand for houses at an affordable rent. Some people are forced onto the rental sector due to the high prices for purchase relative to average earnings in this area. In view of this, Assynt Foundation’s proposal to develop a site at Glencanisp Road for affordable housing, developed over a period of time to match demand, is entirely feasible. In order to keep prices affordable there may be an element of subsidy in which case the directors may feel that they should ensure that no one makes excessive profits at the expense of the Foundation. The foundation may have to take some legal steps to ensure its’ houses/sites etc remain in the affordable range and continue to be available to that section of the community that the Foundation desires to serve.
Preamble
The constitution of the Foundation together with one of the aims of providing housing sites are such that it is entitled to join the Highland Small Communities Housing Trust (HSCHT). Joining will give the Foundation access to a lot of information and valuable services. The Foundation is also entitled to nominate a candidate to stand for election as an elected director at the HSCHT AGM. Should the candidate be elected the experience gained by that person would be of immense value to the Foundation.
There is one overriding factor governing the purchase of housing in this and any other area: the availability of finance for the purchase, in most cases this is a mortgage. According to Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise (CASE) the average wage for Sutherland is £16,500 per year and, with most lenders willing to advance 3 or 4 times earnings, this limits mortgages to £50,000 to £66,000, although this figure can be increased by taking into account a spouse’s or partner’s income. In addition there are schemes to assist would be purchases on low incomes: RHOGs (Rural Home Ownership Grants), Homestake, a shared equity scheme, and finally an interest only mortgage.
Reasons for pressure on house prices in Assynt
Most areas in the UK have some pressure on house prices making it very difficult for those on low incomes to get a foot on the housing ladder. In Assynt, with the possible exception of Lochinver, we have very low density housing, in other words we don’t have many houses in the first place. Competition for these scarce houses then forces up prices within the area, perhaps not up to levels seen in other parts of the UK but still above affordable levels of those on average earnings for our area. The existing housing stock can be split into Lochinver and the outlying townships, where pressure comes mainly from people wanting holiday homes or simply to retire up here. Both these classes of buyers will typically far outbid any of our local first time buyers. Assynt is not alone in having this problem. The situation is not likely to improve because if the rise in house prices stops or slows down then the existing price difference will still remain and if prices continue to increase the situation will get worse. The solution for our local needs probably lies in building new houses at prices our local first time buyers can afford. Assynt Foundation can help by providing sites for these houses.
A full and accurate survey of all the housing stock and the proportion of holiday homes in Assynt is beyond the scope of this paper. Most of the holiday home and retirement buyers seem to favour properties in the townships, as opposed to Lochinver, and although there are some holiday homes in Lochinver their effect is masked by the greater number of houses there. When looking at the effect of holiday homes it is safe to disregard chalets and other accommodation built specifically for the holiday market as they were never part of the local housing stock, and even among holiday homes there are different patterns of usage having different effects on individual townships. Where a holiday home is kept exclusively for family use the occupation rate could be very low but where the property is let out there will be some improvement. Where property is bought for retirement there is often a very positive effect and this can lead to the township gaining a new lease of life. It is reasonable to assume that, discounting Lochinver, up to 30-40% of the housing stock in Assynt could be holiday homes.
House Prices
The 2005 registers of Scotland showed average earnings of £23,000 with average house prices of £129,934. An average price for this area does not seem to exist. So few houses come onto the market at any one time that each sale has to be treated on an individual basis, however a modernised two bedroom croft house is likely to be on the market at offers over £130,000. If the property has spectacular views with two or more buyers competing the price can really be forced up well beyond most of our local first time buyers. In theory the RHOG grants, which should help our first time buyers, are available on existing and new build properties, however in practice these grants seem to go on new build. This effectively stops the purchase of a run-down property with the owner improving it over a period of time.
All the above seems to be pointing the way to new builds where the first requirement is to find a site. Unserviced sites are already being sold with planning permission at around £45,000, so add on site servicing and building and this option again will be too high for our local first time buyer. If you are a member of a crofting family then you may find a site on the croft, but it will still have to be serviced and grants for croft houses in this area have recently been reduced. This may lead to a crofter putting a further site on the market to finance a house build. It is noticeable that recently more sites have come on the market without prices being reduced. Another problem is that to keep costs down you need land suitable for multiple sites to gain economy of scale, but most privately available plots are only suitable for single houses.
What can Assynt Foundation do to help?
All the previous analysis suggests the best route for our local first time buyer is to find an affordable site and build a new house on it. The Foundation has identified a possible site on the land it owns alongside Glencanisp Road within a reasonable distance of Lochinver, so developing this site would appear to be the best way forward.
Is there a demand?
Unless you build a number of houses, put them up for sale at a given price and wait for the result there is no sure way of accurately assessing demand, however there are pointers from the letting market. Albyn Housing has recently been conducting interviews for the recently constructed eight units in Lochinver for which there is a local lettings policy. If they were to consider all applicants on their open list (a person willing to take an Albyn let anywhere) then the number would be 80-100 (though there is some question of the accuracy of these figures). Taking the local lettings policy into account the number is still 40, this is partially confirmed by Highland Council having 32 persons on their waiting list for Lochinver. Granted these are houses for rent but if houses were available to purchase at affordable prices a number wishing to rent would in fact buy. It is reasonable to assume that high purchase prices are forcing people into the rented sector. The Community Council carried out a housing survey in 2001 with the results being analysed by HSCHT. This survey showed a need for an additional 31 houses in Lochinver. These results were fed into a consultation document prepared by the Planning and Development Service of Highland Council in 2004, where they asked the question “Do you agree that the Council identify sites for 70 houses in Lochinver over the next ten years?” Some thought this was an over estimate, but a proposal for the Foundation to provide sites for up to 50 houses, developed over a number of years, would seem to be reasonable, particularly as this development can be slowed down or speeded up to match actual demand. A more detailed survey of housing demand is now underway by HSCHT.
How does the Foundation develop the site?
The first step would be a detailed survey of the site so that the Foundation knows exactly what is there, what the constraints are, how much of the site can be developed and at what sort of cost, remembering that Foundation’s aim is affordable housing. HSCHT is currently carrying out a feasibility study and may subsequently do a more detailed study to give some idea of development and servicing costs. If this were a commercial development then the entire site would be serviced, with drainage, water, sewage, estate roads and electricity laid on, simply because this would be the cheapest option in the long run, get it all done at once and benefit from economies of scale. The considerable amount of money required would have been borrowed with the interest charges and the cost of servicing factored into the selling prices of the finished houses or fully serviced plots. If, as proposed, the site is developed over a period of time to match demand the Foundation will still need a considerable amount of initial capital.
As the Foundation is not a commercial organisation, how does it raise the money? Unless there are grants available to cover the initial servicing (say 4-5 house plots) the directors will be faced with some stark choices. One alternative would be to sell off a limited number of sites on the open market, but the downside of this is loss of control of those sites, which may become holiday homes. There are very strong objections to this. The next alternative is still to sell on the open market but only to persons who are coming here to live. Unserviced sites with planning permission are currently changing hands at £45,000. Some of the sites along Glencanisp road have good views of the mountains and Suilven, even unserviced they would fetch over this figure. Two plots could raise £100,000+, 4 plots £200,000+ and with no need to service them, only get planning permission, no great capital outlay. Such a sale would provide the capital to service a first development (say 4 plots), selling those plots would in turn provide the capital to service further sites. The site is part of common grazings so the Foundation would not receive the full purchase price.
Some questions to consider are as follows. If Assynt Foundation can gain access, can land or sites at Ledbeg/Ledmore be sold to raise capital? Do you borrow the money against the security of the land? Are there any soft loans where you pay back without any interest being charged when you have sold sites? Due to the nature of the ground the cost of servicing may be well above average, which means Assynt Foundationn may only be able to sell at the cost of servicing the site. There is the distinct possibility that the land would have to be transferred at nil cost so that the Foundation would make no profit from the actual land. These decisions can only be made by the Foundation’s directors.
If sites are in effect being sold at subsidised prices the directors may feel they have to protect the Foundation against anyone making a large profit by subsequent re-sale. There are burdens that can be attached to the title deeds to give the Foundation some control and monetary claw back. These pre-emptions are complicated, however a simple one would require the owner to offer the property back to the Foundation, the price to be determined by a previously agreed formula that allowed the increase or decrease in the price of the property to be divided on an equitable basis. A snag is that the Foundation has no control over the timing of the sale, which would be solely in the hands of the owner and may occur at a time when the Foundation is short of funds and is financially unable to effect a purchase. Whatever happens there has to be some way of ensuring that this land remains as affordable housing. This should be discussed with HSCHT and with their solicitors for their professional advice.
What types of houses are suitable for the site
In effect any house which passes building and planning regulations should be suitable. The choice of house design is really going to lie with the eventual owner however the Foundation can exercise some control by deciding to whom it will lease or sell a plot. The directors have already had discussions on design and appear to have in mind the following. The design should be eco-friendly, but how eco-friendly may depend on cost. Some factors to consider follow.
• Well insulated: Global warming and other environmental matters are only going to lead to tightening regulations on energy efficiency. The steep rise in heating costs makes this a must both in the short and long term interests of the eventual owner. Not only that, any additional cost will easily and quickly be recovered out of savings on heating bills.
• South Facing: Simply by paying attention to siting, gains in heat generation and retention can be made at little cost. This can be achieved in the design and layout of the site by the Foundation’s architect.
• Renewable energy: Small wind turbines are worth exploring. When it comes to solar panels the pay back period is generally longer and may push the price up too much for the advantages gained,
• District heating: This is more difficult in that a lot of the infra-structure for this will have to go in right at the beginning. Where do you find the money? Wind generation may offer a partial solution. If each house had its own turbine it could look unsightly, one or two larger turbines may be better. This has the added advantage that initially one turbine might do, adding more as the site is developed, and with the push to renewable energy there could be grants.This could be the means of getting some form of district heating/lighting without the problem of too much up front capital.
• Construction: Timber framed with block or stone have been standard in this area for some time, choice could depend on cost. Timber may be the cheapest form of construction and has the added advantage that a team of local labour could be trained to carry out the erection. This meets the directors’ aims in training opportunities and use of local labour. Mortgages are available for an entire timber construction at standard rates, but mortgage companies have warned that fire insurance could be dearer. Straw bales/tyres are an option but may have difficulty in passing various local regulations and have the disadvantage of higher mortgage rates. The final word will probably lie with the eventual owner.
There has been mention of getting architects to come up with designs, but money would be needed to commission them. HSCHT have already commissioned some designs for all timber houses to be built on spec on forestry land with money borrowed from their bank backed by a joint guarantee from Highland Council and Communities Scotland. They are still not satisfied that the price has come down low enough. The Foundation should wait to see how this project develops.
Schemes to assist house purchase
• RHOG (Rural Home Ownership Grant): This could be very valuable and ideal where a serviced site is being bought from the foundation. Grants of £25,000 to £30,000 are available which in most cases do not have to be paid back. Not only that, this scheme still allows the Foundation to attach pre-emtions.
• Homestake. This allows someone to have as low as a 60% stake in the property thereby reducing the initial mortgage required. The scheme has provision for increasing this stake at a later date. The problem for the Foundation is that the grant that covers the other 40% is only available to Registered Social Landlords, like Albyn Housing. The Foundation would then lose control over this house/site on any resale. In addition the failure of the local lettings policy regarding the recent house lets in Lochinver may put directors off the idea.
• Interest only mortgage. This is a personal choice for the owner but it does reduce the monthly payments and may enable a larger mortgage to be taken out.
• Leasing. Leasing a site as opposed to selling would reduce the initial cost to the would-be owner but there may be legal implications; this should be checked. Also what are the financial implications to the Foundation’s cash flow, normally selling the serviced sites is the way of providing money for subsequent developments?
• Self Build. Self Build can substantially reduce the cost and possibly make a house affordable to those on average earnings. This can range from forming a self build group where within the membership there are sufficient skills to carry out the whole project, to an individual acting as the main contractor and sub contracting any work he feels incapable of doing themselves. This may be daunting but it can be done with considerable cost savings. There are special mortgages for self build with elements of advances to pay for materials.
Finance
Financing the project involves first the initial finance and then subsequent cash flow. The directors will have to sort this out very early on in the project. There could be some grants available but at best they will only cover a part of the initial cost. The Foundation is caught between two stools: in order to be financially successful it should sell at the highest prices possible, but the aims of the Foundation mean it has to keep prices down to fulfil its aims of providing affordable houses to buy.
A lot more information can be obtained on the possible cost of a finished house on the Glencanisp site. With this information the directors of the Foundation will have some idea of the price level at which they can sell a fully serviced site and still reach their target market. There will be a cost to getting this further information, as to be effective and accurate it would require visits to manufacturers, face to face meetings etc. This cost can be slit into two parts: payment to the person doing the research and money to cover necessary expenses. A possible source of funding for the expense part maybe Awards for All.
Thomas Mitchell Homes, based in Fife (phone 01592 774401) has offered to send someone up to talk to the Foundation about new build costs if required, and they have a show home and self build centre at Kirkcaldy. If grants can be obtained for expenses then this maybe worth a visit. Their smallest kit is a two bedroom house at just under £10,000 with a three bedroom at £18,000. The client has to supply foundation and underbuilding, external cladding, drainage and other services, DPC material, concrete lintels and sills to external skin, roof tiles and ancillary components, plumbing heating and rainwater goods, leadwork and electrical materials, kichen units and sanitary way and some on site labour. What the final finished cost would be up here is uncertain.
Business Start-ups
Assynt Foundation has set out to achieve economic, social and environmental goals for people living in the parish of Assynt. Encouraging new business start-ups will be key to achieving these aims. In the first year of ownership the Foundation has created four jobs. In addition to jobs created within the Foundation, three business start-ups have been accommodated and assisted by the community buy-out:
• Dorothea Standlick has started a catering & cleaning business centred around Glencanisp Lodge.
• Fergus Stewart has started a small pottery business in a former stable.
• Jenny Robertson has taken over the walled garden at Glencanisp with a view to establishing a market gardening operation on the premises there.
We wish all of the above every success with their ventures. We have also been able to locate some more socially orientated ventures around Glencanisp Lodge.
• Niall Robertson has started the Assynt Music Project, which seeks to provide a rehearsal space for local musicians as well as a studio for photography and occasional use for the exhibit of Fergus’ pots.
• Health & Happiness is run by Issie Macleod for the benefit of adults with learning disabilities. They are to be located in an area of ground within the walled garden, sharing it with Jenny Robertson, where they will undertake gardening tasks learning to grow produce which may be consumed or sold to earn a small amount of income. Funding from Lloyds TSB might be sought to provide tuition support and mentoring under this social inclusion proposal.
Future Proposals
In addition to the businesses already started, a whole host of opportunities await development. The Foundation will develop a small number of the larger projects on its own account, but it is particularly keen that, in the majority of cases the ideas come from and are developed by the people who live here. No ideas have been ruled out by the Foundation at the present time. We are keen to hear from anyone with a desire to start up a business in the area.
There is an idea in the early stages of planning for an Arts/Cultural/Heritage centre based in the garages at Glencanisp. Anyone wishing to become involved in the project should contact Agnes Dickson to discuss this & offer support.
Further Social Enterprises will be looked at in the future as we progress with income generating schemes. The loss of care facilities for the elderly is one area where the community might wish to establish a social enterprise to reverse recent trends.
There are a whole host of business ideas waiting for people to drive them forward. Some would be large schemes which would take time to put together. Other ideas are smaller scale and might be got going relatively quickly. Anyone can come to the Foundation’s Development Manager with an idea at any time and we will try to assist in getting it off the ground.
Procedures to be followed by Assynt Foundation and applicants for the exclusive use of Assynt Foundation assets.
Procedures to be followed by applicants.
All applications must be in writing.
The written application should address the following.
• A clear indication of the purpose of the application.
• What assets are to be used?
• What modification if any will be needed?
• A drawing if appropriate.
• A map if appropriate.
• State whether a purchase, lease or simple permission is being sought.
• State how long the lease or permission is to last.
• Whether appropriate insurance is held by applicant.
• Whether there are planning or other regulatory implications.
• Indicate what value if any the applicant considers appropriate for the purchase, lease or permission.
• Are there social or environmental implications?
Procedures to be followed by Assynt Foundation Directors.
Development Manager to guide the applicant on procedures / information required.
Development Manager to bring application to Board meeting or Directors with delegated powers with a recommendation.
In considering the application the DM and Directors will consider the following.
• Is the application consistent with the long term vision and objectives of Assynt Foundation?
• Are there competing applications or current uses of the same assets?
• Is the use of the asset appropriate?
• Are there planning or other regulatory implications?
• Are there insurance implications for AF?
• Are there financial implications for AF?
• What are the social and environmental implications?
• Does the applicant have the support of the wider community and or the agencies?
• Are there public image / perception implications?
The decision of the directors will be recorded in the minutes which are available to the public. This statement of procedures should be made available to all applicants to guide their application.
Some of the business ideas presented to Assynt Foundation so far are as follows:
| Business Idea | Lead person |
| Glencanisp Walled Garden – Market Garden | Jenny Robertson |
| Glen Garden of Glory – Social Enterprise | Issie Macleod |
| Forest Crofts | 7 different applicants |
| Assynt Arts Project | Agnes Dickson |
| Pony Trekking | |
| Assynt Music Project | Niall Robertson |
| Study Centre at Glencanisp | |
| Grazing Leases | |
| Ceramic Studio | Fergus Stewart |
| Micro Brewery | |
| Water Bottling | |
| Glencanisp Catering | Dorothea Standlick |
| Fishing | David Robb |
| Paths & Huts | Anna Mackay |
| Nursery | Claire Ford |
| Stalking with Cameras | |
| Writers Retreats | Mandy Haggith |
| Bushcraft Courses | Leon Durbin |
| Trails Biking | Duncan Hutchison |
| Local Food Production | NW Sutherland Food Group |
| Eco-tourism | Julie-ann Macleod |
| All abilities breaks | Sarah/Robin/John |
| Quarrying | Highland Council |
| Woodland Burial | |
| Non-Timber Forest Products | |
| Wood na Gael | Agnes Dickson |
Renewable Energy
There are prospects for a variety of renewable energy schemes to be undertaken on the Estates. The main aims of such a development would be to create a secure income stream by selling the energy or electricity generated (initially to the national grid but potentially direct to consumers in the future) and to replace fossil fuel generated power with an environmentally sustainable alternative. The smaller scale renewable projects whilst not capable of income generation would be suitable to offset electricity use and thus reduce costs and environmental damage. Potential schemes that are being investigated are:
• woodfuel
• wind turbines
• hydro-electric schemes
• solar power schemes
• biomass crops
Highland Council has produced a renewable energy strategy paper which sets out, in planning terms, what is and is not possible for potential developers. There are various categories of possible development:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS
Instrument: National Planning Framework
Decision Maker: Scottish Executive/Planning Authority
Decision Route: Planning Application/Call-in
Appeal: Courts Only
MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS
Instrument: Development Plan
Decision Maker: Planning Authority/Scottish Executive
Decision Route: Planning Application to agreed time scale/Call-in
Appeal: Scottish Ministers and Courts
LOCAL DEVELOPMENTS
Instrument: Development Plan
Decision Maker: Planning Authority
Either (A) Elected Member or (B) delegated to officers
Decision Route: Planning Application
Appeal: (A) to Scottish Ministers or (B) to a local review body
MINOR DEVELOPMENTS
Instrument: General Permitted Development Order/Development Handbook
Decision Maker: Planning Authority
Decision Route: Assess against regulations/handbook for scope of permitted development
Appeal: Court Only
Under the above categorisation, Hydro schemes are categorised differently from all other schemes. The Assynt Crofters Trust Loch Poll scheme (225kW) would now be classed as a Major Scheme. A 5MW onshore wind development would contrastingly be classed as Local/Community Scheme. The Highland Council, on page 23, Table 6.2.1 of its Strategy document effectively prohibits any Major/National wind developments > 5MW in our area. The strategy does allow local onshore wind developments such as the one the Foundation has been investigating, but falls short of stating that the council would favour such a development.
Woodfuel
Use of wood as a fuel is being seen increasingly as an efficient and environmental friendly alternative to gas, oil and coal. At its simplest level, wood or multi-fuel stoves are popular in the area and providing a reliable source of firewood will encourage their adoption still further. At a more sophisticated level there are high efficiency wood fuelled boilers that range in capacity from domestic (30 kW) to industrial (4mW). The larger boilers are eminently suitable for powering District Heating Schemes. Any proposed affordable housing scheme would fully investigate the potential of using wood fuel and communal heating. A woodchip supply business is being developed in conjunction with the redevelopment of the lodge to fuel its proposed new woodchip boiler and potentially other boilers in Lochinver as businesses replace oil-fired heating with cheaper and environmentally friendly wood.
Wind Turbines
Clearly not everyone likes wind turbines. For any person who sees them as an attractive alternative to new nuclear power stations there is someone else who would suggest that they are a most aesthetically unpleasant addition to the skyline.
In seeking to judge a planning application, the council would take cognisance of the positive and negative impacts of any proposed development.
Positive Impacts would be:
• local benefit
• community ownership
• reducing fuel poverty
• community involvement
• local content of works
Negative Impacts might be:
• conservation of natural heritage
• amenity interests
• pattern & scale of development
• visual impact on the landscape
Early initial investigations suggest that there is sufficient wind in the Assynt area and a suitable 33kV connection point to the national grid in Lochinver. For a total development cost of approximately £4.5M there may be the potential to generate some £1.2M of annual revenue. These initial figures would suggest that such a project could be economically viable and able to generate a significant income stream after servicing of loans and maintenance costs. To develop such a project would be a very significant undertaking and will only be instigated after thorough investigation and community consultation.
The Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust minimised the upfront costs in their ‘Dancing Ladies’ development by installing three small second hand turbines at considerably lower capital cost than new equipment. Their development rated at 675kw had a capital cost of £440,000 and delivered a profit in its first year of £100,000 whilst the loans are being repaid. When the loans are cleared after four years, the community hope to earn £150,000 profit per annum from this small-scale development.
A feasibility study of the potential for wind turbines on Glencanisp or Drumrunie identified the optimal site to be an 18ha site on Glencanisp, consisting of a broad ridge, Druim Suardalain, extending roughly east west. The ridge drops to Glencanisp to the south, and more gently to the River Inver to the north. The ridge has a fairly constant altitude of around 135 to 150m being slightly higher at the eastern end. At present, the land is mainly rough pasture used for sheep grazing with some stalking. There are no occupied dwellings on the site.
The Druim Suardalain site was selected following a full analysis of potential in the Assynt area to create an opportunity for local economic development through a community renewable energy project. This began with a wide initial search of the greater Assynt area.
The basic technical requirements for a wind energy scheme are proximity to electricity infrastructure and access, and a suitable wind resource. The Drumrunie area emerged as meeting these requirements, having existing 33kV electricity line, road and suitable wind resource. Despite this promise, Drumrunie was ruled out due to the environmental designations.
Ruling out designated areas, SSSIs, SACs, SPAs, focussed attention on the immediate area around Lochinver, north of the River Kirkaig (Inverpolly SSSI and Special Area of Conservation), west of Loch Assynt (Site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Protection Area) and south of the ‘Assynt Lochs’ (Lochs Poll, Beannach SSSI and SPA etc.).
This pull towards Lochinver was reinforced by the electricity infrastructure requirements. A suitable three phase electricity supply is a requirement for any project. This exists at Lochinver where a 33000 volt line from Grudie Bridge terminates at the small substation on the Canisp Road. This substation has existing capacity to connect a community renewable energy scheme and is a key location in relation to such a scheme. Proximity to this substation is a positive factor economically for a project, and proximity to existing infrastructure is recognised as a consideration under the new Highland Renewable Energy Strategy and Guidelines. An 11000 volt line runs from Lochinver substation north to Stoer and Drumbeg. This line may have some limited capacity for the connection of further generation, but this would be subject to electrical engineering studies and likely to be extremely limited due to presence of existing generation on the line, at Loch Poll.
Next, a margin of 1000 metres was taken to dwellings. This is the separation used in the Highland Renewable Energy Strategy and Guidelines as an indicator for wind energy constraint, and is considered appropriate to Lochinver, given the available space and the combined residential amenity and tourism interests in Lochinver.
Landscape, ornithology and wild land considerations were found to push development towards Lochinver, mirroring the technical and economic pull. Landscape guidelines suggest new development should be associated with existing settlements, and logically linked to the land form: the windy ridge of Druim Suardalain just outside the 1km separation may possibly meet this guidance. Known ornithological interests are concentrated in the interior area, so proximity to Lochinver is generally positive for ornithological interests. Further survey work to recognised standards is planned to identify the use local birds make of the site. ‘Wi