October 2017 Update
Durness Development Group Ltd (DDG Ltd) has now received the Feasibility Study on the proposed Cape Wrath Community development project, prepared by Highlands & Islands Social Enterprise Zone. The Feasibility Study looked at five options for development of the land around the Lighthouse at Cape Wrath and surveys were put out for community consultation. All 150 households in Durness were consulted – just 23 surveys were returned. Representatives of local companies and other stakeholders were also interviewed. The preferred option was the simplest, namely a composting toilet. The other options featured various levels of refurbishment of existing buildings or their replacement by new build, these did not have community or visitor support however as it was felt that any major development would detract from the wild and unspoilt nature of the area.
In view of the low level of local support for the project and after careful consideration the Board of volunteer Directors of DDG Ltd have decided not to proceed with a Stage 2 application to the Scottish Land Fund for the purchase of the site. DDG Ltd are disappointed that we are not able to take this project forward as it has received a great deal of public support, but unfortunately the figures do not stack up. The business case would be marginal at best and the logistics and liabilities of community ownership of derelict Listed buildings in such a remote location has proved too great a risk, especially when considering the state of the Highland Council maintained road on the Capeside which has deteriorated to such a degree that it is now little more than a track.
DDG Ltd are currently exploring the possibility of using the money raised for Cape Wrath to build a community owned public composting toilet which will enhance the visitor experience to this remote location without undermining its unspoilt beauty and have contacted the current owners, The Northern Lighthouse Board with a view to making this happen.
In view of the low level of local support for the project and after careful consideration the Board of volunteer Directors of DDG Ltd have decided not to proceed with a Stage 2 application to the Scottish Land Fund for the purchase of the site. DDG Ltd are disappointed that we are not able to take this project forward as it has received a great deal of public support, but unfortunately the figures do not stack up. The business case would be marginal at best and the logistics and liabilities of community ownership of derelict Listed buildings in such a remote location has proved too great a risk, especially when considering the state of the Highland Council maintained road on the Capeside which has deteriorated to such a degree that it is now little more than a track.
DDG Ltd are currently exploring the possibility of using the money raised for Cape Wrath to build a community owned public composting toilet which will enhance the visitor experience to this remote location without undermining its unspoilt beauty and have contacted the current owners, The Northern Lighthouse Board with a view to making this happen.
September 2017 Update
HISEZ have completed their feasibility and business case work. The main file is available as a download below (the architectural survey file is too large for our website to show, we hope to add this when a reduced file size is available).
Essentially, the business case is as anticipated, somewhat marginal. Have a read of the documents and get in touch with your views and opinions. To compound matters further, the rumour is that NLB no longer wish to sell and are mooting a potential refurbishment of the site. We have contacted the NLB for confirmation of their position and await a response.
Please get in touch with your thoughts and views on Cape Wrath. The board of DDG are meeting soon to review the work and to decide on a course of action.
Essentially, the business case is as anticipated, somewhat marginal. Have a read of the documents and get in touch with your views and opinions. To compound matters further, the rumour is that NLB no longer wish to sell and are mooting a potential refurbishment of the site. We have contacted the NLB for confirmation of their position and await a response.
Please get in touch with your thoughts and views on Cape Wrath. The board of DDG are meeting soon to review the work and to decide on a course of action.
| finalreport_ddg.pdf |
April 2017 Update
HISEZ are currently undertaking the feasibility work on Cape Wrath. Their work will cover the feasibility, options appraisal, business planning and marketing strategy for the land and buildings under community ownership and how we might sustainably develop the site once under community ownership. The feasibility study will look at all sorts of things, from bunkhouse provision, caring for a grade 2 listed building, installation of public toilets, water collection, power generation and of course income generation.
Their work will be complete by the end of May. If there is a clear and sustainable model we can pursue then we will prepare and submit a stage 2 application to the Scottish Land Fund in June 2017.
Their work will be complete by the end of May. If there is a clear and sustainable model we can pursue then we will prepare and submit a stage 2 application to the Scottish Land Fund in June 2017.
December 2016 Update
Great news! We have just heard that our Stage One application to the Scottish Land Fund has been sucessful. We are now in a position to undertake the feasibility study for the proposed community purchase. Thank you very much to everyone that has supported the campaign so far and purchased a calendar!
| cape_wrath_development_plan_final.pdf |
Durness Development Group Ltd, the community charity for Durness, are trying to purchase the 45 hectares of land surrounding the lighthouse at Cape Wrath. Tourism to this remote corner is extremely valuable to the community and by purchasing this land, the community will be able to:
Cape Wrath is a wonderful destination, it is remote and wild and a place that truly captures the imagination of the more intrepid individual, the community wishes to ensure that visitors can enjoy this wild and rugged landscape for many years to come.
Why are we trying to buy Cape Wrath?
The Northern Lighthouse Board will be putting the site on the open market if we do not buy it. Only through community ownership can public access be assured.
On behalf of the communities of Durness and Kinlochbervie we would like to thank you for supporting this worthwhile cause.
- Ensure continued public access
- Improve the visitor experience through sympathetic development of the facilities
- Undertake essential repairs and maintenance of this historic site
Cape Wrath is a wonderful destination, it is remote and wild and a place that truly captures the imagination of the more intrepid individual, the community wishes to ensure that visitors can enjoy this wild and rugged landscape for many years to come.
Why are we trying to buy Cape Wrath?
The Northern Lighthouse Board will be putting the site on the open market if we do not buy it. Only through community ownership can public access be assured.
On behalf of the communities of Durness and Kinlochbervie we would like to thank you for supporting this worthwhile cause.
Cape Wrath is the most North westerly point of the Scottish mainland. A remote and isolated head land that forms the top left hand corner of Great Britain. The name conjures images of foreboding stormy seas smashing helpless ships and boats against the rocky cliffs. Despite the wild Atlantic weather the place name is actually derived from the Norse word for ‘turning point’ the Vikings world turn their ships and make sail for home. Cape Wrath covers 277 square kilometres of moorland wilderness know as the Parph. While much of the Cape is owned by the MoD, the Northern Lighthouse Board own Cape Wrath Lighthouse, built by Robert Stevenson in 1828 along with some 45 hectares of land and assorted outbuildings.
Update December 2015
The latest news on Cape Wrath is that the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) do intend to sell the land surrounding the Cape Wrath lighthouse. DDG are keen to purchase the land to help maintain public access and to also improve the visitor experience.
At this point in time we are unsure how the NLB will go about the sale. They could invoke the Community Right to Buy Act (CRtB) which would trigger a very defined and laborious process which would give the community just 6 months to resolve the land purchase. However, we are hopeful that the NLB will take a more neighbourly approach and allow us time to raise the monies to make the purchase without triggering the CRtB.
Durness Development Group will be starting a media and social media campaign in the New Year to raise awareness of the intended purchase and try to drum up support. This will be followed up with a crowd funding campaign to partially raise the expected purchase price of £58k (based on previous valuations). There is a great deal of love for Cape Wrath, DDG are hopeful that this love could create a decent sum of money that help with the land purchase and also help with the building of public toilets at Cape Wrath, a facility that is long over due.
At this point in time we are unsure how the NLB will go about the sale. They could invoke the Community Right to Buy Act (CRtB) which would trigger a very defined and laborious process which would give the community just 6 months to resolve the land purchase. However, we are hopeful that the NLB will take a more neighbourly approach and allow us time to raise the monies to make the purchase without triggering the CRtB.
Durness Development Group will be starting a media and social media campaign in the New Year to raise awareness of the intended purchase and try to drum up support. This will be followed up with a crowd funding campaign to partially raise the expected purchase price of £58k (based on previous valuations). There is a great deal of love for Cape Wrath, DDG are hopeful that this love could create a decent sum of money that help with the land purchase and also help with the building of public toilets at Cape Wrath, a facility that is long over due.
DDG are looking for volunteers to help research the business plan for the proposed Community purchase of the land around the Lighthouse at Cape Wrath. The plan includes a diverse range of aspects:-
- how to collect and store water?
- potential uses for the derelict buildings on the site which range from wet weather shelter to an observatory
- how much would it cost to repair all of the dry stone dykes?
- what would be the insurance costs?
- how to provide toilet facilities?
Scottish Government Approves Community Right to Buy
Durness Development Group are delighted that the Scottish Government have approved it's application under Section 37(17) of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 in relation to land and buildings at Cape Wrath. Commenting the First Minister said:
“The approval of the Durness Development Group application is a very welcome next step towards Scotland’s ambitious new target of a million acres in community control by 2020. If the community is able to go ahead and successfully purchase the land, it will secure a stronger local economy for the people of Durness and preserve one of Scotland’s iconic landscapes for generations to come. It will allow the local community to improve facilities for visitors; to bring significant buildings back into use; and to manage the land sustainably. Put bluntly, we would see more benefits for the local area rather than more land for bombing – the principal use the rest of the Cape is put to by the MoD."
“The approval of the Durness Development Group application is a very welcome next step towards Scotland’s ambitious new target of a million acres in community control by 2020. If the community is able to go ahead and successfully purchase the land, it will secure a stronger local economy for the people of Durness and preserve one of Scotland’s iconic landscapes for generations to come. It will allow the local community to improve facilities for visitors; to bring significant buildings back into use; and to manage the land sustainably. Put bluntly, we would see more benefits for the local area rather than more land for bombing – the principal use the rest of the Cape is put to by the MoD."
Highlands and Islands Enterprise Zone (HISEZ) produce a Development Plan for Cape Wrath.
We are pleased to announce that we have been successful in securing funding from BIG Lottery Investing in Ideas fund, to finance the production of a Development Plan for the land at Cape Wrath.
This work has now been completed and a copy of the Outline Development Plan is available to read in the attachment below. Durness Development Group would like to thank HISEZ for their work and also the four local young people, Sophie Macleod, Joe Turtle, Christopher Arrowsmith and Lewis Arrowsmith who took part in the Hisez project under a mentoring scheme and helped collect and evaluate data.
This work has now been completed and a copy of the Outline Development Plan is available to read in the attachment below. Durness Development Group would like to thank HISEZ for their work and also the four local young people, Sophie Macleod, Joe Turtle, Christopher Arrowsmith and Lewis Arrowsmith who took part in the Hisez project under a mentoring scheme and helped collect and evaluate data.
Scottish Charity Number SC032179
Community company limited by guarantee without share capital Registered in Scotland No: 222915
Community company limited by guarantee without share capital Registered in Scotland No: 222915