A remote west coast mainland peninsula Morvern’s main settlement is the village of Lochaline. The village, which sits on the northern shore at the mouth of Loch Aline, has a range of amenities including primary school, medical centre, shop, post office, church and ferry terminal for the Fishnish ferry to Mull. 

The unspoilt area is popular with nature lovers, and as well as its strategic location for seafarers, it offers mountains, woodlands and moorland. Local employment is largely linked to the land, including forestry and tourism.

MCDC worked with its local community to identify opportunities for the area. Their aim was to ensure there were enough jobs, affordable houses, leisure services and a quality of life for a sustainable community.

With support from HIE and the European LEADER programme, they developed a growth plan, incorporating a range of projects, including highlighting the potential of marine tourism, and a proposed development of pontoons and shore based facilities.

HIE provided support for a full-time development officer to take the community’s ambitions forward. Lilia's appointment brought the dedicated resource the community and the Board needed to support the delivery of the community's strategy.

Projects of this scale are complex to deliver, here is some headline advice from Lilia for others involved in development projects.

The pontoons

Be aware of opportunities that relate to your aspirations.

We were able to tap into the EU SailWest marine tourism infrastructure project. This provided £320K in grant funding and was a huge learning curve for MCDC as a company and for the individuals involved.

It was unnerving at times to think such a small community could realise such a large project, and at the time we were a relatively inexperienced development company.

The success of the pontoons empowered us to seek funds for shore facilities, a £210K project supported by HIE and Highland LEADER. And this is how it all really started - then the allotments happened, land acquisition, pontoons expansion and more. 

The hydro project

Take advantage of existing community skills.

MCDC had some hydro building expertise amongst its directors. We saw the opportunity to explore viable hydro schemes that would benefit the community, help make MCDC a more self financing business, and provide the community with ‘greener’ electricity. 

Local Energy Scotland helped us explore the feasibility, and technical aspects of the project, and provided loans to enable the work to be carried out.

Funding - the main challenge was to put the £6.5m funding package in place. It wasn't easy and we had a few false starts as we explored options. We managed to develop an innovative approach building a package through Triodos Bank debt finance and EIF finance.

Community facilities

Focus on your priorities.

Like many rural communities, affordable housing to retain and attract local workers is a priority for us.

The funding package for building homes seemed ages in production but we secured funds from Retirement Housing Foundation, SSE Development Fund, the local Morvern Community Trust, another local Craig Sellar Trust, and a Triodos Bank mortgage allowed us to build three one-bedroom affordable homes in the village. All three houses are occupied and the tenants are very happy there.

MCDC has also built a community hub in the heart of Lochaline on land of the Old Scout hut which was transferred into community ownership by its previous owner. The funding for the hub came from the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund, HIE, Highland LEADER and the local MCT.

Low carbon transition is a key focus for Scotland's communities. In addition to our hydro scheme, we have a range of projects which have attracted funding support.

We have an electric Nissan LEAF that is used in the community as a hire car, and a new project for e-bikes. The e-bikes, supported by HIE's Community-led Tourism Infrastructure Fund, are to be rented out to locals and visitors to the area to explore the surroundings.​

• With HIE:
  Funding for development officer, and support from a wider Local Development Officers network across the region;
  Project planning, development and funding advice and support;
  Grant funding for the marina, fuel pumps, e-bikes and the community business hub;
  Specialist advice to support MCDC staff and board develop their growth plan ambitions;
  Scottish Land Fund and HIE Community Assets team advice and support;
  Skills support including MIT Entrepreneurship Programme.
  
  
• LEADER funding
• Scottish Government's Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES).
• £2.23m from the Energy Investment Fund (EIF) for the Hydropower scheme
• Triodos Bank
• Local Energy Scotland – expertise and development funding for the hydro scheme.
• COVID support and recovery funding - Supporting Communities Fund and Community-Led Tourism Infrastructure Fund.

In addition to providing infrastructure, MCDC projects have added directly and indirectly to local employment. They employ two Harbour Masters and local people have always been part of delivering the building projects.

The infrastructure created, and the increased footfall in the village as a result, allows existing businesses to grow and thrive and provides opportunities for new businesses to open. This provides employment for local people throughout the year.

Café LA opened in the new community hub in July 2021. It has become a welcome addition to services and facilities in the village and a real community hub for people to meet.

The hydro scheme should provide the community with sustainable income for years to come.

The community housing provides accommodation for local people, including local key workers.

MCDC is now a financially sustainable business with three employees delivering real benefits to the Morvern community. Revenues from its activities will be re-invested into future community projects.

The three main community organisations locally MCDC, MCC and MCT are working together to plan the next stage of community development - all of the projects from the original Community Growth Plan have been realised.

The new community plan will form the basis for community development for the next 10 years. It will look at more housing, new energy initiatives, sustainability and crisis management, business opportunities, net zero community, further community land ownership, services and facilities, and more.