Priority projects identified by FDT for 2022/23
(May 2022 – April 2023)
The Community Facilities Questionnaire, circulated by Finderne Development Trust in March 2022, helped FDT identify the key projects we wish to take forward in this current financial year which are identified below.
Brockloch – Community led affordable housing project
One of our major projects this year will be taking forward our community led affordable housing project in Rafford with the field at Brockloch now officially in community ownership since the 14th of July 2022!
FDT’s community led affordable housing project in Rafford will provide twelve houses in total.
We are in the process of developing plans for the ten houses for the site, eight for rent, and two for purchase, in addition to the two self-build plots. Once these plans are ready, we will then take them back to the Finderne community for further consultation to then arrive at the final design brief.
FDT have developed a draft allocations policy to meet the needs of our community. You can find a copy in the Resources section of the web page under Brockloch Project Documents.
All the houses will be retained as affordable in perpetuity. For rental properties this will be achieved by letting at social equivalent rents, and for discounted sales by applying a rural housing burden to the title of each property. The rural housing burden will allow the community to retain control over the resale and use of the properties. Properties must be a permanent, main residence and letting will be prohibited without consent of the Rural Housing Body.
Community facilities
We have now prioritised working in partnership with the trustees and committees of our existing community facilities to identify practical ways that FDT could help.
This could include such things as support to upgrade facilities, and support to offer different activities, events, and performances.
Community Transport
We have begun the process of researching different models of community transport which have been introduced elsewhere in Scotland, as well as investigating the transport services that community partners are already providing locally. After carrying out this background research, we will then develop a detailed proposal, which can then be taken to the community for consultation and implementation.
Health & Wellbeing
FDT wishes to develop a strategy, in conjunction with the trustees of existing facilities, to increase the availability of health & wellbeing activities.
FDT will Identify existing health & wellbeing activity providers, practitioners in the local area and assist in the deployment of their services across the Finderne community area.
An example of this is a recent decision taken by the board of FDT which offered financial support for a pilot project from Film Forres for an outreach film programme within both Edinkillie Hall and Rafford Village Hall.
FDT Community Microprojects Fund
FDT have just launched a new Community Microprojects Fund with funding available of up to £1,000 per project, with the funding geared towards smaller projects which can be achieved with a defined timescale.
Finderne Employment and training support
Shortly to be re-launched, FDT wants to engage with Finderne-based businesses to identify opportunities for:
Future Apprentice placements
Financial support to businesses to encourage additional employment
Other training opportunities
Finderne Routes
Over the coming year FDT will prepare a detailed scope for a project to develop ideas for enhancing existing routes within Finderne, together with the possibility of creating new routes.
Broadband
FDT will continue to liaise with the Scottish Government to identify any ways where FDT can support the provision of Superfast Broadband to harder to reach households within Finderne.
Other project/development areas
- FDT are supporting the current Road safety initiative in Rafford being led by Finderne Community Council.
- As part of their Learning Estate/School Estate review, Moray Council are looking for opportunities to drive revenue from the Learning Estate: FDT will seek to identify any opportunities to work in partnership with Moray Council within this new model, regarding Logie Primary School.
- As a matter of policy, the FDT Board have agreed that net zero goals should be embedded within all FDT’s project areas, with health and wellbeing as an underpinning theme.