Wind farm grant to regenerate old school site

The £710,000 grant from the SSE SLC Clyde Wind Farm fund to Abington Community Development Group (ACDG) will be used to provide a much-needed facility for local businesses.

The grant alongside funding from South Lanarkshire Council’s Renewable Energy Fund (REF) and the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grants Fund brings investment of £1.7m to the community.

Led by ACDG, the project, which is guided and supported by the council’s Community and Enterprise Resources, set out an ambitious economic and community plan to promote activities and enhance the quality of life for local people.

The new campus will include: fast broadband connectivity, bespoke leisure and gym facilities, green community space for formal and informal activities and socialising smaller indoor spaces to increase the existing number of meeting places available in local village halls.

In addition the project will bring new rural jobs which will include a development manager, administration staff and a horticulturist to manage a community garden offering health and wellbeing volunteering opportunities and programmes.

Katie Stuart Cox, from ACDG, said: “We are so grateful for the support of all the funders and South Lanarkshire Council. We cannot wait to get started with the community campus.

“This dream project, has been in the planning for four years and we look forward to seeing the completion of the campus in 2021 and welcome the future challenges this enterprise will bring.”

Eric Carlyle, chairman of the SSE SLC Clyde Wind Farm Panel, added: “The project provides Abington with a tremendous investment and will deliver community and economic opportunities to the village.

“It is fitting that the SSE SLC Clyde Wind Farm fund contributes to this project.”

The council administers the community benefit element of the Renewable Energy Fund (REF) for 41 wind farms across South Lanarkshire and the community benefit for Clyde windfarm and five operational quarries.

Councillor John Anderson, chairman of the Community and Enterprise Resources committee, said: “I am delighted that the Rewnewable Energy Fund has been able to help make this project become a reality.

“I look forward to seeing the huge benefits the local community will reap in the coming years with the regeneration of the old primary school into an exciting community hub which will have huge benefits to everyone in the community, from business and enterprise to individual and group activities.”