Development News
This is where you will find updates on the progress to transition Aultbea Church of Scotland into Aultbea Community HUB.
The Hub is pleased to announce that it has received development funding from the Scottish Land Fund through Highland and Island Enterprise to pursue the feasibility of the purchase of Aultbea Church of Scotland as a community asset, giving this historic building an extended lease of life through Adaptive Re-use.
This approach allows the HUB to create a unique innovative facility that benefits everyone, breathing new life into a building that has over the last 4 years become home to a community café and cinema, and serves as an entertainment and activity venue, while also providing space for numerous small groups to meet. It also hosts the local Men’s Shed and Post Office Sorting Office for the Aultbea area, as well as continuing to function as a place of Christian worship for church services, weddings, and funerals”.
It also allows the HUB to become part of a wider multi-facility concept, working with other groups to provide a balanced and integrated network of community provisions.
Aultbea Community Hub Board, working in partnership with professional advisors, will develop a sound business plan and proposals that will allow the facility to be retained for community use, and make it a home for lots of new ideas that the local community can support.
A spokesperson for the Church of Scotland, who currently own the building, said, “We are excited to hear of this funding being granted, and look forward to further partnership working with the Aultbea Community Hub towards a transfer in ownership that would retain and develop the use of this building for the whole community”.
The project team headed by Alan Jones Associates, will carry out the work to produce the necessary information to seek funding for all stages of the development.
It is expected that this initial work will take 2 / 3 months with updates appearing as and when available. So check back regularly to keep up to date with progress.
This approach allows the HUB to create a unique innovative facility that benefits everyone, breathing new life into a building that has over the last 4 years become home to a community café and cinema, and serves as an entertainment and activity venue, while also providing space for numerous small groups to meet. It also hosts the local Men’s Shed and Post Office Sorting Office for the Aultbea area, as well as continuing to function as a place of Christian worship for church services, weddings, and funerals”.
It also allows the HUB to become part of a wider multi-facility concept, working with other groups to provide a balanced and integrated network of community provisions.
Aultbea Community Hub Board, working in partnership with professional advisors, will develop a sound business plan and proposals that will allow the facility to be retained for community use, and make it a home for lots of new ideas that the local community can support.
A spokesperson for the Church of Scotland, who currently own the building, said, “We are excited to hear of this funding being granted, and look forward to further partnership working with the Aultbea Community Hub towards a transfer in ownership that would retain and develop the use of this building for the whole community”.
The project team headed by Alan Jones Associates, will carry out the work to produce the necessary information to seek funding for all stages of the development.
It is expected that this initial work will take 2 / 3 months with updates appearing as and when available. So check back regularly to keep up to date with progress.
