11th December 2004
Consultants brief for a feasibility study to establish whether or not it is in the interest of the Coigach Community to bid for the Drumrunie Forest Estate.
The Estate
Drumrunie Estate is situated in the UNESCO-designated Europark range that stretches from Wester Ross into Sutherland. It is at present a lightly used sporting estate of around 11.900 acres (4800 ha) which rises from 300 feet above sea level to 2787 feet at the summit of Cul More. There is another mountain, Cul Beag, whose summit reaches 2523 feet. The ground is partly rocky, partly peat bog and in all parts sloping. There are some stands of woods, in particular Scots pine and Atlantic oak wood. A couple of forestation schemes have in recent years been damaged by fire.
A small, slow moving river snakes through the valley between the two dominating mountains. At the north end of the valley one can find the remains of a village that was abandoned probably in the early 19th century. The estate was in possession of the Countess of Cromarty until 1934 when it was sold along with its sheep stock to Mr Clare Vyner. He is said to have introduced a deer and ten hinds from Warnham Park in Sussex. The estate has been managed since 1949 by the present owners and since 1962 as a nature reserve. In 2003 a disagreement between Scottish Natural Heritage and the landowner led to a de-registration of the area as nature reserve. At issue were the numbers of deer, the damage they are causing to protected woodlands, and alleged overgrazing.
The overall deer density is not particularly high with 7 beasts per 100 ha. The problem appears to be their propensity to congregate in certain areas. Stalking returns show a ten-year average of 15 stags and 38 hinds and calves being shot. In the last season (2003/4), a considerably higher number of hinds and calves were killed.
The estate is dotted with small lochs, which are known to contain good stocks of trout. It is also bounded on three sides by larger lochs to which it has fishing rights from bank and boat. A number of duck flighting ponds have been constructed and fed. Occasional grouse are walked up over pointers.
A keeper’s cottage including outbuildings such as a game larder, kennels and a garage also form part of the estate’s property. The cottage is easily accessible from the A835, which roughly marks the southeastern boundary of the land. Along the southwestern boundary, a single-track road leads to Achiltibuie and the other townships that constitute the community of Coigach. Inland, on the easternmost corner, are two small villages, Elphin and Knockan. There are also a few houses where the two roads meet. In the more distant past, a substantial settlement is said to have existed at this point.
Coigeach Community Company Ltd.
The Coigeach Community Company was established to register an interest in a Community Buy Out of the land according to the Land Reform Scotland Act, section 2, and to brief consultants to carry out a feasibility study as noted above. The application to register an interest with the Scottish Executive is at present 'pending'.
Back Ground
A public meeting was held in Achiltibuie on Monday the 13th of September 2004, where the possibility of declaring a community interest in a buy out of the Drumrunie Forest Estate was discussed at length. As a result of those discussions, a steering group was established to progress the matter further.
The steering group held a postal ballot of all of the members of the Coigach community listed on the current Edited Electoral Roll.
54% (fifty-four) of the members of the Coigach community balloted, returned signed forms in favour.
The wider Community includes Elphin, Knockan, Badnaban, Strathcanaird and Strathan A postal ballot of the members the wider communities is being conducted at this time. Returns have been coming back over the past two weeks and are diappointingly low. However 75% of the returned papers are in favour.
The Coigeach Community Company seeks to further the sustainable development of the land assets in line with its objectives. The objectives of the Coigeach Community Company detailed in the Memorandum & Articles are:
To conserve and manage, for the public benefit, community land and related assets in Coigach and Drumrunie, in Wester Ross as an important part of the protection and sustainable development of Scotland’s natural environment.
To conserve and regenerate the Drumrunie Forest area for the benefit of the community and wider public.
To foster, plan and encourage measures that will be of educational, environmental, cultural, social or recreational benefit to the community and wider public.
To achieve re-declaration of NNR for Drumrunie Forest.
Proposals will be developed based on these objectives, in consultation with the community, through a feasibility study. The Coigeach Community Company has produced this consultant’s brief and will seek the support of funders for this feasibility study.
The community will seek to optimise access to the land and natural resources for outdoor pursuits, tourism and other uses. Other proposals will be likely to include competent deer management, improvement of grasslands and diversification of grazing, and woodland regeneration. Opportunities for renewable energy will also be explored.
Proposals for Investigation by Consultants
Opportunities have been identified for complementing ongoing local initiatives e.g.
New croft creation.
Identification of available land for affordable housing in Wester Ross.
Job creation.
Community transport, Ullapool - Achiltibuie - Lochinver - Elphin - Ullapool
Land based entrepreneurial activities.
Supported outdoor pursuits.
Tourism including eco-tourism.
Supported trout fishing.
Environmental management to enhance the biodiversity and natural regeneration of the native woodlands through management agreements with the relative government agencies.
Deer management and stalking activities.
Community based renewable energy development.
The feasibility study will be commissioned on behalf of the community to explore the above possibilities and any others that are identified and recommended by the consultants.
The Coigeach Community Company will co-operate fully with our neighbours The Assynt Foundation, where possible and practical, in matters affecting both communities, as agreed at previous meeting with their Directors for achieving the benefits of widening the scope for social inclusion of the communities and the wider public.
The recent inclusion of Drumrunie Forest estate in the UNESCO-endorsed European Geopark Status area does not place any restrictions on the management of the land.
Community Involvement
The Coigach Community needs to be in a position to help the Scottish Executive deliver on its rural development policies.
The stabilisation of population and reversal of depopulation of the area, through the creation of career opportunities for young people.
Identifying and providing sites for affordable housing at Drumrunie junction, within the Ullapool catchment area.
Conservation of the natural heritage.
Creation and enhancement of local employment opportunities.
Involving local people in working for the local community.
This land is part of the Coigach heritage, immediately adjacent, situated in the Parish of Lochbroom Wester Ross, and the feelings and ideas of the members of the Coigach Community should form an important part of the Consultants report.
Objectives of the Study
The study has the following primary objectives:
i) Analysis of the current income and expenditure pattern of the estate, as much as the available information will allow.
ii) Analysis of estate viability against a range of development options
iii) In consultation with the community, collating and assessing ideas for development opportunities that could arise if the estate were in community ownership. These could involve sporting, environmental, business, renewable energy and tourism activities, together with provision of infrastructure including land for other economic activities and housing and working with other existing local organisations, businesses and potential partners. An assessment of each area should be included with priority given to the three areas considered as having the highest potential for development. More detailed business planning should be provided for the three development areas of highest potential.
iv) Preparation of annual income and expenditure projections bearing in mind development opportunities, and various ownership options described above.
v) An analysis of options for raising funds
vi) An assessment of the economic impact of selected options, both at a community level and North West Scotland level.
The report should suggest methods of realising estate assets to cover the 6% Community investment / funding requirement. The bottom line is to report to the Community any long term benefits or liabilities that would result from a Community Buy Out.
Expected Outcomes
An opinion on the medium to long-term viability of the existing estate activities.
An opinion on the potential to improve the existing estate activities
A detailed account of the development opportunities assessed with in-depth proposals on developing new enterprises/activities.
Detailed consideration to be given to the three areas considered as having highest development potential, including initial business planning.
A series of options on running the Estate in the light of the potential ownership options
Recommendations on the viability of each option addressed in 2 iii) above, regarding the existing business, together with a prioritised list of future options which should be considered to strengthen overall viability
A recommendation on the best option for community ownership and management of the Estate,
Sufficient qualitative and quantitative information to provide the basis for the development of a 5-year whole estate development plan.
Methodology
It is anticipated that the study will include both desk and field-based elements. The process of community involvement in this study is viewed by the client as being of equal importance to the production of the final plan and report. The consultant should outline methods of liaison with the community and ways of gathering and assessing development ideas. This might include community workshops, brainstorming with focus groups or other methods.Consultants should allow in their costings for some time to be spent in the community, including presentation of findings to the Coigeach Community Company and also to the wider community at a public drop-in meeting, at draft and final report stages.
Timetable
The anticipated timetable for the study is;:
Distribute brief to consultants 11th December 04
Draft report completed by Mid January
Public meeting to present draft findings Mid January
Sumission of final report February
Budget
The budget for this project will be in the region of £????.?? inclusive of expenses and VAT.
Company Experience/Personnel
The consultant/consultancy team must demonstrate knowledge and experience of:
the economy of the Highlands and Islands,
the economics of estate management and diversification
community land management initiatives and issues
community consultation
The consultants may also wish to add to their team expertise in the fields of crofting, estate management, environmental tourism and any other discipline they feel to be relevant to this brief.
Proposal Documents
You are asked to submit your response to this brief ASAP and it should include the following:
methodologies to be employed in the study
cost of conducting the study, indicating fees and expenses (inc VAT), against the person-days input from each team member
a study timetable
Reporting of Results
The Coigeach Community Company will manage the consultancy with assistance from Highlands & Islands Enterprise Community Land Unit. The nominated contact person is;
Bill Mullin,
Croft 234 Reiff,
Achiltibuie,
By Ullapool
Ross-shire, IV262YS
Telephone 01854 622321, Mobile 078 4521 9107
e-mail billhilton@achiltibuie.fsnet.co.uk
Ten copies of the draft and final study reports should be submitted. The draft and final reports should also be provided electronically in Microsoft Word.
Bill Mullin
Chairman.
ANNEX
The following items are included in this annex for the event that time and funding become available to the consulting team.
Explore the possibilities for trout fishing with disabled access on those stretches of water that appear suitable for that purpose.
The re-establishment of grouse moors through controlled muir burn and re-stocking, it’s economic potential for shooting over dogs and/or walked up shooting. In this context, the experience of an estate near Inverness might be of interest that increased its grouse numbers fivefold.
The potential benefits for general tourism that could be achieved if a management agreement with Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) can be reached that would lead to a re-designation of the estate as a national nature reserve.
The disadvantages of a re-designation for sporting and specialized activities, e.g. rock climbing and other outdoor activities.
Financial and other benefits of joint management of the estate with SNH or other bodies such as the John Muir Trust or the Scottish Scenic Trust (which owns the neighbouring Ben More Coigach Estate).
A joint venture with the well-established Knockan Visitor Centre (owned by SNH) to develop the estate as a site of organised nature exploration is another option that deserves a detailed cost-benefit analysis. The potential for the introduction and/or habitat enhancement for bird populations and rare species such as beaver should be looked at. Such animals could in time form the basis for bird watching tours and nature trail trips, possibly organised by a jointly employed ranger. These could be marketed nationally and internationally.
The benefits, financially and from a nature conservancy point of view, of further forestation schemes viz. fencing for natural tree and habitat regeneration.
The pros and cons of enlarging the present network of foot paths.
Are there synergies to be achieved by e.g. building a contiguous network of paths for walkers and mountaineers? What would the cost implications be, what the potential spin-off benefits for B&Bs, pubs and shops?
A joint approach to the commercial benefits of (1) and (2)
Re-building of the abandoned village at Loch Sionascaig as an eco-holiday village similar to Taighean-Dubha nan Gearranan on the Isle of Lewis, however without road access.
Establishment of a rock climbing centre combining Cul More with the well established climbing cliffs at Reiff and the challenging rock and ice climb faces on the Ben More Coigach Estate.
The feasibility and desirability of such ventures would also have to be discussed in relation to immutable land designations such as SSI etc.
Ends.