Bold regeneration plans take centre stage at Portgordon Community Trust open day
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
DRIVING ahead bold plans to regenerate Portgordon sat at the heart of an open day at the weekend.
Portgordon Community Trust (PCT) – which brings together a number of community organisations in the village under the one umbrella – opened the doors to the Richmond Building community hub, the village hall and the community garden last Saturday afternoon to showcase what they have been doing. It was also an opportunity to outline the next stages in their five-year regeneration plan, which includes taking the village harbour into community ownership from Crown Estate Scotland.
One of the jewels in PCT's crown to date is the Richmond Building, the former Richmond Arms pub which was purchased by the trust in February of this year. Visitors to the open day were able to see the transformations wrought by phase 1 of the redevelopment programme – including community meeting space, classes, areas for hire and the new Lampie Hoose community café – while learning more about what is on the cards for phases 2 and 3.
A guided tour of what will become the Harbour Cottage next door was on offer, which is set to become an Air BnB style facility.
Across the square the village hall beckoned, which has undergone extensive renovations, such as exterior repairs, new windows and doors, new toilets and disabled facilities and new heating and lighting. There was also a small sale of hall items which were surplus to requirements.
Visitors were also invited to take a stroll round the community garden, situated adjacent to the harbour and chat to the volunteer gardening team.
PCT chairman Derek Murray said that a lot had been achieved despite the impact of the pandemic but that the spotlight was very much on the road ahead and the exciting plans in the making.
He continued: "Our focus for the next year or two is very much on phases 2 and 3 of the Richmond Building community hub and a new feasibility study regarding taking the harbour into community ownership.
"The first phase was basically making the building usable again. During Covid we gave up the lease on the Lampie Hoose in the square which was our former resource centre and moving that across the road.
"Lots of groups used to meet there and we're hoping to resurrect that in the Richmond Building. We've named our new community café the Lampie Hoose as a nod to the important role that building played in community life.
"As part of phase 2 of the Richmond Building redevelopment, we plan on putting a commercial kitchen into the hub. We've also we've also purchased the house next door and redevelop it into the Harbour Cottage which will be available for short and long-term lets.
"There's no funding for this project as yet although we're currently bidding for money. Our hope is to get things started in 2024 if our funding bid is successful.
"Phase 3 is our most ambitious project and will involve redeveloping the back of the hub to house a café and more meeting spaces – we have a timescale of two to three years on this."
The trust evolved in part from the former Portgordon Community Harbour Group whose primary aim was to take ownership of the harbour and use that as a dynamo to drive regeneration of the surrounding area.
Mr Murray said that long-term aim was very much still front and centre.
"We've signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Crown Estate Scotland and we continue to work together to to bring the harbour under community ownership.
"A tender has just gone out for a new feasibility study as we need to make sure that the harbour is a viable option going forward. This should be carried out between December of this year and July 2024.
"The community garden at the harbour has made big strides and is coming to the end of its second year. There's a small band of dedicated volunteers and new faces are always welcome.
"We were delighted to declare our new pétanque pitch at the garden open at the open day."
Mr Murray paid tribute to the many key partners who have backed PCT so far, including Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Crown Estate Scotland and the Scottish Land Fund, among others.
He went on to salute the contributions and commitment of previous trust chairs Scott Sliter and Colin Hanover as well as committee members past and present and other volunteers.
Mr Murray noted that PCT development officer Michelle Good had made a huge contribution, without which the trust's projects "would not have been possible".
To find out more about the PCT, visit https://portgordoncommunity.co.uk/
