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Councillors approve lease agreement for Banff Vinery


By Kyle Ritchie

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A 25-year lease agreement with Aberdeen Foyer for the Vinery in Banff has been approved by councillors.

The decision by Aberdeenshire Council’s Banff and Buchan area committee follows a public consultation which was largely supportive of the plans.

A formal application will now be made to the Sheriff to grant a Common Good Order for disposal of the land.

Community involvement has been a key element of the project to bring the derelict Vinery buildings back into viable use and has informed the decision-making process from the outset.

As the property is a Common Good asset, it was necessary to seek approval for the building to be leased to an operator, although full public access will be retained to the garden grounds.

The area committee heard that the commitment from Aberdeen Foyer to a gardening and growing project will have a positive impact on the biodiversity of the Airlie Gardens site and will provide opportunities for community learning in this area.

An artist’s impression of the how the Vinery will look when completed.
An artist’s impression of the how the Vinery will look when completed.

In addition, through the nature of the lease, Aberdeen Foyer will have time to build a successful project which can be financially sustainable in the long-term.

The organisation has a vision of “a place where all young people and adults can be who they want to be regardless of the challenges they face today and where everyone has the right to work, learn and have a safe place to live as a valued member of their local community".

The project, which is a key part of the Banff Vision and Action Plan, aims to have a positive impact on children and young people’s rights and wellbeing by creating a new community facility which increases opportunities for youngsters and families to take part in mental and physical health and wellbeing activities.

Through the future use of the Vinery as a space for horticulture, it is intended that volunteers and local groups will be able to work in the gardens and make them once again an inviting place for people to visit.

Welcoming the endorsement, Banff and Buchan area committee chairwoman councillor Doreen Mair said: “I am delighted that we have taken another major step towards the regeneration of the Vinery into a wonderful community asset fit for the 21st century.

"The consultation feedback clearly demonstrated that there is a strong desire to see retention of the building’s traditional character and full public accessibility which, of course, is our intention.”

Committee vice-chairman councillor Michael Roy said: “We have every confidence that Aberdeen Foyer will be an outstanding operator of the Vinery in the years ahead and will work alongside residents to develop innovative new ideas to help nurture both stronger individuals and the wider community.”

Following a highly competitive process, Aberdeenshire Council received £663,768 in a second stage funding application to the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund for the continued development of the GrowBanff@TheVinery project.

Local councillor and chairman of the Banff Development Partnership Glen Reynolds said: "We are now in the hands of the courts but the people have spoken.

"It was absolutely the right thing to do to seek a project led by an organisation such as Aberdeen Foyer which has a breadth of vision to ensure that this site is transformed into a project fit for the needs and demands of a post pandemic world.

"As an initiative at the gateway to the town, it symbolises the inclusivity so important to the recovery of the area, addressing the mental health and wellbeing of not just Banff but the surroundings of Macduff and elsewhere.

"It is vital too, that Aberdeen Foyer understands and represents the need to reach out to all sectors of the community, including the businesses, charitable and community organisations that can all play a part in making this vision a reality.

"As a crucial part of the Banff Vision and Action Plan, this innovative project will be about increasing opportunities for all. Along with finance from the Scottish Government, I commend the hard work of council officers and all the volunteers that have worked to bring this to fruition.

"It is a testament to the determination of the people of Banff and the surrounding area, to ensure that we get through this difficult period, and emerge strong, open and forward thinking, where everyone has a role in our future growth."

Originally constructed in the Duff House estate to grow grapes, the Vinery building was a gift to the town along with the gardens it sits in by the Duff family.

The Vinery project was also awarded £200,131 through Aberdeenshire Council’s allocation of the Scottish Government Town Centre Fund to undertake stage one of the refurbishment of the site, which has included repairs to part of the Bothy structure.

That work is currently being carried out by local contractor Ken Barbour Ltd and is expected to last 48 weeks, with an estimated completion date of March 2022.


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