Achi news desk-
The owner of Coul Farm is believed to be the first private landowner to also offer to build new homesteads in East Sutherland, an area in the midst of depopulation.
Jim McGillivray, councilor for East Sutherland, said that Mr Abel Smith was an example to other large landowners, “who sit on their land”.
He said: “The vision that the candidates and I have discussed is that of Robert Owen in New Lanark in the 18th century – the company providing safe housing and secure jobs for workers in a walk-to-work location, with’ the community gets equity. share in the operation.”
A final decision on plans to build a “world-class” golf course at Coul Links, near Dornoch, is now in the hands of ministers at Holyrood after they were called in by the Scottish Government.
Environmental concerns have been raised by Nature Scot and the Conservation Coalition, led by the RSPB.
The area is part of the Loch Fleet Special Conservation Area.
The application by community group Communities for Coul (C4C) was approved by Highland Council in December after 750 objections were lodged.
C4C estimates that the development could create up to 400 new jobs, mainly in the hospitality sector and attract £50 million of investment and says it has the support of the majority of residents.
The group says that the developers and owners of the site will provide the expertise, workforce and investment required (around £500,000 in the first 5 years) to support the restoration of the site fully and sustainably protected.
Highlands Member of Parliament Kate Forbes, who is now Deputy First Minister, is among the prominent politicians who have supported the scheme.
“For me, it is a real benchmark of how it can be planned very well,” said Mr Abel Smith.
“You have a community group with a vision built from scratch. As someone sitting on the sidelines that’s a pretty amazing story.
“[NewLanark}wasaboutstartingacommunitybeforewerealizedthat’swhatwe’redoingbutit’sasimilarideaofworkinginpartnershipwiththecommunityandbringinglocalemploymenttoenablepeopletothrivethere.
“C4C has been very direct with me to say, it’s one thing to create jobs but it’s about creating jobs that can be filled locally.
“We have the jobs charter to ensure that the case is there and also to ensure that there is adequate housing.
“We are looking at possibly 30 houses and half of them would be affordable, it is not going to go all the way to house all the workers but it is a good starting point,” he added.
Asked how “affordable” the homes would be, he said: “I’m not going to try to detail how that would work but we are working with various trusts in Scotland to ensure they are accessible to workers .”
Half of the 30 new homes will be sold with covenants to ensure “they are not turned into holiday lettings”.
He said his plans give an opportunity to the diversity of his land at Coul Farm.
“At the moment we are a loss making farm and most of what we do is put sheep out for grazing,” he said.
“With an alternative income stream from the golf course, it opens up the opportunity to do more with the farmland.”
He has also promised to build an eco-hotel if the development is given the go-ahead.
The Scottish Government’s Division of Planning and Environment Appeals (DPEA) will gather evidence for and against the Coul Links golf course plan during a series of hearings due to start on November 11.
Three days of evidence is expected on the ecological effects of the development. According to the Not Coul group, coastal erosion is already occurring and affecting the layout of the golf course.
C4C says there is an “urgency” to approve the project now given the housing “crisis” declared by the Scottish Government and new Census figures showing that depopulation in the Highlands is accelerating.
Data shows that almost half of Scottish Highland council wards have experienced a reduction in their populations over the past ten years, while secondary schools are expected to lose almost a quarter of pupils in the next 15 years.
North West and Mid Sutherland saw a decrease of 5.6% between 2011 and 2022.
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The landowner said the golf development could be a “shot in the arm” to help reverse the trend.
“We are not just talking about an investment of £50 million, we are talking about all the jobs it brings and the further investment it attracts,” he said.
“If you look at some of the plans I’ve been discussing with Communities about Coul – – the hotel, the houses, now the crofts. It certainly wouldn’t solve all the problems but it would go some way to do that.
“I often say if you went 150 years ago when there were discussions about building Royal Dornoch as the golf course we know today, how different the area would be if it had not gone ahead.
“The idea of having another golf course from a similar site to Royal Dornoch – I don’t think that should be ruled out given the impact the golf course down the road has had.
“The potential that would come with a golf course at Coul Links, I think we’re just scratching the surface at the moment with the hotel and the crofts and the houses.
“My message to the Scottish Government would be don’t underestimate the potential this brings.”
