£100K grant approved for new Dornoch community hub

At yesterday’s meeting of The Highland Council (17 December), members agreed a grant of £100,000 from the Dornoch Common Good Fund go towards creating a new community centre for the Sutherland town.

The grant, to be paid over three years will go to Dornoch and District Community Association providing that the group secure the land and a full funding package is in place.

At a meeting in September the Caithness and Sutherland Area Committee members unanimously gave their support to the application but due to the amount involved it required Highland Council approval.

Dornoch and District Community Association has been the driving force behind the project to replace the well-used current social club which was built in 1845 and has limited capacity and longer meets the needs of a Social Club.

In January 2014 the group were awarded £50,000 from Big Lottery Growing Community Assets to progress the design of a new building to be located at Meadows Park. They received planning consent for the new community centre, which will include a fitness suite, in March this year.

£50,000 from the Common Good Fund will be paid in the first year with a further £25,000 paid in years two and three.

Now the Council has agreed the grant from the Dornoch Common Good Fund, the group will continue to work to put the full funding package in place.