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Green light for Rural Priorites projects
11/09/2008
New entrants to farming, renewable energy, forestry and farm business projects are among the first to receive funding from Scotland's innovative rural investment programme.
Eighty one proposals have been awarded funding totalling £5.9 million under the Rural Priorities scheme and successful applicants will be notified shortly.
Rural Priorities is part of the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP), the aims of which include the sustainable economic development of Scotland's rural communities.
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment Richard Lochhead said:
"I am absolutely delighted to see Rural Priorities starting to bear fruit. These projects empower rural communities and put them in charge of their own destiny.
"The proposals are of the highest quality and show there is real appetite among communities to become part of Scotland's rural revolution.
"Those that have been successful represent a hugely diverse range of activities, including the expansion and modernisation of a dairy business in Tayside.
"On the forestry side, the green light has been given to a project that will contribute to the restoration of a 40 acre site of ancient woodland in the Highlands, which includes the protection of an archaeological site.
"I am also particularly pleased to see a number of excellent renewable energy projects approved, including the installation of a biomass boiler on an organic farm on Mull and a wood chip production and supply business in Grampian."
"Rural Priorities is one of the most forward thinking, innovative rural investment programmes in the world which will help deliver sustainable economic growth for the whole of Scotland.
"However, we will not achieve this goal without our rural stakeholders being on board. I am therefore pleased that the interested parties are keen to work closely with the Scottish Government on making further improvements to delivery of Rural Priorities."
There are now almost 3000 registrations of interest in the system and regular assessment rounds being held right up to 2013.
There will be numerous opportunities for farmers, foresters and other rural businesses as well as community groups to take advantage of what's on offer and deliver for rural Scotland.
Following the first Rural Priorities Assessment Committee (RPAC) meeting held on Tuesday August 26, 81 Proposals have been awarded funding totalling £5.9 million. Successful applicants will be informed by post shortly and those unsuccessful on this occasion will exceptionally be given the opportunity to be presented to the next assessment round in October.
Rural Priorities is one of eight mechanisms to deliver the objectives of the SRDP. This is a competitive scheme which provides a wide range of opportunities for rural businesses and communities to contribute local solutions to national outcomes.