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Former Dornoch Police Station comes under community ownership


By Staff Reporter

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At the handover, from left: Gordon Sutherland, secretary DACIC; Catherine Moodie, community development manager DACIC; Chief Inspector Jamie Wilson, area commander Police Scotland; Liz Howard, Scottish Land Fund and HIE; Joan Bishop, chairman DACIC; Iain Levens, project architect. Picture: Andy Kirby.
At the handover, from left: Gordon Sutherland, secretary DACIC; Catherine Moodie, community development manager DACIC; Chief Inspector Jamie Wilson, area commander Police Scotland; Liz Howard, Scottish Land Fund and HIE; Joan Bishop, chairman DACIC; Iain Levens, project architect. Picture: Andy Kirby.

Police Scotland have officially handed over the keys to the former Dornoch Police Station to the community.

The Dornoch Area Community Interest Company (DACIC) is the new owner following a successful asset transfer request from Police Scotland, which included a five per cent discount from market valuation in acknowledgement of the significant community benefit that will ensue.

Following community consultation, the renovated building will house a business hub with offices; a creative hub with studios and workshops and a health and well-being hub with a much-requested gym. There will be a community room available for a range of activities including a youth club, a coding club, healthy eating sessions and dementia inclusive craft workshops.

There is also a conference room on the first floor and a ground floor meeting room that can be hired by the hour by local businesses and organisations. There will be an IT hot desk facility, with potential for one-to-one IT training.

The former Police Station also includes a four-bedroom hostel, which originally was going to be transformed into a childcare centre. However, last year the childcare provider indicated they were no longer able to proceed. DACIC has since developed alternative plans for the old hostel accommodation, in consultation with the local hotels and Royal Dornoch Golf Club, all of whom have a need for affordable staff accommodation during the tourist season. Four rooms will be available for seasonal staff and in the winter DACIC will work with The Young Karers East Sutherland (TYKES) in Golspie to offer respite accommodation for young carers and their families.

The acquisition was funded by the Scottish Land Fund.

Joan Bishop, chairman of DACIC said: "We are absolutely delighted to see this project coming to fruition and are extremely grateful to the financial support from the Scottish Land Fund and the co-operation of Police Scotland. All parties have worked well together to enable this 1980s' building in the centre of Dornoch to become a community owned asset and be transformed into the Dornoch Hub. This exciting project will deliver benefits to the whole community – especially the gym which has been on the wish list for over a decade."

Planning permission and building warrant have been obtained and DACIC expect to issue a request to tender on the Public Contract Scotland shortly. They have secured grants of £50,000 from the Town Centre Fund and £50,000 from Beatrice Windfarm Ltd and await the outcome of other bids to complete the transformation. They have noted interest from 13 businesses to rent office, creative and hostel space. The gym will be leased to operator Silverback Gym of Tain who are making a significant investment in equipment.

Chief Superintendent George Macdonald, Divisional Commander for the Highlands, said: "The community asset transfer represents a really positive new chapter for a police building which has been much under-utilised for many years and we will continue to provide the required policing cover for the Dornoch community from nearby Golspie and Tain."

John Watt, Scottish Land Fund committee chairman said: “I am delighted that the Scottish Land Fund has been able to help DACIC to bring this locally important building into community ownership. They have some very exciting plans for the future and are a great example of how a community can transform ambition into reality.”

DACIC appointed Catherine Moodie as community development manager in charge of fundraising in January last year and Kerri Stevens as project manager in August. Together this represents a full-time post which has been funded by Beatrice Windfarm Ltd. and the Dornoch Common Good Fund.


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