'It is not about us dictating': Wildland gives reassurances over 'control' of green space in Tongue
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Danish entrepreneur Anders Holch Povlsen’s firm Wildland Ltd will not attempt to “control” the community use of a green space in Tongue it has acquired in a deal with Highland Council, it has been stated.
Wildland Ltd’s director of built environment Joe Dunn has moved to quell local concern over how the parcel of formerly public land officially known as TGO4 will be managed.
He said it was intended to retain the area as a green space and set up a community group to look into the redesign and future management of the site.
The land is located in front of the small, luxury hotel Lundies House, run by Wildland - the conservation and tourism firm solely owned by Mr Holch Povlsen, who also owns a number of estates in north and north-west Sutherland.
It is understood the site was originally earmarked for the planned new £10 million North Coast Health and Social Care Hub.
But concerned that the development would be in front of Lundies, Wildland stepped in to suggest a new site for the hub and to offer to part-fund it. The quid pro quo was that the firm acquire TG04.
However the transaction sparked anger locally with members of Tongue Community Council saying it was a “fait accompli” and had been done without any community consultation.
But the group was warned that if it continued to oppose the land sale, then it would be putting the plan for the new hub in jeopardy.
Mr Dunn attended an online meeting of the community council on May 16 at which the issue of TG04 was discussed again.
Community council member Dorothy Pritchard said: “The worry is that the community has no green space in Tongue. They have nothing of their own that they can use for a fun day or a pipe band performance, for example.
“We do not want to end up with a situation where we have to go cap in hand and ask Wildland for permission to use the land. Who has the say over how it is used? You cannot constantly be running asking for permission and that is the problem.”
But Mr Dunn responded “If we are going to live and work together in this community, it cannot be by you coming to us or us telling you. The goal is not about us dictating - it is about us working with the community.”
He said Wildland hoped to appoint a landscape designer to “inform” what the green space should look like. It was also intended to form a community group to be a “sounding board” for the project and to later help manage and maintain it.
The redesign also involves nearby facilities - the doctor’s surgery, which will eventually be included in the new hub, is to be removed and it is hoped to improve parking at the Kyle Centre, a community wellbeing hub run by North Coast Connection.
Mr Dunn went on to reveal that Wildland was rethinking another local project - the redevelopment of the 1.2 hectare Burr’s Store site north of Tongue.
Planning consent has been granted to build a visitor hub comprising a restaurant, bakehouse, stonecutters and shop as well as an events space, accommodation for both staff and visitors, new fuel pumps and a microbrewery.
But Mr Dunn said: “ I think the plans are quite grand and we need something more immediate in the short-term, something more suited to the rural community needs, something that reuses the buildings quickly.
“We think a nice shop that sells lots of different things and brings a new business opportunity for someone to come and set up in Tongue. We also think a restaurant type project is a good idea.
“We will see if we can adapt the existing planning applications so we do not have to go through the whole process again.”
And Mr Dunn added: “We think TG04 and Burr's is a real opportunity to build a bit more community spirit between Wildland and Tongue. We are all in this together.”
