Community funding in East Lammermuir making positive difference
Over £98,800 has been allocated from NnG offshore wind farm Community Benefit Fund to support Warm Homes project and Community Development Officer in East Lammermuir.
The latest round of awards from the Neart na Gaoithe (NnG) Community Fund in East Lammermuir has been announced. An award of £44,700 will support a local Community Development Officer post and £54,100 will supportthe Lothian Heat Warm Homes project.
NnG is a joint venture between EDF power solutions UK and ESB. They have worked closely with residents of East Lammermuir, the local community council and independent charity Foundation Scotland to create a community-led approach to shaping how the NnG Fund will operate and what it will support to deliver meaningful and transformative projects.
Central to this approach is a framework of four local community ambitions to help guide funding decisions that ensure every pound awarded makes a tangible difference. These ambitions are improving household energy efficiency, developing an Active Travel Path Network, improving public or community transport links between East Lammermuir villages and Cockburnspath and Dunbar, and improving the area’s biodiversity.
The latest awards demonstrate how these ambitions are being translated into practical, deliverable outcomes for East Lammermuir residents.
A total of £44,700 was awarded to East Lothian Climate Hub to host a Community Development Officer who will work closely with local groups, East Lammermuir Community Council and partner organisations to support the delivery of projects which fit with the four local ambitions. They will identify opportunities, co-ordinate activity and ensure the ambitions are progressed in a joined-up and effective way. This role represents an investment in the capacity and capability of the community itself, enabling East Lammermuir to shape its own future.
The second grant of £54,000 has been awarded to the Lothian Heat Warm Homes Project, directly addressing the first of the Fund’s four ambitions: improving household energy efficiency. There are over 300 homes in East Lammermuir that fall within a designated priority area. The Warm Homes project will initially focus on these properties, supporting owners in identifying the most suitable heating and energy efficiency solutions for each home, with the aim of improving their EPC rating to band C or above. The project will explore four heating options tailored to the varied housing stock of the area.
This project reflects the Fund’s commitment to ensuring that communities most affected by construction works and associated infrastructure see a direct and lasting improvement in their quality of life, from warmer, more energy-efficient homes to reduced fuel costs.
The wider East Lothian and Berwickshire areas will also benefit from many of these activities, including biodiversity improvements, active travel infrastructure and transport developments, as the positive impact of these projects will extend well beyond the East Lammermuir Community Council boundaries.
"The community of East Lammermuir is determined to make the most of the community benefits coming to our area. Between us all we have spent hundreds of hours of our own time - across several years - shaping our ideas, and it is fantastic to see the agreement to fund paid staff who can make these ideas a reality. We look forward to seeing appointments made and sharing our ambitions and local knowledge with the officers as they do their work here."
“It is excellent to see these awards from the East Lammermuir proportion community benefit funding being made. We have worked closely for many years with the communities to maximise the benefits for residents from NnG and associated infrastructure being built in the area. We look forward to seeing the impact the development officer and the Warm Homes project will make across the area in the months and years to come.”
“It’s exciting that the NnG Community benefit arrangement for East Lammermuir is so focused on their Local Place Plan. The community development officer role will shortly go to recruitment and that will play a crucial role in progressing the local plan.”
Future funding rounds will continue to be guided by the four locally identified ambitions, with particular focus on progressing the Active Travel Network, transport links, and biodiversity work across the area. Community groups and organisations with projects that support these priorities are encouraged to get in touch with Foundation Scotland to learn more about the Fund and upcoming application opportunities.
For more information visit the Fund Information Page.