Lottery landfall

The article praises the work of the original Scottish Land Fund, which was a Lottery-funded programme run by the Big Lottery Fund (Big) and its predecessor organisation, the New Opportunities Fund, in association with Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

It is inaccurate to state, as the article does, that the Big Lottery Fund has only made one grant to support land buy-outs since the end of the Scottish Land Fund in 2006.

In fact, since then Growing Community Assets, Big’s programme of funding dedicated to enabling communities to buy their own assets, including land, has seen more than £33 million invested in 91 projects across rural Scotland.

This investment includes more than £5m in assistance to community land acquisition (most notably £2.25m to help buy the South Uist estate), substantial investment in places like Assynt, Galson, Knoydart, North Harris and Gigha to help secure the benefits of community ownership, and more than £6m invested in community-owned renewable energy projects.

It continues to assist the development of community shops, business centres and harbours.

Over the past 12 years we have seen communities across Scotland bring about huge improvements for local people through ownership of land and other assets, and the Big Lottery Fund is committed to supporting them to do this.

Jackie Killeen

Big Lottery Fund

Atlantic Quay

Robertson Street

Glasgow