EKCC Affordable Housing Project

Background

East Kintyre is a remote rural community, presently home to ~650 permanent residents, with the majority of these residing in, or near, Carradale. Our community is supported by:

• A harbour (home to a small fishing fleet & servicing a fish farm)

• A school (currently housing 13 pupils ages 4 -12)

• A community-run store & post office

• Three Café’s/Tea shops and a rudimentary ‘Visitor Centre’

• A GP Practice

• A church

• Three restaurant/hotels/guest houses (open to non-residents)

• A golf course

• Two village halls

• A hairdressers, a gin school/distillery and a dog groomer

• Holiday homes/rentals and two caravan/mobile home sites

• An operational garage

• A fire station and fire crew

• Plus several non-amenity related businesses

We all want Carradale, and the surrounding region, to remain a vibrant community that is a desirable and safe place to live. Over the past half-century the Carradale school register has dwindled from 50+ to its current tally of 13 pupils, fishing operations have shrunk (as elsewhere on the west coast), many family members have moved away from the area to find work etc, and local amenities (including bakery, pub, restaurants and hotels/guest houses) have either closed or their futures are uncertain. Moreover, the growth of those businesses that survive across the region is tempered by difficulties to recruit and retain staff, and tradespeople must (more often than not) be sourced from far away and there are dwindling amenities to attract and service tourists/visitors.

Since the population of East Kintyre is rapidly ageing, with ~50% of the local population over the age of 60, and less than 15% of the population below the age of 25, the Community Council is exploring various measures to ensure Carradale, and surrounding area, thrives into the future as the community it is. As part of this exercise, we would like to assess whether there is a need for more housing for young people/families/tradespeople in Carradale to support activities across the region and/or there is need for specialist or improved/more suitable housing for those of us who already live here and if so, what form of housing YOU think is needed.

The results of the survey that follows will help us to plan for the future. Please complete BOTH Parts 1 and 2 of the survey.

The entire survey should take no more than five minutes to complete.