Cabrach Old School Hall and House Consultation

The Cabrach Old School Hall and House has fallen into disrepair. Over the last 6 months The Cabrach Trust has been working with Community Enterprise to engage the local community as we collectively consider future development options for the building.

The overall aim of the project is to “provide a supportive and inspirational hub for the Cabrach community, near and far, alongside visitors to the area, that promotes place, wellbeing and learning opportunities for all.” The vision is to sustain and nurture a thriving community with rich social connections where everyone has access to relevant opportunities and can come together positively.

Your views are important in considering the overall masterplan for the Old School Hall and House as a refreshed asset for the community. From all consultation activity so far, we know the Cabrach community also value the adjacent Acorn Centre and have shared interesting ideas about the future of this space. Your feedback and views would be valued and appreciated.

Community Enterprise are working with The Cabrach Trust on this survey. If you would like to speak to someone about the survey and/or the consultation as a whole, you can message or call Lynda from Community Enterprise on 07898 983931.

Community Research

The Cabrach community was invited to participate in the consultation as options for the Old School Hall and House were explored. In addition, feedback and information from focus groups, telephone interviews, and social media activity further informed the consultation process.

An online survey was completed by a total of 37 respondents, representing 97 people (64 over 18 years and 23 under 18 years of age) who either live or work in the Cabrach or visit the area regularly.

A community autumn tea allowed the local community to take part in conversations about the nature of the community, alongside the key issues and aspirations for the future.

Key findings and project ideas

Many survey respondents were positive and enthusiastic about the opportunities the building presents the community, so long as services and activities developed within the building complement and enhance existing facilities.
There is a great deal of enthusiasm for community projects in the Cabrach
The Cabrach is situated in a unique location, it is a very scenic place that attracts many tourists, as well as being a beautiful place to live and visit.
Whisky heritage and the dark skies are a significant draw to the area
Accommodation: many survey respondents and stakeholders noted that while the Cabrach does get a lot of tourists, not many stay overnight due to the lack of visitor accommodation in the area.
Multi-purpose community hub; survey respondents and stakeholders were supportive of the creation of a flexible multi use community space.
Community groups, organisations and businesses expressed an interest in using the space including co-working space
Individuals would support functions and parties, traditional skills training and learning initiatives as well as generic courses and events.
There is some demand for affordable housing for local people.
Tourism has healthy trends of growth in the region including hostel occupancy and overnight stays
The need for a community welfare hub during regional power outages and extraordinary weather events was noted.