Leanchoil Trust awarded £440,500 to purchase former hospital site in Forres from NHS Grampian

A MAJOR community project in Forres has been awarded nearly half a million pounds in funding.

The Leanchoil Trust has been granted £440,500 from the Scottish Land Fund to buy the former Leanchoil Hospital site on St Leonard's Road - including the main hospital, ancillary buildings, grounds and woodland - from NHS Grampian.

Trust chairman Graham Hilditch confirmed the site will be renovated and turned into a centre for health and wellbeing, as well as providing supported living accommodation and a veterans’ activity centre.

He said: "We are delighted to receive this award, which is key to returning Leanchoil, a much-loved local landmark, back into community ownership and service.

"It is also recognition of the hard work that trustees have put in to getting the project to this point."

He added: "This is a huge boost to the trust, demonstrating confidence in the viability of the project. It is also acknowledgement of the hard work the trustees and partners have invested over the last four years to get the project to this point and brings the vision of the Leanchoil Centre for Health and Wellbeing closer.

"We will continue to work closely with our partners and we are grateful to our funders for their continued support for the development of the project.

"The award enables us to purchase the Leanchoil site and bring it into local community ownership. Our next challenge is to work with the community to create a resource which will benefit us all."

Scottish Minister for Environment and Land Reform, Mairi McAllan, is delighted the land fund is empowering local groups such as the Leanchoil Trust to improve local areas.

She said: “Communities know best what’s right for them including when it comes to the ownership and use of local land and buildings.

"It's great to see more groups being supported to bring their vision for thriving community assets to life.

"I congratulate the Leanchoil Trust and wish them every success for the future."

Head of Community Assets at Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Sandra Holmes, added: "Ownership gives community groups greater control over important assets that will reap rewards for people now and for generations to come. We wish all the Leanchoil Trust the very best in their new venture."

Moray MP Douglas Ross also welcomed the major funding award which includes £375,000 of capital funding and a further £65,500 of revenue funding.

As well as the purchase of the site, the capital funding will be used to cover surveys, insurance, legal fees and mapping. The revenue funding will ensure a contract for a specialist heritage buildings project officer to support the Trust.

The Trust hope to complete the transfer of ownership with NHS Grampian by the middle of next year.

Mr Ross said: “This funding is testament to the hard work over recent years by all those involved in the trust.

"The award shows there is significant confidence in the plans to develop this site. It was extremely disappointing when Leanchoil Hospital closed given how it gave patients easy access to healthcare on their doorstep.

"However, we are now in a place where this site can be developed and the ownership transferred into the hands of the community."