Very important neighborhood hub future-proofed because of wind farm fund

AN INTEGRAL village corridor in South Lanarkshire has been saved from falling into disrepair after receiving £100,000 value of grants from an area renewables agency.  

Sandford Village Corridor close to Strathaven – which as soon as hosted widespread Scottish entertainer Sir Harry Lauder – has undergone a sequence of main reworks to enhance its accessibility and in flip, safe its future. 

The corridor was reopened on Friday 26 Could 2023 by South Lanarkshire Provost Margaret Cooper, who  was delighted to see so many native residents attend the reopening ceremony. 

Banks Renewables has been praised by the Sandford Village Corridor Affiliation for contributing main funding for the venture from each the Kype Muir Wind Farm Group Partnership Fund (KMCP) and likewise from the Renewable Vitality Fund (REF) which is run by South Lanarkshire Council. 

The grants supplied by the agency have now revived the as soon as bustling neighborhood hub that had been badly broken from a build-up of moist and dry rot.  

In addition to main roof repairs, the corridor is now absolutely accessible because of the improve of the tailored rest room, widening of some door frames, and the laying down of hardstanding within the automotive park and provision for disabled parking. The corridor now additionally has a brand-new kitchen.  

Charlie Leleux, Chairperson of the Sandford Village Corridor Affiliation mentioned: “Had the moist and dry rot not been found, the corridor may have reached the purpose of no return in a few years’ time. Main work was required to remodel the constructing into one which was not solely practical, but additionally secure.  

“We wanted vital funding to save lots of what as soon as was a thriving hub of music within the native space and we merely didn’t have the means to realize such large, however important repairs.” 

Since its institution in 1928,the corridor has hosted many native teams, health golf equipment and even widespread performers, making it a talking-point of the village. 

It has performed a central position throughout the neighborhood over time, having been used to boost funds for many who wanted it throughout WW2.  

In 1942, Sir Harry Lauder – hailed as Scotland’s biggest ever ambassador by Winston Churchill and the primary Brit to promote 1,000,000 data – carried out there to Sandford residents.  

Charlie hopes that the hub’s transformation will make it much more enticing in the local people and can as soon as once more entice prime Scottish entertainers to take to the stage.  

He mentioned: “It’s because of Banks Renewables that the constructing has now been future proofed for the following 20 years. 

“The Banks KMCP and South Lanarkshire Council REF officers couldn’t have completed any extra to assist us on this course of – they finally made my life loads simpler. All through your complete time, they have been first-class.”

Banks Renewables, a subsidiary of the Banks Group, at the moment has neighborhood funding for ten wind farms, all through the north of England and Scotland. 

Sustainability and exterior affairs supervisor at Banks Renewables, Robin Winstanley mentioned: “The Sandford Corridor venture is the right embodiment of what we’re working to realize.  

“We’re dedicated to investing in native communities to assist them develop. It’s clear, simply by wanting on the wide selection of makes use of the corridor supplies, how essential it’s to South Lanarkshire and the way impactful the works which have taken place will probably be in the long term.” 

The REF fund, which is distributed by South Lanarkshire Council, and the KMCP fund which is run by the Banks Group Fund type integral elements of Banks Renewables’ Connect2Renewables program, the place the family-owned firm strives to optimise the financial, social, and environmental advantages of its wind farms within the area.   

Provost Cooper mentioned: “The incapacity entry enhancements now make the corridor extra inclusive for everybody in the neighborhood to make use of and, because of the collaborative working between the venture managers and the contractor, it was nice that the refurbishment was efficiently delivered inside funds. 

“This integral neighborhood hub is a superb venture that’s important to the neighborhood. Because of this work, it should enhance the on a regular basis lives of native individuals each now and properly into the long run.” 

Chris Cassels, chair of the KMCP, mentioned: “It’s vastly rewarding to assist this venture together with Sandford & Higher Avondale Group Council which is such an essential a part of village life.

“It’s nice to see and one in all many tasks in South Lanarkshire which can give the local people the possibility to thrive for a lot of extra years to return now that their native hub has been utterly remodeled and revitalised.” 

For added details about the Sandford Village Corridor, go to: Group Organisations – Sandford and Higher Avondale Group Council (suacc.com) 

To search out out extra in regards to the Kype Muir Wind Farm Group Fund go to:  https://www.banksgroup.co.uk/corporate-responsibility/banks-community-fund/wind-farms/kype-muir-wind-farm-community-fund/ 

For extra data relating to methods to apply for a REF grant, go to: https://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/information/200168/getting_involved_in_your_community/744/renewable_energy_fund_grants 

For extra data on Banks Renewables, go to: https://www.banksgroup.co.uk/renewables/