Nineteen community projects across the Highlands are set to benefit from funding of £2.2 million from SSE.

The Highland Sustainable Development Fund is provided for by SSE Renewables' onshore windfarms in the region and supports community and charitable projects across the Highlands.

A key focus in this year's awards is affordable housing and awards totalling £380,000 will enable 41 affordable and community owned homes to be built in Applecross, Assynt, Glendale, and Scourie.

Applecross Community Company received funding of £40,000 towards the construction of up to 16 affordable houses and four business units on a 2.3ha community-owned site. These will be powered by the group's existing AppleJuice community-owned hydro-scheme.

Chris WardChair of the Applecross Community Company, said: "We are delighted that SSE Renewables' Sustainable Development Fund continue to support us in tackling the affordable housing crisis in Applecross.

"The Fund's contribution to the planning and design costs of our new Sustainable Living in Applecross project kick-starts the development of community-owned affordable homes and business units which will help families stay within the area, provide opportunities for local enterprise, and contribute to our net zero ambitions.

"This builds on the Fund's support towards the construction of three all-access houses – An Toll Bàn – which were completed in 2022 and are tenanted by local residents in housing need. These were the first affordable homes to be built in Applecross for 18-years."

Communities Housing Trust were awarded funding of £150,000 towards the creation of six new homes in Glendale, Skye. The charity and The Glendale Trust are working together on the renovation of Borrodale School building, which has been empty for 15 years. The project will enable up to 24 people to stay in or move to the area.

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Nicola DoctorProject Officer at Communities Housing Trust, said: "Skye has an urgent need for affordable housing. This community-led project will focus on transforming an eyesore into an asset, providing a mix of affordable tenures for the local community and supporting economic growth of the region.

"The grant funding from SSE is invaluable to kick starting the conversion of Borrodale School. This is a huge milestone for this project and without SSE's funding we would not be able to move forward. Providing affordable housing along with local jobs and skills to a small community will repopulate and regenerate Glendale allowing it to grow and thrive."

The Highland Energy Efficiency Programme, delivered by The Highland Council, was awarded £800k which will help the programme to deliver energy efficiency in households across the region experiencing fuel poverty.

Initially funded with £1M from SSE Renewables in 2022, it has delivered improvements in 220 homes to date. The new funding will enable it to deliver to 160 more homes, including those in remote and rural locations where the costs of installations are often higher.

Councillor Raymond BremnerLeader of The Highland Council, added: "This significant funding will support the most vulnerable households in the region, helping them to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

"The dedication of our Climate and Energy Team have been pivotal in attracting this crucial funding which underlines the importance of partnership working in addressing the challenging issues we face in the Highland region. I am delighted to see SSE Renewables' continued support of such a vital project."

Lord McConnellChair of the Sustainable Development Fund Panel, also said: "Alongside an ageing population, depopulation is a major issue for many Highlands communities.

"A key factor driving people away is the lack of affordable housing for families and young skilled people in rural and remote areas. So our Panel has invested significantly in the development of new affordable homes, owned by local communities, to help turn this situation around.

"We have also invested in the provision of energy efficiency measures for households in extreme fuel poverty, reducing energy costs for current and future residents. Altogether we hope the awards made will support sustainable and thriving Highland communities into the future."

Funding of £300,000 will sustain and expand education in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), the energy transition, climate change, and enterprise for young people across the region.

This programme will be delivered by a collaboration of Young Enterprise Scotland, Highlands Science Skills Academy, and Primary Engineer. Importantly it will support the ongoing provision of state-of-the-art learning facilities – The Newton Rooms - in locations from Fort William to Thurso, as well as online learning for teachers and pupils and related enterprise competitions.

Awards totalling £170,000 were made to set up new community transport services or to enable existing services to switch to electric vehicles.

Morven SmithHead of Community Investment at SSE, said: "SSE is proud to support these valuable projects and services that are being developed and delivered by communities across the region to meet their pressing needs. Without the clean green power generated by our onshore wind assets, this would not be possible."