Tornagrain housing scheme wins top rural industry prize
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THE Highlands’ newest town has received plaudits at a recent awards ceremony.
Tornagrain, the major planned housing development being constructed between Inverness and Nairn, won the rural housing award at the inaugural Making It Happen awards, organised by Scottish Land & Estates.
The first residents moved into their homes at Tornagrain in March and construction of the first phase of 200 homes is well under way.
A total of 68 of properties on the Moray Estates site are already occupied or reserved.
Development manager Nicole Petrie said: "We are delighted that Tornagrain has won its first ever award. It’s a reflection of all the years of hard work and planning that have gone into designing a community that people enjoy living in and is a great reward for the whole team who have made that happen."
Tornagrain is set to expand in phases over the next 50 or 60 years and will ultimately be home to more than 10,000 people.
When completed it is expected it will include up to 80 hectares of parks and open spaces along with three primary schools and one secondary school.
Shops, offices, libraries, churches, healthcare and leisure facilities all form part of the blueprint.
Part of the Helping it Happen initiative highlighting how landowners can deliver benefits in rural Scotland, the awards covered seven categories including tourism, education and conservation.
Praising all of the event’s well-deserved award winners David Johnstone, chairman of the Scottish Land & Estates organisation, said: "People who have the interests of rural Scotland at heart know that the best way to achieve vibrant and successful communities is to work towards common goals.
"Landowners and estates are often stereotyped as detached and remote from communities and it is important that we continue to change that perception and show what has and can be achieved.
"Helping it Happen demonstrates much of the unsung work that estates, farms and other land based businesses undertake, and there could have been many more winners than those announced at the ceremony. My congratulations to all those who play their part in Helping it Happen in their region."
