SCOTTISH CIVIC TRUST ‘MY PLACES’ AWARD9th June 2010
In 2010 the Scottish Civic Trust introduced an award to ‘celebrate a project that has had a positive impact and offers additional benefits to the local community’. Rather than an award nominated by professionals they chose to make it a people’s award and received the full support of the Scottish Government.
The Arran branch of the Scottish Civic Trust led by John Inglis approached Isle of Arran Homes/Trust Housing Association to nominate their development of eight houses at Mid Penrioch Place, Pirnmill completed in 2006. The Association were required to make a submission detailing the development and its benefits to the community including written statements from people who had directly benefited from the initiative.
Mid Penrioch Place was one of 16 nominations for the award made from across Scotland and was judged by four industry experts who visited the development in early April and spoke with the residents who had been involved in the submission.
One of the residents, Alastair Ferguson, who assisted Isle of Arran Homes/Trust Housing Association with their submission said,”Having always been associated with the north end of Arran, I was delighted to be allocated one of the new houses. I now have secure accommodation that is affordable, economical to run, warm and with one of the most fantastic views on the island. The mix of old and young as well as families have helped develop a fantastic community spirit not only within the estate but also the wider community of Pirnmill”.
With the provision of eight affordable houses for rent in Pirnmill, Isle of Arran Homes/Trust Housing Association aim was to help sustain and develop the village and the community with in it. The houses enabled four families to remain in the village and another three to return to a place where they had a strong connection and this has helped to contribute to the overall success of the development.
The Scottish Civic Trust ‘My Places’ award was presented at a ceremony at the Lighthouse in Glasgow on 19 April 2010. Whilst Mid Penrioch Place was not judged to be the best place in Scotland, Isle of Arran Homes/Trust Housing Association are proud that they were part of this inaugural prestigious award and hope that they will be connected with it again in the future.