Our current Action Plan was published in 2003.  We are now investigating how to update this and funding needs.  We hope to complete this during 2010.

THORNHILL COMMUNITY FUTURES

Community Action Plan 2003

THORNHILL AND BLAIRDRUMMOND COMMUNITY FUTURES

The communities of Thornhill and Blairdrummond prepared their Community Action Plan with the assistance of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Community Futures Programme. The Plan was prepared following extensive consultation within the community over the second half of 2002 and has been developed since then by the local steering group.

Consultation included:

• a series of 20 interviews with different groups and individuals representing all aspects of the community;

• a community views survey that went to all households;

• a community profile detailing facts and figures about the community;

• a community workshop.

A local Community Futures Steering Group was established by the Community Council to guide the preparation of the Plan. Members were -

Kathleen Cartney, Sue Duke, Sir John MacMillan, James Maxwell, Peter Rickard, Richard Waite, Laurence Waller and Drew Yule.

Nigel Brooks from the National Park Community Futures Programme worked as a community agent with the steering group to assist with the consultation process.

OVER 40% OF HOUSEHOLDS RESPONDED TO THE SURVEY AND MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE TWO COMMUNITY FUTURES WORKSHOPS.

THE COMMUNITY SURVEY VIEWS ON THORNHILL AND BLAIRDRUMMOND

WHAT WE LIKE

People like their quiet friendly rural community located amongst attractive countryside. People like the small size of settlements, the facilities and the good access to the rest of central Scotland.

• The people / the friendliness of the community 51%

• Countryside, rural nature of the area, scenery 46%

• Small size of village, quiet, safe 37%

• Facilities - shop, pub, school, hall, PO 28%

• Central location convenient for Glasgow, Stirling, 19%

“Beautiful rural location but only 10 miles from Stirling”

“A caring, sharing community”

WHAT WE DO NOT LIKE

Traffic in Thornhill, speeding on main and minor roads. The lack of good public transport, lack of safe cycle routes and footpaths. The condition of the Commons in Thornhill and lack of a community focal point in Blairdrummond.

• Traffic speed and volume, parking, and large vehicles 53%

• Lack of public transport 13%

• Condition of the roads and pavements 9%

• Not enough walks or safe cycle ways 8%

• Lack of affordable housing and concerns about allocation 5%

• Nothing for young people to do 5%

• The poor condition of the Commons in Thornhill 5%

• Lack of a village centre or focal point in Blairdrummond 3%

“Traffic parked both sides of Main Street”

“Traffic volume and speed ever increasing”

“Can’t walk a long distance into the country easily”

“North Common unkempt and getting worse”

COMMUNITY PROFILE

Thornhill and Blairdrummond are drawn together as one community council but in other ways are quite separate. Blairdrummond is a dispersed community on the carse land. Thornhill is a village – planned and founded at the end of the seventeenth century as an extension to Norrieston – lying on the high drier ground above the carse along a traditional east west route from Dunblane to Aberfoyle.

The natural features that define the community council area include the meander of the Forth to the south, the broader, faster Teith to the north and east and Flanders Moss to the west. The northern land boundary is the parish boundary separating Thornhill/Blairdrummond from Kilmadock.

PEOPLE AND HOUSING

The population of the community is fairly static. Figures for 2001 point to a population of Thornhill, its surrounding dispersed settlements such as Ruskie and its outlying houses as 684. Local information in Blairdrummond estimates a population of around 400. The rough aggregate for these figures is therefore between 1050 and 1100.

Local knowledge recognises 405 houses in the community council area as a whole. Of these, the majority are owner occupied with a decreasing number available for either private or social renting.

There are no Housing Association homes in the immediate local area and the number of local authority homes is diminishing due to the Right to Buy legislation. Partly as a consequence of this absence of houses for rent, the waiting list numbers are low but anecdotal evidence indicates an unmet need.

The sewerage works in Thornhill is currently operating near capacity and therefore the potential for new housing development is severely restricted at present.

THE LOCAL ECONOMY

This is good agricultural land. Dairy and beef cattle are raised as well as sheep on the higher pasture. The carse land crops include cereals for feed and Timothy hay, a high value product sold to feed race horses – mainly down south.

The area also has two soft fruit farms and a deer farm.

Tourism plays a major part in the area through the Safari Park at Blairdrummond Estate which attracts nearly a quarter of a million visitors a year. Smaller scale hospitality operations such as the two pubs in Thornhill, B&B’s across the area and camping and caravan sites, bring visitors and boost the local economy to a certain extent.

Thornhill and Blairdrummond are on the Trossachs Trail and lie on the doorstep to the National Park. More visitors are a likely outcome over the next few years. The two “A” roads through the community will therefore act as a double factor – bringing in more people but mainly more cars.

Apart from the Safari Park, there are no major employers in the area but there is a strong small business sector with a number of tradesmen operating from local bases.

SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY

The nearest nursery class is in Doune but there are two primary schools – Kincardine-in-Menteith with a roll of 31 and Thornhill with 86 pupils. In the main, secondary school children attend McLaren High in Callander about 8 miles away.

The Doune medical practice operates a surgery in Thornhill which also houses other health related facilities. The nearest hospital is in Stirling – no further than 10 miles away.

The village shop in Thornhill was re-opened in 2002, having been closed for about a year. Its potential loss had been a source of great concern to local people. The village has a post office. Mobile fish and butcher vans visit weekly as does the library van. The local community organise a weekly market in the Community Hall. There are no shops in

Blairdrummond. Stirling provides a major shopping resource for residents of both communities.

Thornhill is proud of its new Community Hall which was opened in 1996. Norrieston Church Hall and the school are also available for local meetings. Blairdrummond Village Hall is in need of repair and modernisation.

Both Thornhill and Blairdrummond have a wide range of community groups and activities.

ENVIRONMENT

Rivers, the carse land and the northern higher ground have shaped the land use. The area includes the SSSI of Flanders Moss – a National Nature Reserve and the largest raised peat bog in Europe. The Commons in Thornhill are a local prize – a relic of the common grazings for the planned village. They are in need of careful, considered improvement and conservation so that they better serve the local population.

HERITAGE

The area has a fascinating and rich heritage and there is much quiet history that people are proud of. Elements of this include the draining of the moss, the founding of the village of Thornhill, the natural history of the area and the story of farming locally. There are the remains of a broch showing that the area has been populated over a long period.

OUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE

THE TYPE OF PLACE WE WANT IT TO BE...

A good community in which to live, work, learn and play.

Living…

...a safe, clean and pleasant environment with regulated traffic, with a range of homes, not just high priced housing for commuters, connected with modern services from the utility companies.

Working…

...a rural, farming community, with a thriving network of sustainable local businesses and facilities serving the needs of local people, welcoming visitors to share our excellent environment.

Learning…

...a place for all ages to achieve personal growth including an enhanced awareness and appreciation of the environment, heritage and people.

Playing…

...a cohesive community with good social and sporting opportunities, with free and easy access to a network of paths and tracks and with superb play facilities for all ages.

MAIN STRATEGIES FOR ACTION

THORNHILL AND BLAIRDRUMMOND COMMUNITY FUTURES IDENTIFIED FIVE MAIN ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED

ACCESS

MAIN PRIORITIES FOR THORNHILL:

• Improving commonly used paths in and around the village

• Identifying and re-establishing lesser known routes, including Rights of Way

• Developing links into the wider path networks, cycle ways and bridle paths, particularly to link Thornhill to Blairdrummond, Callander, Doune and Stirling

THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT

MAIN PRIORITIES FOR THORNHILL:

• Managing the North Common for wildlife and access

• Managing and preserving trees and hedgerows

• Developing community woodland for public benefit

TRAFFIC, ROADS AND SAFETY

MAIN PRIORITIES FOR THORNHILL:

• Safety in the village

• Roads/pavement maintenance

COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE

MAIN PRIORITIES FOR THORNHILL:

• Ensure that existing community facilities are secured for the future

• Create additional community facilities

• Community minibus

• Ensure that there is sufficient affordable housing in the community to maintain a balanced population

ENTERPRISE AND THE LOCAL ECONOMY

MAIN PRIORITIES FOR THORNHILL AND BLAIRDRUMMOND:

• Improving communication networks locally - both low tech and high tech ones!

• Develop sustainable tourism in the area

• Local community-run business development centre

  THORNHILL

THIS SECTION DETAILS SOME OF THE ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS

ACCESS

PRIORITY 1 Improving commonly used paths in and around the village.

PRIORITY 2 Identifying and re-establishing lesser known routes, including Rights of Way.

PRIORITY 3 Developing links into the wider path networks, cycle ways and bridle paths, particularly to link Thornhill to Blairdrummond, Callander, Doune and Stirling.

Main Actions

• Set up an access group

• Seek help from Stirling Council Access Officer

• Map existing routes and Rights of Way

• Carry out a detailed survey of the routes

• Establish contacts with land owners and land managers

• Prepare detailed schedules of work and future maintenance

• Upgrade paths to make them more user friendly, where appropriate for pushchairs, cycles and / or horses

• Produce Access Group Website to disseminate information

THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT

PRIORITY 1 Managing the North Common for wildlife and access

Main Actions

• Work with the North Common Trustees

• Develop a North Common Management Plan

• Liaise with the Access Group on improving paths

• Identify grants and other sources of funding

• Compile a Local Biodiversity Action Plan - LBAP

• View Stirling Biodiversity Action Plan

• Liaise and work with the primary school’s “Eco-schools” Project

• Compile and produce information about the North Common and its eco-structure in the form of leaflets, viewing boards and a parish map.

PRIORITY 2 Managing and preserving trees and hedgerows

Main Actions

• Survey trees, hedgerows, other habitats, landmarks (e.g. old gates) and views of importance in the

• Thornhill area

• Raise awareness of importance of preserving trees and hedgerows

• Devise measures to protect and conserve what is special and distinctive

• Liaise with relevant authorities and landowners with regard to timing and frequency of hedge cutting

PRIORITY 3 Develop community woodland for public benefit

Main Actions

• Seek advice from Forest Enterprise and the Woodland Trust

• Arrange a meeting with the school to get the pupils, staff and Parents Association involved

• Identify grants and other sources of funding

• Identify potential locations for a community woodland

TRAFFIC, ROADS AND SAFETY

PRIORITY 1 Safety in the Village

Main Actions

• Link with School Parents Association and their Safe Routes to School Project

• Define priorities for a safety campaign. Ideas put forward for investigation include: slowing traffic; more off-street parking; parking exclusion zones; pedestrian crossing Main Street; traffic lights; lollipop person; weight restrictions

• Support Community Council in their efforts to improve safety in Main Street

PRIORITY 2 Roads / Pavement Maintenance

Main Actions

• Support the Community Council in their campaign to improve roads and pavements

COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE

PRIORITY 1 Ensure that existing community facilities are secured for the future

Main Actions

• Liaise with the football club and other users to explore improvements to the South Common

PRIORITY 2 Create additional community facilities

Main Actions

• Design and carry out a survey locally to identify recreational needs

• Liaise with youth club regarding an After School Club and teenage drop-in centre

• Liaise with the local action group about re-establishing the skate park

• Explore demand for an all weather multi-sport surface

PRIORITY 3 Community Minibus

Main Actions

• Research possible users

• Establish availability of existing minibuses in the area

• Plan routes

• Investigate possibilty of fundraising campaign

• Liaise with other local communities to see whether there is advantage in working together

• Seek assistance from Stirling Council, the National Park and Scottish Executive to explore community transport ideas

PRIORITY 4 Ensure that there is sufficient affordable housing in the community to maintain a balanced population

Main Actions

• Determine need for affordable housing in the village

• Contact Rural Housing Service Scotland to seek advice

• Liaise with Rural Stirling Housing Association

ENTERPRISE AND THE LOCAL ECONOMY (Thornhill and Blairdrummond)

PRIORITY 1 Improving communication networks locally – both low tech and high tech ones!

Main Actions

• Set up and manage a community website

• Explore with BT how to introduce Broadband

• Set up local survey to find out who locally would be users of Broadband

• Prepare and publish a leaflet on local services, information and a map

• Identify possible locations for additional village

• Notice Boards

• Find out about costs and planning permission for

• Notice Boards

• Seek funding support

• Improve communication and information around Thornhill

• Include local “What’s On” information on the community web-site

PRIORITY 2 Develop sustainable tourism in the area.

Main Actions

• Set up tourism focus group

• Brainstorm ideas

PRIORITY 3 Local community run business development centre

Main Actions

• Research need for a business space in the village through a local questionnaire

• Arrange a meeting with Stirling Council and Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley to explore options for this

• Make links with other communities investigating this idea.

NEXT STEPS

NEXT STEPS 1 - THORNHILL AND BLAIRDRUMMOND COMMUNITY FUTURES

CARRYING OUT THESE ACTIONS

Two new local organisations have been constituted, one for each community: Thornhill Community Futures Co-ordinating Committee and Blairdrummond Community Futures Group. These groups are now working with the Community Council and other interested residents to make progress with these priority projects and actions.

Both groups are considering setting up charitable companies limited by guarantee to help raise funds for priority projects and, if required, to own and manage land and property. Membership of the Trusts would be open to all permanent residents and those working in the two parts of the community council area.

SUPPORTING THESE ACTIONS

We would welcome and encourage the involvement of local people in supporting this programme of action. If you are interested in any of these priority projects please contact us.

REVIEWING THE ACTION PLAN

We will look at what progress we are making with this plan at regular intervals. A year from the launch of this Action Plan we will convene a REVIEW meeting to take stock of what has been achieved and agree action for the following year.

NEXT STEPS 2 - NATIONAL PARK COMMUNITY FUTURES PROGRAMME

The National Park and its community and agency partners will continue to support communities to develop and work towards their 'Community Future'.

Support will include:

• taking account of the Community Action Plans in the preparation of the National Park Plan;

• drawing community priorities to the attention of other agencies and organisations;

• developing a programme of support which will help to develop local 'community futures' organisations and to

• assist in progressing priority projects and actions.