Published on:
20
April 2009
Clackmannanshire Council has welcomed a new recruit who will oversee the bid to secure lottery funding which will result in the wider use and enjoyment of the Ochils.
Julia Lawrie is the Landscape Partnership Development Officer for the Ochils Landscape Partnership, one of three Scottish schemes which the Heritage Lottery Fund has earmarked for an award.
The scheme, which is led by the Council, is currently at Stage 2 development phase and Julia's main task is to submit a more detailed bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund for £650,800 by March 2010. The bid will contain information about three projects:
If the bid is successful, the scheme will move into a three year implementation phase and these three projects will be put into practice - enhancing the lives of the people in the Hillfoots and increasing visitors to the area.
You are invited to send a photographer to the Beam Engine House near Fishcross at 2.30pm on Tuesday 21st April 2009 when Councillor Eddie Carrick, Portfolio Holder for Sustainability, will welcome Julia.
Councillor Carrick said: "I am delighted to welcome Julia to the Council. I am pleased to see how enthusiastic she is about the Ochil Landscape Partnership and her commitment to bringing about a successful lottery bid."
Julia, who is originally from Stonehaven, joins Clackmannanshire Council from Salisbury District Council where she was involved in writing built heritage policy. Julia graduated from University of Aberdeen with a MA Hons in History of Art and went on to undertake a MSc in European Urban Conservation.
Julia said: "I have moved to Alloa and am really enjoying the wonderful natural environment Clackmannanshire has to offer and am more than happy to be part of the county's conservation. I am looking forward to getting out and about, spreading the word about the landscape partnership, meeting key partners and local residents and getting as many people as possible involved in this exciting project."
Julia hopes to be present at many community events over the summer, raising the profile of the Ochil Landscape Partnership.
"I will be looking for input and contributions from local residents about our plans," Julia said. "There will also be opportunities to get more involved and take an active role. A great deal of time and thought has already been given to the scheme and I am sure that it will not only conserve the natural, built and cultural heritage of the Ochils, but bring economic, educational and social benefits to the people of the Hillfoots, whilst encouraging visitors to the area."
The Ochils Landscape Partnership aims to increase access to the hills and wooded glens of the Ochils, improve the quality of its rivers, restore significant buildings as well as providing opportunities for the community to tell the story of the area's cultural, social and industrial heritage.
Priorities for the scheme include improving access to the Ochils and Hillfoots, the conservation and enhancement of built and natural features safeguarding bio-diversity, the restoration of the River Devon, the silver mines and the remains of Alva's Ice House. The scheme also aims to sensitively interpret the significant features that the area has to offer, promoting the conservation and celebration of local cultural associations, such as the history and remnants of the textile industry.
The Council has committed £155,000 from its capital programme for 2009/10 for the project.
The Beam Engine House dates from 1865 and is all that survives of the Devon Colliery. It was converted into office space in the 1990s.