Question 1

What is Grow Nairn?

Accepted Answer

Grow Nairn is a community-led voluntary organisation working to establish a community market garden for Nairnshire.

Our aim is to grow fresh, local food while creating opportunities for employment, learning, and community involvement.

Question 2

What is being proposed at Sandown?

Accepted Answer

Grow Nairn is seeking a lease to use 4 hectares of Sandown Common Good Land to develop a community market garden. We are currently in discussions with the Highland Council about the potential to lease this land, the lease has not yet been agreed.

The site would be used for:
Growing fruit and vegetables
Tree planting and orchard development
Polytunnels for food production
Pathways within the site
Small-scale infrastructure to support growing crop shares

Question 3

Is this a private business?

Accepted Answer

Grow Nairn is a community organisation operating as a social enterprise.

Income generated from produce sales supports:
Jobs
Training opportunities
Site maintenance
Community activities
Any surplus is reinvested into the project.

Question 4

Who benefits from the project?

Accepted Answer

The project is designed to benefit the Nairnshire community, including:

🥕 Local households (fresh food access)

💼 Local workers (jobs created)

👩‍🌾 Volunteers (skills & wellbeing)

🏫 Schools & groups (learning opportunities)

🌍 The wider environment

Question 5

Will the land still belong to the Common Good?

Accepted Answer

Yes.
The land would remain Common Good Land.

Grow Nairn is seeking a lease to manage the land for community benefit.

Question 6

Why use Common Good Land for food growing?

Accepted Answer

✔ Puts land into productive use for the community

✔ Supports local resilience

✔ Aligns with Highland Council strategies

✔ Reflects priorities in the Local Place Plan

The Sandown Development Brief also identifies this field as suitable for mixed use and community-aligned activity.

Question 7

Will this restrict public access?

Accepted Answer

The site is primarily a working growing space, but the project will:
Include internal pathways
Provide volunteering opportunities
Support educational visits and events

Access arrangements will be designed to balance public benefit and safe food production.

Question 8

Will this affect the Sandown allotments?

Accepted Answer

No.

The project is designed to complement the allotments, not replace or compete with them.

Both initiatives support:
Local food growing
Community wellbeing
Sustainable land use

Question 9

How will the project be funded?

Accepted Answer

The development will be funded through a combination of:
Grant funding
Fundraising
Social enterprise development funding
Produce sales

No ongoing public subsidy is required for core food production once the project is established.

Question 10

Will Grow Nairn compete with local businesses?

Accepted Answer

Grow Nairn has engaged with local producers and retailers.

Feedback indicates:
High demand for local produce
Existing waiting lists for veg boxes
Capacity for additional supply

The market garden is intended to add to local food provision, not displace existing businesses.

Question 11

How many jobs will be created?

Accepted Answer

Initially:
Three new local jobs (two full-time equivalent roles)

Longer term:
Additional seasonal opportunities
Volunteer and training placements

Question 12

What environmental practices will be used?

Accepted Answer

The project will follow sustainable growing methods, including:

🌱 Organic production

🚫 No pesticides

♻ Composting

🌳 Tree planting

🌾 Soil improvement

Question 13

How does this support Nairn’s Local Place Plan?

Accepted Answer

The project contributes to priorities including:
✔ Sustainability and resilience

✔ Jobs and skills

✔ Green space and wellbeing

✔ Local economic vitality

A full summary is available on our Local Place Plan Alignment page.

Question 14

Can I get involved?

Accepted Answer

Yes!

Right now you can:

🌱 Become a member

💬 Attend events or open days

And once our project is up and running you will be able to:

🤝 Volunteer

🥕 Subscribe to a veg box

Question 15

How do I find out more and keep up to date with Grow Nairn?

Accepted Answer

We would love to send you updates and news on our community market garden project, you can sign up to our mailing list to be the first to hear our annoucements - check out the bottom of this page!

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