Campaigners in Edinburgh are set to transform an empty church into a multi-purpose community hub – the first group in a Scottish city to benefit from the country’s “community right-to-buy” powers.
The Action Porty group have been given permission by ministers at Holyrood to take over the Portobello Old Parish Church and halls, deemed surplus to requirements by the Church of Scotland.
The buildings will now be restored and run in the public interest, with plans to create a new cafe, meeting spaces and a viewing platform. It will also be made available to youth group activities and hired out as a wedding venue.
The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 gives community groups the right to buy land and assets under certain conditions. Although the powers have been used widely across rural Scotland, this is the first time permission has been granted to a group inside a major city.
“Land is one of our most valuable assets and land reform has already delivered significant benefits to rural communities across Scotland,” said land reform secretary Roseanna Cunningham.
“It gives me great pleasure to grant consent to Action Porty for a community right to buy in Edinburgh and I look forward to seeing the group’s plans to construct a community hub progress.”