Our annual conference, which was moved online for the past two years due to Covid, will take place in-person at Birnam Arts Centre on the 24th of February 2023. There are two ticket types: day or residential. A residential ticket includes dinner, bed & breakfast at the Dunkeld House Hotel for delegates wishing to stay on the evening of Thursday 23rd February. Please note that residential tickets are limited. We still have a small number available but please book now to avoid disappointment!
The programme will consider a range of rural issues, ideas and initiatives, including Rural Housing Scotland pilot schemes such as Smart Clachan, with presentations about Tomduie Clachan at Comrie Croft and Smart Clachan in South Uist. The programme will also cover Ireland’s approach to rural development; securing a Just Transition for rural communities; how rural communities can benefit from the energy generated in their area and how rewilding and repeopling can go hand in hand. Shona Robison MSP (Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government) and Jake Ryan (Department of Rural and Community Development, Irish Government) will be amongst speakers for the event.
Derek Logie, CEO of Rural Housing Scotland said: “We are delighted to hold our conference in-person once again and are looking forward to welcoming delegates back to Birnam Arts Centre. Whilst rural housing need is at the absolute heart of our programme, we recognise that a holistic approach maximises benefit and sustainability, and with that in mind we will also consider issues relating to other community services and wider infrastructure.”
The event is sponsored by Ecology Building Society, which provides mortgages for projects that respect the environment and support sustainable communities, including community-led housing developments, and Highlands Rewilding, which puts people and communities at the heart of rewilding.
Highlands Rewilding explained why they are supporting the event this year: “At Highlands Rewilding, we continue to hope we can contribute meaningfully to zero-carbon, nature-positive rural housing deployment. But we are finding it difficult, like so many others. If Scotland is to meet aspirations of rural repopulation in liveable homes, all relevant stakeholders have to figure out how we break the logjam in the times ahead, and execute a grand plan. I know this conference, and indeed everything Rural Housing Scotland does, is aimed at that. We are happy both to support and partake in this effort. Our communities, economy and ecosystems desperately need it to succeed”.
Ecology Building Society added: “We are delighted to once again support this year’s Rural Housing Conference. As a mortgage lender committed to building a greener and fairer society, we are especially pleased to have helped fund a number of projects in rural Scotland over the last year. We remain inspired by the people and projects that help to address the issue of providing affordable, energy efficient and good quality housing for local people.” Tickets for the event are available now on the Rural Housing Scotland website.
