Applecross Community Company is creating a legacy of affordable homes and business units on the “Hydro Field” site— a project designed by the community, for the community.
Our Sustainable Living project aims to deliver much-needed housing, business units and enterprise opportunities. By meeting local needs and supporting the move to Net Zero, we are ensuring the long-term economic and demographic resilience of Applecross.
Sustainable Infrastructure
This integrated development will provide 14 secure, energy-efficient homes and 6 business units. The design respects our unique Highland heritage while providing modern private and community spaces. The site will link seamlessly with the AppleSeed allotments, community gardens, and local path networks.
All technical designs meet the ‘Silver Standard’ of the Firm Foundations Design Brief.
Given the size of the project, Applecross Community Company (ACC), has adopted a two-phased approach to developing the Hydro Field with the aim of keeping within ACC’s absorption capacity regarding financing, fund-raising and risk, and to maximise local benefit.
Why This Matters
New infrastructure is the heartbeat of a thriving Applecross. By providing affordable spaces, we can:
- Attract and retain young families, key workers, and new skills.
- Support our local school and nursery rolls.
- Secure core services, from our GP surgery and shop to the Post Office and home care.
This project places a key area of land in community hands, promoting sustainable growth and a “just transition” for our fragile but resilient community.
The Design Journey
2024–2025: Foundations
The project began with a conceptual masterplan by Ann Nisbet Studio and a business feasibility study by Duncan MacPherson with Fraser Architecture. In 2025, following a public tender, ACC appointed the award-winning Dualchas Architects to lead the design team.
Shaping the Masterplan
Throughout 2025, Dualchas worked closely with ACC to turn our design brief into a reality.
Presented to the community in September 2025, the concept strategy focused on:
- Working with the land: Working with the constraints of the natural topography.
- A “Clachan” feel: Clustering houses to foster a sense of belonging, using a common natural material palette.
- Connection: Creating easy pedestrian links to the wider natural and build environment.
- Sustainability: Prioritising a clear planting strategy and pedestrian-friendly streets.
- Cost: Keeping the road compact while making it ‘adoptable’.
Refined by Reality
Following a range of technical surveys, Dualchas Architects and their design team worked hard to refine the site layout. The biggest challenge was navigating the flood risk on the lower part of the site, which required discussions with the Highland Council, Floods Team, and SEPA to determine the buildable area and ensure safe and sustainable designs for buildings, roads and services.
The resulting Masterplan is something truly special. It’s more than just a housing project; it’s a design that honours the unique spirit of Applecross. By weaving the traditional patterns of our historic clachans with modern community needs, the site aims to foster a deep sense of belonging and local identity.
The Revised Proposal
To ensure the site is sustainable, the developable area had to be reduced. This led to a more compact, efficient layout. While we have fewer units than the original concept, the heart of the project remains unchanged.
| Provision | Original Plan | Revised Masterplan |
| Total Housing | 18 Units | 14 Units |
| 1 Bedroom | 4 (22%) | 4 (29%) |
| 2 Bedroom | 7 (39%) | 6 (43%) |
| 3 Bedroom | 7 (39%) | 4 (29%) |
| Business Units | 4 Buildings (12 units max) | 2 Buildings (6 units max) |
Key Improvements:
- Business Hub: Now located near the entrance, focused around a shared space and a beautiful mature tree.
- Improved Access: The main entrance is now directly opposite Craite Barn for better flow.
- Compact Design: A more community-focused footprint that maintains all our original design principles.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our community information event in March. Your feedback on the revised proposal was overwhelmingly positive and vital to the process.
Funders
Thanks to all the funders who have supported this project so far:
Latest News: March 2026
We are thrilled to announce that the Planning Application for our community-owned homes and business units was officially submitted in mid-March!
Next Steps:
- Building Warrant: The team is currently preparing the application, aiming for submission shortly after Easter.
- Funding: ACC is working with organisations and partners on the funding package for constructing the units, associated infrastructure and landscaping.
Housing Need, History and Background to Project
Applecross Community Company is developing affordable homes and business units on the “Hydro Field” site, which will benefit the wider community of Applecross.
The shortage of affordable housing for the community is a well-documented issue in Applecross.
ACC’s development on the Hydro Field development responds to the ongoing housing need in the community, as evident in the results of the 2023 housing needs assessment. The full report is available here for download.
During 2024, ACC worked with Ann Nisbet Studio Architects to develop a Masterplan for the area.
The Masterplan responds to Applecross housing needs assessments and proposes a total of up to 14 affordable homes and four business units, built over four phases, depending on current demand. The houses will include shared one-bedroom, two and three-bedroom homes. The future houses will be well-insulated and energy efficient. Because this is community-owned housing, ACC will work with the Applecross community to develop an allocation policy which outlines priorities for housing once the homes have been built. But, like the An Toll Bàn homes we completed in 2022, the actual allocation decisions will be made by an independent group.
This plan creates a “place to live with people and the community at its core”, which weaves the traditional patterns, characteristics and forms of crofting townships with the needs of a modern and sustainable community. The plan reflects suggestions from the community regarding the location of the houses, and access onto and through the site, and it takes account of features in the landscape, such as topography, trees, the AppleSeed allotments & community gardens.
More details in the Masterplan are provided.
In 2017, the community and the Applecross Trust established the “Applecross Forum”, a discussion platform open to all residents, holiday home owners, visitors and other key stakeholders. Following approval from the Forum, the Applecross community completed a community-led Community Land Use Plan in 2019 to identify changes in land use and ownership required to meet the community’s development objectives. This holistic, place-based approach to planning in Applecross enabled the community and the Applecross Trust to identify three potential sites for affordable housing.
The three sites identified were all owned by the Applecross Trust, who were supportive of the projects and gave their approval in principle for the sale of the land to the Applecross Community Company. The sites were:
- Hydro Field
- Clachan
- Smiddy Wood
ACC conducted a feasibility study on the three sites, through the support of the Scottish Land Fund and Rural Housing Fund. This allowed us to get as much information as possible about the assets, which helped the community decide which site is the most appropriate, and whether to proceed with the project.
The feasibility study was discussed with the wider community at our Community Event at the Applecross Hall on 25th February 2020 with the following conclusions:
- Hydro Field: In general, the community was supportive of development at the Hydro Field. The Highland Council planning pre-application was favourable for the site.
- Clachan: There were mixed views on the development at Clachan, including some very strong opposition. ACC received unfavourable feedback from Historic Environment Scotland, who suggested the development could cause “significant detrimental impact” to the setting of Clachan monastic settlement.
- Smiddy Woods: The community showed interest in a development at Smiddy Woods. The feasibility study and planning pre-application highlighted some challenges with the site. The Applecross Trust have said that further site investigation would be required before they would consider selling the site.
ACC completed the feasibility study and submitted an application to the Scottish Land Fund in June 2020 for the purchase of the Hydro Field which was deemed as the most feasible site. ACC was successful and was awarded the funding in September 2020.
A special resolution to purchase the Hydro Field site was put to a vote of ACC’s members at its Annual General Meeting on 24th September 2020, where 97% of those who voted were in support of the acquisition. The site was acquired by ACC from the Applecross Trust in March 2021.
If you are interested in the future houses on the Hydro Field, please fill in the form at the bottom of this page.
ACC’s staff and Directors are always available if you have any questions about this project.
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Please note that by filling in this form, you are contributing information for ACC’s use in measuring housing need in Applecross. Submitting this form does not mean you will be assessed for council or social housing. Please contact the Highland Council if you wish to enter their Housing Register.
