Woodside Affordable Homes Project. 

Following a series of successful funding applications, the GDI is currently engaged in a feasibility study to establish the viability of building community-owned, energy efficient homes on the former Woodside Garage site which has been derelict now for 17 years. Recent community engagement has demonstrated widespread community support for the project due to the shortage of affordable homes for local people.

The GDI has partnered with South of Scotland Community Housing (SOSCH) to take the project to pre-planning application stage and are currently looking for an experienced Project Manager to lead the project on behalf of the GDI.

Before Covid, the GDI began a project to look at creating a cycleway/footpath running west from Gatehouse to link with the communities and businesses along the A75 which were essentially inaccessible other than by car.  There is no footpath alongside the A75, unpleasant as that would be even if there were, and it is not a road to be safely cycled on, certainly not by the faint-hearted.  The feeling was that an off road path for both pedestrians and cyclists was the way forward.

A new campaign is underway to provide a MUGA pitch (Multi-Use Games Area) to be sited in the school grounds.  The facility would provide, as the name suggests, a pitch that could be used for a range of different games, provide a safer surface for the children to play sports on, and be free from the water-logging and mud which can be a problem in the school grounds.

The Gatehouse Development Initiative are working with South of Scotland Community Housing (SOSCH) to develop new houses for rent at Woodside Terrace (the old garage site). It is likely that the site will accommodate six or seven one or two bedroom houses and the houses will be available to local families or those working within the community, and to those with a Gatehouse connection and looking to return to Gatehouse.

To mark 7 years on the go with all things bikes, Wheels of Fleet hosted a happy event of food, film, picture gallery, presentations, bike raffle and music. Recognising the support this project has received from so many in the community, the project wanted to thank those who help Wheels of Fleet to reach so many of their goals.

A new project called ‘Connecting Cairnsmore’ has launched and will include a series of guided walks and talks focussing on the wonderful wild space of Cairnsmore of Fleet National Nature Reserve. Set over four Saturdays in October, you are warmly invited to join a series of local experts to explore this highly important National Nature Reserve, one of the core areas of the Galloway & Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere.  Free tickets to take part can be booked via the link below.

Gatehouse Horticultural Society held its annual show on Saturday 27th August, after missing the last two years. It was held, as usual, in the Community Centre and proved to be a very successful and enjoyable day. It was great to see more new residents entering the many different classes available to them (some even winning prizes), along with the usual exhibitors who come along and make a great effort every year.  The show seems to be a great opportunity for all ages to catch up with folk they haven’t seen for a while, especially this year, and to have a chat and laugh while walking around and admiring the many exhibits on display. 

Six Forestry and Land Scotland apprentices have completed a five-day dyking course in Cally Woods, sponsored by the Gatehouse Development Initiative.  Under the guidance of qualified instructor Kevin Butters, the apprentices, from as far afield as Innerleithen and ranging in ages from school leaver to over 50, learned to take down and rebuild a substantial section of the old wall which snakes through the woods by the horse track.  On the fourth day they learned to build cheek ends and on the last day their challenge was to repair two gaps on the Deer Park wall on the road to Sandgreen.  As well as learning dyking skills the course also encouraged teamwork and helping each other. The apprentices were very positive about the course which will allow them to use their new skills as part of their forestry work.

Since way back in 2019 there has been a plan to build a hide in Cally Woods from which people could watch and photograph woodland wildlife near Gatehouse.  Finally, this goal has been accomplished and the hide was opened on 10 November.