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Morayvia’s bid for a community asset transfer of their current home, the former Abbeylands School in Kinloss, was unanimously supported by the Moray Council at their meeting on Thursday.
Some of Morayvia’s directors, including Stan Barber, Mark Mair, Margaret Yates, Bob Pountney and Lynne Herbert, attended the meeting. They had put together their proposal with assistance from Highlands & Islands Enterprise (HIE), Sylvia Jamieson from the Community Support Team, and others.
Speaking after the decision, the Lord Lieutenant of Moray, Grenville Johnson commented: “This is another fantastic milestone for Morayvia, and really gives another building block to push on with their exciting plans”.
Mark Mair, Morayvia Chairman, said: “This really gives a positive future for Morayvia and Moray, as there is so much we want to achieve as an organisation, and having our current home secured for our use means we can start to progress our plans to develop the centre. All of the time and effort put into this process has been worth it, from when our chief executive, Stan Barber, started things off, to now when we have completed the process and the outcome has been a positive one.
“Work can now start to expand the and improve the facilities at the centre, as a number of activities could not start without knowing the future of the property. Keep an eye out for updates as we put our plans into flight!”
The award-winning attraction is run by volunteers and is classed as a 4 star visitor attraction, with exceptional Trip Advisor ratings.
Forres Councillor Aaron McLean, whose ward includes the Morayvia project, said: “The Morayvia project is a fantastic asset for Moray and makes a very significant contribution to our tourism offer.
“I cannot commend the volunteers enough for the transformative Morayvia project, which is rightly getting numerous plaudits.
“While there are some issues about responsibility for access roads, which the local residents have raised, I am confident that with positive discussions these can be addressed.
“This is a significant milestone for Morayvia and for Moray tourism.”