Cow Hill Hall Project Update
January 2026 Update
We are delighted to share a positive progress update on the Cow Hill Hall project as we move confidently into 2026.
Since June, the project has been delivered through a structured programme of community engagement, designed to build local involvement and support the long-term outcome of a community hall for Cow Hill serving the needs and desires of the community.
We are now approximately 75% through this engagement programme, and the results to date have exceeded expectations.
A successful engagement journey
The engagement plan began last summer with a Geo Treasure Hunt, designed to spark interest, encourage participation, and reconnect the community with the vision for Cow Hill Hall. You can read about in more detail here. Following this, a wide range of face-to-face and catchment area based engagement activities were delivered to ensure the process was inclusive, accessible, and rooted in the community.
These included:
Doorstep conversations with community members
Guided walks and talks, encouraging discussion about local heritage, place, and future opportunities
A community litter pick, combining practical action with informal engagement
Trustee training sessions and guidance aiming to capture and direct emerging leaders
Together, these activities helped build trust, gather meaningful feedback, and strengthen local ownership of the project.
This momentum brings us to the next milestone: the Cow Hill Hall International Food Tasting Event, taking place on 15 January at UHI College, Fort William Campus. This event celebrates the diversity and shared identity of our communities while providing another opportunity for residents to connect with the project and each other.
Identifying future leadership
A key objective of the engagement plan was to identify individuals with the potential, commitment, and vision to become Trustees of the future organisation that will steward Cow Hill Hall. This is essential for the planned asset transfer of land, supported by the Scottish Land Fund, enabling the next phase of development and building works to begin.
We are pleased to report that:
● Nine new Trustees have been successfully identified through the engagement process
● The Trustee group submitted a Stage 1 application to the Scottish Land Fund
● The application was approved shortly before the end of 2025, marking a major milestone for the project providing resources for finalisation of a Business Plan to progress to Stage 2 of the Scottish Land Fund process
This success demonstrates strong community leadership and confidence in the vision for Cow Hill Hall.
Looking ahead: your voice matters
As we begin 2026, we are entering the final stages of the engagement plan. The focus now turns to Plantation residents and the wider community, inviting you to have your say on how Cow Hill Hall should be used in the future. Your ideas, priorities, and aspirations will be central to ensuring the hall serves the joint communities in a way that is inclusive, flexible, and sustainable.
Further opportunities to take part and contribute will be shared in the coming weeks.
With thanks
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who has taken part in the engagement activities so far. Your enthusiasm, openness, and support have been instrumental in bringing the Cow Hill Hall project to this exciting stage.
We are grateful for the support of our funders including HTSI, the Scottish Land Fund and The Highland Council.
Special thanks are also due to Voluntary Action Lochaber and UHI College, Fort William Campus for their ongoing support, guidance, collaboration, and generosity in hosting and enabling community activity.
Together, we look forward to the next chapter of the Cow Hill Hall project and to delivering a new hall that will serve our communities for generations to come.