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Forest village planned for Scotland

Posted: 02/01/2008

Plans for 32 woodland eco homes will be submitted to Highland councillors at Kilnhill in Scotland, later this month. The Scottish Forestry Comission wants to build a small community on about 50 hectares of land in Kilnhill wood, near Nairn, as a demonstration project.

The plans show small groups of energy efficient mixed housing, including some affordable and some holiday homes built as far as possible from local timber. Spokesman Phil Whitfield, of the Forstry Commission, said: "The Kilnhill project is intended to become a demonstration site showcasing woodland living, timber construction and green technologies.

"The houses will be timber, built to allow maximum heat to be gained from the sun and highly insulated to minimise carbon footprints. There will also be a strong emphasis on recycling, home working and reduced car dependence. The development is similar to Scandinavian models for forest communities, a model that we think has tremendous potential for Scotland."

Anyone buying a home in the Scots Pine forest would also have to join a trust, signing up to common values, which could include elements such as shared cars and non-car transport.

Whitfield added, "We're clearly interested in the idea of people becoming much more intimately connected with trees. Living in a forest, as opposed to some landscaping around a housing development, is really where this idea came from."

However, there are concerns that an artificially created community imposed on the existing one could cause problems. The Friends of Kilnhill group has concerns over the impact on an area used by locals.

Chairman Stephen Gray said: "Our community, which is using the woodland, and the Nairn people, who are using the woodland, are going to get that taken away from them and replaced by a community of a certain way of thinking."

Other opponents have also claimed the plan could severely disrupt animals and birds in an area home to badgers, roe dear and red squirrels. However, the Forestry Commission has stressed that its planning application is aimed at creating a sustainable lifestyle and ensuring that the concept of "living in a forest" has minimal impact.

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