In 2013, Luss Estates commissioned the creation of a Strategic Development Framework, and over the last 10 years, the Estate has worked tirelessly to deliver this project. The Estate has made significant private investments in the communities of Luss & Arden and Arrochar, Tarbet & Ardlui. These are two very different rural communities with distinct needs. Four key objectives were identified with the aim of reversing the worrying trends of an aging and declining population in the Luss community. The plan has delivered in all key areas, but the work is far from over, with the Estate reviewing the framework, which had been focused on Luss village, to invest in Community Place Plans funded for both villages in 2023, cementing the collaboration between the Estate and these communities.
The primary objective of the 2013 Framework was to secure the local primary school, which was under threat due to declining numbers. To ensure the survival of such core services, key strategies needed to encourage population growth, particularly for young families, were focused on the community of Luss Village. The immediate focus was on the provision of additional family housing to support the local school, along with the provision of village retail and commercial activities to serve the immediate and wider area, recognizing Luss as an area service hub. The framework also set out to identify, provide, and, most importantly, sustain other core supporting services and business opportunities that would lead to employment and recognize Luss Village as a national tourist destination. This required a balance between local needs and tourism opportunities, which highlighted a focus on visitor management facilities around parking, information, and signage, as well as the promotion of holiday accommodation outside the village. Over the past 10 years, Luss Estates has provided local housing and employment through the creation of several business projects, including the Loch Lomond Arms Hotel and Luss Filling Station. Improvements to the local environment have been made through the creation of a village green and, in particular, taking back responsibility for the play area from the local authority to provide the necessary investment. Parking facilities have been provided, and covenants have been secured in the leases of local businesses on the foreshore to ensure a contractual commitment to the local area. This work has required significant private investment and commitment from the estate to achieve, resulting in a more resilient estate at the heart of its communities, all in the context of a global climate and biodiversity crisis.
Luss Estates worked closely with Link Housing, donating the land to support the development of affordable housing and also to ensure that the project delivered good quality, efficient housing that was sympathetic to the aesthetics of the village. In 2018, Luss Estates gifted land near Arrochar to support the construction of a community hydroelectric scheme to benefit the communities of Luss, Arrochar, and Tarbet. Profits will be shared equally and used for local projects. Since the completion of the Arrochar community scheme, the first dividends have been paid based on the positive performance of the first and second years. The desire to grow the local economy and the sustainability of the local community has created a range of diverse employment opportunities, and Luss Estates Company is committed to paying the real Living Wage, providing fair pay for a hard day's work. Luss Estates is leading the way in working with communities to build a robust, resilient, and thriving business that is embedded in its community, addressing the needs and challenges of the 21st century while remaining sensitive to the 600-year heritage that has created this jewel in the landscape.
Recent investments in holiday accommodation have been made with the same commitment to energy efficiency and the goal of sustainable green tourism. The estate has a proud heritage of investment in renewable energy, from mid-scale projects like the Glen Douglas hydro scheme to their biomass boiler that supplies energy to the hotel. Simon Miller, CEO of Luss Estates Company, commented: “The estate has a talented and diverse workforce operating across hospitality, retail, green energy generation, carparks, fuel station, forestry, farming, landscape, and property maintenance. Luss Estates is proud to recognize the value added to its operations by becoming accredited as a Living Wage employer.”