Kinloch Castle Study: Final report

Round 2 survey

Thank you for responding to Round 2 of the Kinloch Castle Delphi study.

The aim of this study is to reach consensus on suitable conditions of sale for Kinloch Castle.

Any sale will involve some degree of redevelopment, conservation and negotiation around public access to the castle building and surrounding land.

This survey will ask you to rate potential conditions of sale by importance, and will explore options for the future use of the castle in more detail.

This survey has three sections:

1. Conditions of sale

2. Scope of the sale

3. Future options

This survey should take around 15 minutes to complete. Further information about the study can be found in the Information Sheet in your original research invitation.

If you have any questions please contact [RESAS contact email]

How is confidentiality maintained?

As in Round 1, we will ask you to provide an email address only for the purpose of sharing the Round 2 summary report with you. We may also contact you to ask for clarification on your responses.

All responses will be strictly confidential, and your identity will be protected. Further information can be found in the Privacy Notice which is available on request.

Please complete:

1. Please enter your unique participant code. This can be found in your invitation letter:

2. Are you an adult resident of Rum (aged 18 years and over)?

Yes

No (This survey is only open to residents aged 18 and above)

Section 1 – Conditions of sale

3. In Round 1, respondents were broadly supportive of the list of potential conditions of sale that we provided.

The table on the next page provides an explanation of what could be included as part of each condition. We have taken feedback from Round 1 into account, and plan to discuss these conditions further during Round 3 at a community workshop.

At this stage, is there anything else you would like to include as part of any condition?

If so, please explain and state which number (1-10) your answer is in reference to:

Table showing explanation of each potential condition of sale

1. Redevelopment of the castle building

• Details of planned restoration, development and future use; costs of work and source of funding
• Long term maintenance plan
• Preservation of the collection
• Plan for public access

2. Maintain use of access road

• Islanders and visitors can continue to use access road in front of the castle

3. Access rights (front of castle)

Islanders and visitors have access to the public areas in front of the castle

4. Active community involvement

• Active contribution to the community and minimal impact on local businesses
• Recognition of islanders as key stakeholders in the future use of the castle
• Regular, two-way communication between buyer and islanders during and after sale
• Community input sought and acted upon in redevelopment decisions

5. Contribution to the sustainability of the Rum community

• Any future use of the castle to be sympathetic to daily life on the island
• Appraisal of economic benefits from proposed use of castle (e.g. jobs, tourism)
• Details of proposed public access to building
• Inclusion of a visitor /heritage / educational facility in the castle grounds
• Wider island community and businesses agree to conditions (e.g. environmental impacts)

6. Contribution to enhancing nature on Rum, promotion and encouragement of its enjoyment, and interest in the island

• Support for the island’s Dark Sky Reserve status application and compliance with any measures put in place as part of this process (e.g. no external lighting to minimise light pollution)
• To take into consideration other activities that take place on the island

7. Minimising the carbon footprint and environmental impact from the use of the castle

• Promoting sustainable use of the island and its natural resources
• A plan to use renewable energy sources during redevelopment and future operations, and assessment of impact on wider island supply
• A commitment to support improvement of the current hydro system
• A commitment to minimise the environmental impact of any redevelopment or building and ongoing maintainance work

8. Long-term commitment to conditions of sale

• Burden to be added to Kinloch Castle title deeds - in the event of a further sale, these conditions of sale should be met

9. Adherence to the Scottish Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement

• The current statement has seven principles: https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-land-rights-responsibilities-statement-2022/pages/3/

10. Castle ownership

• Detail on ownership model  

4. We’d like to understand how important you think each condition is.

Please rate the importance of each condition of sale on a scale of 0-10, with 0 being ‘Not at all important’ and 10 being ‘Very important’.

If you do not have a view on conditions of sale, please go to the next question.

5. If only 3 conditions of sale could be included, which ones do you think are the most important? (Please tick up to 3)

If you have no view on this, please go to the next question.

6. To what extent do you agree that Kinloch Castle should be sold, in order for it to be redeveloped and brought back into operational use?

7. Overall, what impact do you think the sale, redevelopment and operational use of Kinloch Castle will have on the Rum community?

8. If any or all of these conditions prevent the sale of the castle, what would be your preferred outcome?

9. This research will produce recommendations on the process of selling the castle.

Please rank the following options, in terms of how much involvement you would like to have in a future sale, from your most (1) to least (4) preferred option:

10. How would you like to be kept informed about a potential sale of the castle?

Tick any that apply.

11. Is there anything you would like us to take into account, in terms of how communication with islanders about a potential sale of the castle is carried out?

Section 2 – Scope of the sale

12. Kinloch castle and the immediate surrounding land is currently owned by NatureScot. NatureScot has sought professional Estate Agency advice on the minimum land which would be acceptable to potential buyers, as shown in blue on the map on page 7.

The castle and its curtilage (the area of land attached to the castle) is within the blue lines. Any sale may also include additional buildings and land, as labelled.

We have added to this list based on responses to Round 1.

Please note: The old swimming pool / nissen hut, and tiered garden area between the pool and Ivy Cottage are owned by the Isle of Rum Community Trust. They will therefore not be included in a sale, and so have not been included here.

To what extent do you agree that the following should be included in the sale of Kinloch Castle, in addition to the main castle building?

Please tick one option for each row:

13. If there is a building or area of land on this list that you do not want to see included as part of a sale, please explain why?

(Please state which building or area you are referring to)

14. There are a number of options for the ownership and use of these additional buildings and areas of land.

Please rank in order of preference from your most (1) to least (5) preferred option:

Section 3 – Future options

15. In Round 1, we asked you to rank options for the future use of the castle and surrounding land in order of preference. The table below provides an explanation of what each of these options may look like in practice.

Please read this, and then rank again in order of preference, from your most (1) to least (4) preferred option

16. In terms of the future of Kinloch Castle, please rank these options in order of preference, from your most (1) to least (3) preferred option:

End of the survey

Thank you for taking part in Round 2. We will share an anonymous summary of the results with you before we invite you to take part in a community workshop for Round 3. We may also contact you to ask for clarification on your responses.

Please enter the email address you would like us to send this to:

5. Kinloch Castle Friends Association survey results

As part of Round 2, we invited members of the Kinloch Castle Friends Association to share their views in a separate survey, to gather the views of wider stakeholders. We received 57 valid responses in total. This section summarises these responses.

Respondents

• All respondents to this survey were members of the Kinloch Castle Friends Association. The majority (96%) have never lived on Rum. A small number (4%) have previously lived on the island.

Conditions of sale

• Respondents were asked to rate the importance of each condition (see Table 2). The most important conditions, in terms of median score, were:^[30]

  a) Redevelopment of the castle building

  b) Active community involvement

  c) Contribution to the sustainability of the Rum community

  d) Contribution to enhancing nature on Rum, promotion and encouragement of its enjoyment, and interest in the island

  e) Long-term commitment to conditions of sale

Asked if there is anything else they would like to include as part of any condition, Kinloch Castle Friends Association raised the following points, in relation to each condition:

Redevelopment of the castle building

• Potential buyer to have (access to) sufficient funding to restore the castle
• Preservation in-situ of contents;
• Re-establishment of hostel and bistro facilities;
• Recognition of the castle’s potential contribution to historical education, as well as a secure and vibrant island population, and the aims of NatureScot;

Access rights (front of castle)

• View that this is desirable, not essential, as an alternate route around the back of the castle could be constructed. This access requirement may be unacceptable to certain types of buyers, for example a hotel group.

Active community involvement

• Recognise both islanders and the wider community (residents of Mallaig, the Small Isles and Lochaber) as key stakeholders in the future use of the castle;
• Add other stakeholders to the wording here, for example the Kinloch Castle Friends Association and NatureScot.

Contribution to enhancing nature on Rum, promotion and encouragement of its enjoyment, and interest in the island

• Rum has been a National Nature Reserve since 1957, and this appears to have been overlooked in discussions about the future of the castle;
• In relation to this, suggestion that the castle’s large basement room should be reinstated for use as a meeting / lecture room/basic laboratory by scientific groups, for example from universities, who used to regularly visit Rum;
• Importance of suitable accommodation (e.g. sufficient beds and provision of meals) for visiting groups, including scientists, walking clubs and conservation volunteers.

Wider points

• Agreement with the conditions;
• View that these conditions are too restrictive for a private buyer;
• Suggestion that any future tourist accommodation includes a mix of options, from luxury rooms to more affordable options, to enable groups and people on low incomes to visit, as the current hostel is oversubscribed;
• The added costs of delaying any restoration work to the castle;
• Whilst there is a plan to deliver a hydroelectric scheme on the island, a further diesel generator may be required as a temporary solution during the restoration;
• The potential benefits to people in Scotland and beyond in regenerating the castle, and enabling visitors to appreciate the natural resources on Rum;
• The role of KCFA in working toward the long-term preservation of Kinloch Castle;
• The need to clarify what kind of support and resources the Scottish Government and NatureScot would offer to ensure regeneration of the island, in partnership with any new owner.

Several of these wider points focused on the role of the community:

• The aim of taking the views of islanders and local businesses into account is positive, but may be difficult to achieve in practice if there is a lack of agreement within these groups, for example due to a changing population, and the need to reflect the views of all of the community accurately to avoid previous mistakes;
• Question over whether consensus amongst islanders would enable them to veto the new castle owners’ plans, and which body would resolve any disputes;
• The castle restoration is a major project and its success in delivering wider benefits to the community will be dependent on everyone’s engagement in the project;
• The potential employment opportunities during and after the development phase, and wider economic benefits for Rum in terms of visiting guests.

Conditions of sale

• Individually, respondents were most likely to prioritise one condition of sale: Redevelopment of the castle building (91% selected this). The next two most popular choices were: Active community involvement (37%) and Contribution to the sustainability of the Rum community (35%);
• The majority (91%) of respondents agreed that Kinloch Castle should be sold, in order to be redeveloped and brought back into operational use;
• The majority (96%) felt that the sale, redevelopment and operational use of Kinloch Castle will have a positive impact on the Rum community.

Table 2. Conditions rated by importance by respondents to a survey of Kinloch Castle Friends Association members

Condition	Mean	Median	Mode
1. Redevelopment of the castle building	9.6	10	10
2. Maintain use of access road	7.4	8	10
3. Access rights (front of castle)	7.1	8	10
4. Active community involvement	8.2	10	10
5. Contribution to the sustainability of the Rum community	9.1	10	10
6. Contribution to enhancing nature on Rum, promotion and encouragement of its enjoyment, and interest in the island.	9.1	10	10
7. Minimising the carbon footprint and environmental impact from the use of the castle	8.0	8	10
8. Long-term commitment to conditions of sale	8.6	10	10
9. Adherence to the Scottish Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement	8.4	9	10
10. Castle ownership (detail on ownership model)	8.1	9	10

• In the event that any or all of these conditions prevent the sale of the castle, 56% of respondents said their preferred outcome would be that the ‘Sale goes ahead with no conditions’. A fifth (20%) selected ‘Sale does not go ahead’ and a fifth (20%) selected ‘Don’t know’.

Approach to the sale

• Most respondents would like the community to have ‘Mediated involvement’ (71%) in a future sale, whilst 14% said ‘Through an island governance group’.

When asked if there was anything they would like us to take into account, in terms of how communication with islanders about a potential sale is carried out, respondents raised a number of points:

• Islanders should be well-informed at every stage;
• Need for open and inclusive consultation, in a range of ways (e.g. by post);
• Need for regular communication between all parties during the process;
• Kinloch Castle Friends Association should be involved in this process due to its detailed knowledge and experience;
• Need to take a different approach than during previous sale, and to prevent any potential sale being unsuccessful due to misinformation or speculation;
• Need to communicate with all islanders directly, rather than through any island groups, and to allow islanders to give individual views in an anonymous way, and not let a minority view inform decisions;
• Islanders should have a extensive involvement in the castle and its new ownership. The castle should be an asset to the community (e.g. Dumfries House model);
• Potential need for a negotiator between islanders and other parties, to take all views into account;
• The need for a skilled team with a track record of leading regeneration in Island and Highland communities to support this process and ensure good relationships between all parties from the beginning, drawing on expertise from wider organisations, such as Social Enterprise Scotland, and with funding provided by the Scottish Government.

Whilst some respondents felt that islanders should have the final say, and be supported during this process, others felt that residents should be kept informed, but should not be able to influence or prevent a sale. Some questioned the weight that islanders' views should hold, due to population turnover. One stated that the Scottish Government should decide the conditions of sale and inform islanders when the castle is sold, to make a timely decision.

Wider points

Respondents also raised a number of wider points:

• The castle is a significant drain on public funds, and the taxpayer, which includes the island community. It must be sold for the benefit of the islander and the nation;
• Need to emphasise how community will benefit from restoration (e.g. new buildings and facilities, for different uses such as a new shop);
• When the castle was open previously, it was visited by both tourists and islanders, and brought wider economic benefits to the island (for example, jobs);
• Enabling visitors to stay at the castle will also support the work of NatureScot (for example, public awareness of environmental issues);
• It would be helpful to explore alternative access routes for islanders and visitors through the castle grounds;
• The need for a measured and hands-off approach from the Scottish Government;
• The need to take views from community on future of castle if no buyer is found;
• The need to acknowledge that if no buyer is found, and if the castle cannot be restored and used, it may have to be demolished due to being unsafe;
• The negative environmental impact of demolishing the castle;
• View that a buyer will not be found now due to previous mistakes;
• The community may not be able to afford improvements to the power house but safeguards should be put in place in terms of their power supply, ongoing costs etc.

Scope of the sale

• There were mixed views about what should be included in the sale of Kinloch Castle, in addition to the main building. The majority agreed with the inclusion of: the walled garden (87%); Monica’s Rose garden (79%); Gazebo (77%); the Old Dairy (75%); Squash court (73%); Dairy woods (65%) and Football pitch / old tree nursery (63%).
• There was less consensus about the inclusion of the Workshop / byre and carpenters shed (46% agreed) and Power house (50% agreed).

Future options

• In terms of the additional buildings and areas of land, half (51%) of respondents said their preferred option was that all land and buildings as shown in blue on the map are included in the sale of Kinloch Castle. A quarter (25%) would prefer that the ‘Land or assets is offered to the community first before private sale.
• In terms of the future use of the castle and surrounding land, respondents’ most preferred options were mixed (49%), commercial (29%) and public use (22%).
• Looking at wider options for Kinloch Castle, community ownership and use was the preferred option for 70% of respondents, with 30% preferring private sale.

Where do islanders and wider stakeholders agree?

In Round 2, there was consensus between island residents and Kinloch Castle Friends Association members who responded to the survey in a number of areas:

Conditions of sale

• Both islanders and Kinloch Castle Friends Association members rated the following three suggested conditions of sale as important:
  • Active community involvement
  • Contribution to the sustainability of the Rum community
  • Long-term commitment to conditions of sale

The type of involvement that islanders should have in a potential sale

• Overall, both island residents and Kinloch Castle Friends Association members would prefer the Rum community to have ‘Mediated involvement’ in a future sale;
• Both groups stated that communication with the Rum community about a potential sale should be regular and timely, and directly with residents rather than through island groups to accurately reflect individual views.

The inclusion of additional buildings and areas of land

• Both islanders and Kinloch Castle Friends Association members broadly agreed that the gazebo, squash court and walled garden should be included in the sale;
• Among both groups, there was a lower level of agreement with the inclusion of the Workshop / byre and carpenters shed, and power house.

Kinloch Castle Friends Association members differed from islanders in terms of their focus on the redevelopment of the castle building and its historical significance. Some also raised concerns about the practical difficulty of consulting the island community about a potential sale due to the range of views and the transitory nature of the population. Similarly, some islanders noted that conditions should be flexible, as community views may change.^[31]