LUSS Estates Company has won an award recognising its role in establishing an innovative housing development partnership.

The estate, based within the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, has received Scottish Land and Estates' Central region's 'Helping It Happen' award, after it helped to create new family homes in the village of Luss.

Luss Estates, in May 2016, announced that they would gift a parcel of land, valued at more than £150,000, for five new homes to be built for local families on the banks of Loch Lomond.

Together with an £80,000 cash contribution towards the cost of construction, the total value of the gift approaches £250,000.

The gift of land followed extensive discussion and research between a range of stakeholders, including Argyll and Bute Council and Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park looking at four key issues facing Luss: population demographic and housing; economy and employment; transport and arrival; and setting.

Martin Robb, chairman of Scottish Land & Estates’ Central region, said the Luss Estates Company award was fitting recognition for the role the estate continues to play in developing a positive future for the area.

Mr Robb said: “Helping It Happen is an initiative to showcase the outstanding work that estates across Scotland do to help their local communities to flourish. There can be little doubt that Luss Estates Company is a worthy recipient for this award.

“The estate rightly recognises that people are what makes our rural communities so special and they are investing in the future of Luss by gifting land for new family houses to be built. This is a significant financial commitment but above all else, a demonstration of how landowners can better the lives of the communities of which they are part.”

The Helping It Happen awards are part of an initiative run by Scottish Land & Estates to highlight how landowners and rural businesses across Scotland play a key role in enabling and supporting success in rural areas.

Simon Miller, chief executive of Luss Estates, said: “Gifting the parcel of land for the creation of new housing was a significant commitment but one that we were determined to make to encourage Luss to prosper.

"We view the estate as being part of the community and for us, that comes with a responsibility to facilitate its positive future wherever we can. Our hope is that the new houses will be made available to local families – our main aim is to ensure that they are able to stay in the area.”