Projects

The Trust took ownership of the former Woodside Industrial Estate from the Dumfries & Galloway Council on behalf of the community under a Community Asset Transfer arrangement on 15 March 2022. This asset brings long-term income into the community, which is reinvested in future community projects.

The name of the site was officially changed in 2024 from Woodside to Ballingclach. Existing tenants Tarff Valley vacated at the end of 2023 and refurbishments, including external cladding and electrical upgrades, were then carried out while the site was unoccupied .

Mathers Dairy Utensils Ltd are now leasing and in the process of moving into the two front units formerly occupied by Tarff Valley.
Both rear units are now being leased by SIRTN Toys Ltd. We are delighted to welcome both of these businesses to the area.

The Trust made the difficult decision not to progress the Community Asset Transfer of the Lorry Park, due to issues that arose during the conveyancing process, including lack of clarity on access rights over the site and the potential for contaminated land on the site that would have been costly to clean up.

After making application for the remaining funds needed to complete this project, the former Brambles building is now in the process of being redeveloped into two holiday accommodation studio rooms on the upper floor and a flexible commercial space on the ground floor. The design team is being led by ARPL Architects. 

After being awarded the building work contract through a tender process, Brian Carson Building Contractors commenced works on site in mid-October, with a current estimate of approximately 48 weeks to build completion.
We would like to welcome their team to the village and look forward to providing further updates as this regeneration project progresses.

Following the community consultation held in May 2020,  the results reiterated the unanimous support given in July 2019 for the Trust to seek ways to safeguard GP services in the Old Luce area. The full results of this consultation are available at www.oldluce.org.uk/gpsurgery/ 

Further community consultation on housing at the Four Winds site in November 2021 overwhelmingly supported the demolition of the existing Four Winds house and building three 2-bedroom bungalows on the site. The Trust was subsequently successful in obtaining funding from Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Community Led Economic Regeneration Fund (CLERF) which, combined with funding from Old Luce Community Fund, will allow the Trust to develop the plans for both the new Surgery and Housing to the submission of a full Planning Application, following earlier Pre-Planning Applications on both developments.

The first stage of safeguarding medical services for the immediate future was achieved through the purchase of the site. The Trust has continued to work closely with the GP Practice Management Team and Dumfries and Galloway NHS to finalise the required size and design of the new Surgery building and discuss funding options. As part of their consultancy process, the NHS held a Risks & Benefits and an Options Appraisal public workshop at the Glenluce Public Hall in November and December 2022.

Funding has now been secured to build a new surgery building over approximately 3 years on the Four Winds site, based on the layout of Sandhead surgery and following various discussions with Surgery staff and the funder.
3b Construction, working with Iain Macfadzean, have been awarded the design and build contract. Trial pits were dug in early October 2025 as part of the design team work to get ready to apply for planning permission.

The Trust has also engaged Community Enterprise to conduct research into potential funding opportunities for the remaining funding for the Glenluce Healthy Living Campus development, whilst also continuing its own discussions with funders, and will take forward the recommendations moving forward.

The Woodland Management Plan was completed for the Glen in late 2019.  The Friends of the Glen continue to work through their action plan for work in the Glen based on this management plan. This dedicated group of ground volunteers meets regularly on various days and with the very welcome help of Glenluce Primary School teachers and students, clears invasive laurel, rhododendron and Himalayan balsam and replaces them with regenerative native species kindly supplied by the Woodland Trust. Volunteers are have also been working and undertaking training with Galloway Fisheries Trust in an ongoing capacity around non-native plant control and pesticide use, in order to monitor and control invasive species such as Himalayan Balsam and Japanese knotweed.

The Trust has arranged tree and other grounds maintenance in the Glen and around the parish. Drainage on the north side of the Glen is currently being improved. Fencing will be replaced and footbridges repaired on the north side in the coming months, weather dependent, with path and other improvements also planned.

The Friends of the Glen group rely on a wide variety of volunteer skills. Positions are currently available for Chair, Secretary, Grant Coordinator, Volunteer Coordinator and Events and Marketing Coordinator.
Interest in becoming a volunteer for the Friends of the Glen can be lodged at thetrust@oldluce.org.uk.

The Village Square was officially opened on 4 June 2022 as part of the Glenluce Queen’s Jubilee celebrations and the community turned out in great numbers across all ages on the day, a wonderful site to see. The Square was then nominated in 2023 for a Scottish Civic Trust My Place Award, an annual celebration of the difference local communities can make to their built and natural environment, with the aim to bring proper recognition to community-led built environment projects that have transformed a local neighbourhood.

Our garden designer Sian Roberts keeps a regular expert eye on the garden beds. The floral displays, particularly in spring and summer, are stunning, with plenty of colour and interest for all to enjoy. The Square is a lovely place to stop and rest awhile on the wooden benches, especially on a sunny day. The village noticeboard located in the Square is regularly updated and also worth a look, keepng the local community informed on various activities and events.

The Village Square comes alive on the last Saturday of November every year, with the official ‘switching on’ of the Christmas tree lights, bringing festive cheer and smiles to the faces of all ages.

Created along the old railway line between Dunragit and Glenluce, this path was opened in summer 2019 and provides a pleasant off-road walking route linking the two villages. This walk is particularly beautiful when the gorse and broom are in full flower. Please be aware that, as the path is on working farmland, the fence along sections of this route is electrified.

The aim of the Back Burn project was to improve our natural environment through the removal and installation of a new state of the art footbridge along the Back Burn, as well as creation of a new surfaced and drained pathway, hand rails and lighting. We hope that you enjoy all of the improvements and make good use of this route regularly.

The Glenluce Primary School Fayre (2.30-4.30pm) and official Christmas light switch-on (5pm) will be happening at the Hall and the Village Square Christmas tree on Saturday 29th November.

A Christmas tree and assorted lights will also be officially switched on at the new Dunragit Community Hub and throughout the village the following day, on Sunday 30th November.

You are currently using the Community Website.  We have a schedule of maintenance in place and regularly update the website with new information and carryout checks to ensure that the information that you are seeing is as up to date as possible.  We hope to continue to improve our community and visitor information pages over time, so that the website continues to act as a single point of contact online for the parish.