HIFAR hosts seminar at Auchrannie Spa Resort.

HIFAR meet with Communities Scotland Investment Manager Gary Malone at Isle of Arran Homes offices.
Agreement is reached to create a protocol whereby IOAH and HIFAR can work together to achieve our mutual but diverse aims. The goal is to channel money to HIFAR via IOAH in order to fund feasibility studies for community self-build projects.
HIFAR is instructed to formally request funding for a pilot study of prospective sites.
HIFARs protocol list is sent to Andrew Martin of IOAH the following day.
The funding request is sent to Communities Scotland on the 8th August.

HIFAR representatives meet at North Sannox with Malcolm Wield of The Forestry Commission and Gary Malone of Communities Scotland to view the proposed site of a 6/7 house development on what is presently Forestry land.
It is evident that, although each being produced outwith knowledge of the other, the aims of the National Forest Land Scheme and HIFARs objectives are very nearly identical.

L-R: John Inglis, Ailsa McNicol (HIFAR), Andy Walker (FC), Henry Murdo (HIFAR), Malcolm Wield (FC), Gary Malone (CS). Andrew Martin (Isle of Arran Homes)

HIFAR team hold regular progress meeting.
Note is made that no formal response has been received from Communities Scotland regarding the funding request, or from IOAH regarding the protocol suggested by them.

HIFAR attend meeting at the Forestry Commission Brodick office.

Present are Andy Walker, Malcolm Wield and Helen Stubbs (Forestry Commission), Andrew Martin (Isle of Arran Homes) Roger Eggins (Trust Housing), Ian Baird (Communities Scotland), Campbell Laing (Arran Community Council), Margie Currie (NAC Arran councillor), Henry Murdo and Andrew Grazier (HIFAR).

The aim of the meeting is to obtain support from Communities Scotland for a study by HIFAR into the feasibility of 4 sites (suggested by FC) for self-build and sustainable building projects, with funding being channelled through Isle of Arran Homes/Trust Housing.

Two conclusions are reached:
1) The Forestry Commission cannot do business directly with HIFAR, as we are not a Registered Social Landlord (a body registered and regulated by Communities Scotland...)
2) HIFAR will NOT receive support from Communities Scotland, because our premise (that affordable does not have to mean small and that high-density grouping, with pavements and streetlamps is wrong for Arran) is unworkable within their "rules".

HIFAR emails Malcolm Wield of FC, expressing our dejection at the meeting's outcome and of the attitude of CommScot and Trust Housing. It is obvious to us that CS and Trust have never had any intention of dealing with HIFAR and used this meeting to deliver what they expect to be a coup de grace to us. It is now clear that any funding for Arran from CS will come only to IOAH and as a result the same criteria that produced the Glencloy estate in Brodick will be applied to Forestry land. We fear what Trust Housing/IOAH will do to any land acquired from the Forestry Commission.

In reply, he states "My first reaction is to say we are not finished yet - far from it!"

He reiterates that FC has dealt with CS in other parts of Scotland, with favourable outcomes and that our problem may be "localised".

HIFAR, with Councillor Currie, meet MSP Kenneth Gibson at his monthly surgery in Shiskine Village Hall. We document proceedings at the meeting of 20th September and express our dismay that a great opportunity for Arran is "being steamrollered by bureaucrats and bean counters".

HIFAR is requested to meet Environment Minister Mike Russell during his visit to Arran. Group travel via Forestry road to The Heights (between Lamlash and Whiting Bay) to view site of projected biomass generator and potential housing development.

Mike Russell (red tie) is given his bearings by Fergus Tickell of Northern Energy Developments.

HIFAR included in the register of Rural Housing Bodies.
This allows the power to impose a Rural Housing Burden on any property built and sold by HIFAR. The RHB disallows the future sale of that property at open market value.

NAC officials hold meetings on Arran to explain their plans in the light of the Craigforth Report recommendations.
Public turnout is disappointing.
NACs suggested plans equally so.

The Kildonan meeting.

HIFAR attend Rural Housing Service annual conference at Birnam Institute, by Dunkeld.

HIFAR Chairman Henry Murdo is interviewed for the BBC Countryfile programme, broadcast on 9th March.
Over the ensuing 3 weeks, website receives over 60,000 hits.

Andrew Grazier attends NAC housing strategy forum at Seamill Hydro.

HIFAR members attend meeting and site visits with MSP members of cross-party housing committees. Also present are Isle of Arran Homes manager Andrew Martin and NAC housing department representatives Olga Clayton and Margaret Ferrier.

HIFAR invited to lunch with NAC Housing representatives Olga Clayton and Nicola Thom. NAC offer funding for a feasibility study into appropriate Forestry Commission land.

HIFAR attend meeting in Stevenston with NAC, Forestry Commission to progress feasibility study. Agreement is reached on tendering process for consultant. Draft brief is produced - to be honed by end of January 2009. Projected target date for tender is late February 2009.

Forestry Feasibility Study inception meeting, Michael Lynch Centre, Ardrossan.
HIFAR, North Ayrshire Council & Isle of Arran Homes meet with appointed consultants Neil Sutherland (architect) and Brian Burns of the Housing Plus Group to finalise the brief for the study into Forestry land that may be suitable for development for affordable housing. The study, of 12 weeks duration, will analyse all land on Arran owned by the Forestry Commission, Suitable sites will be ranked and the top 6 or so (assuming FC agreement) will be studied in detail. Intrinsic to this study will be public involvement by way of exhibitions and discussion forums.