A scenic landscape featuring a lake, rolling hills, and a small village with scattered houses under a clear blue sky.

Rural communities are struggling, but they’re not giving up.

Young people are leaving, locals are being priced out of their homes, older residents are moving away for care, families are left without support, schools are closing, and Local Place Plans are gathering dust. Sound familiar?

“We help rural and island communities turn their housing and development ideas into real, buildable projects — with less stress, more clarity, and better outcomes.”

Group of five people working together on a woodworking project outdoors, leaning over a wooden frame with gray material, smiling and focused.

Everyone deserves a place to call home and a community to belong to.

The issue we see time and again is a shortage of affordable homes and local facilities that communities need to thrive.

Without it, families cannot stay close, businesses find it hard to grow, and the future seems uncertain. It impacts everything, from schools and services to jobs and local culture.

It’s a familiar story for many rural communities, but one we believe can change.

It’s time for a Scotland where rural communities can thrive again. We meet you where you are on the journey and make the process easier and faster.

Whether future-proof homes, sustainable community facilities or a plan for the future, we've made it our mission to help communities turn ideas into real change on the ground.

Your community transformation

  
      Your community can go from this…
      …to this
    
        "We don't know where to start — there's too much information out there."

        to having step-by-step support from first conversations to planning permission.

        "We're burnt out and trying to do this on our own."

        to feeling clear, supported, and guided by expert structure and coordination.

        "We've got ideas, but no land, funding, or technical know-how."

        to connecting the dots between vision, funding, feasibility, and delivery.

        "We don't want another generic plan that sits on a shelf."

        to a realistic, buildable plan rooted in your community, place, and purpose.

How we help get you there

Projects can be complex and slow — but they don’t have to be.
Our team of experts supports you at every stage, from funding to delivery.

“Clarify your priorities, define what’s possible, and take the first confident steps.”
- Community needs assessments, visioning and co-design workshops.
- Spatial assessment of your community area, mapping land ownership, opportunities, stakeholders, local capability and capacity, local skills.
- Identifying funding opportunities and constraints up front to make sure projects are fundable and deliverable. Help secure funding and partner with public and private investors.
“Turn your ideas into fundable, design-ready projects.”
- Co-creating design-led feasibility studies aligned with local needs and funder priorities.
- Developing place-specific, needs-oriented designs from individual homes to mixed-use community developments.
- Continued engagement with the community, public and private stakeholders (Local Authorities, Housing Associations, private partners,...) and enablers (construction companies, trades) to ensure buildability, deliverability and cost control.
“We don’t just draw plans — we stay with you to make them real in a way that maximises social, environmental and economic benefit so that your community can thrive.”
- Negotiating, planning and statutory consents. Reducing risks through early collaborative engagement with Local Authorities.
- Delivering information for construction, working closely with contractors and fabricators to make good on quality, time and cost.
- Providing project support through on-site delivery and beyond to aid the community and empower the contractor team.

Sign up below for your Community Roadmap.
A structured pathway designed specifically for rural Scottish communities.
(Coming soon)

Sign up to get the 'Community Roadmap'

Where are you on your journey?

We need a clear vision

Your community doesn't yet have a plan in place. We can support you in creating a vision for your community's future.
Our vision stalled

You had a plan, but it’s lost momentum. We help communities to reignite energy, find funding and get going again.
We're ready to go!

Your vision’s clear — but you need a team to help deliver it? We build bespoke teams in line with your community needs and make change happen.

Whatever stage you're at, we start with a Community Call - a chance to meet, discuss and explore your challenges, opportunities and next steps - together.

Book your community Call

We work in a way that ensures a deliverable moving forward.

Working to maximise community benefit at every step through training, apprenticeships, co-designing with children and young people, local job creation and designing for the future through regenerative systems thinking and Passive House standards - so that your community can thrive and face the future with resilience.

Our trusted collaborators

More coming soon

Carolyn Grohmann

DIRECTOR, SECRET GARDENS DESIGN
Carolyn is an award-winning garden designer with an incredible sensitivity for garden structure and planting, crafting wonderful places to dwell in. Carolyn brings a positive, friendly and solutions-focused manner to the team, making her a dream collaborator.

secret gardens design
Fiona MacDonald

DIRECTOR, MATT + FIONA
Fiona trained in architecture and has over 15 years’ experience working in cultural learning and outreach. As an experienced educator, Fiona leads tailored engagement with children and young people. With her caring and friendly manner, she ensures their voices are heard and empowered through interaction, design and hands-on building.

MATT + FIONA
Susanne Mueller

FREELANCE ENGAGEMENT & FACILITATION CONSULTANT, e'len coop
Susanne, co-founder of e’len co-op, is an expert in designing and delivering meaningful community engagement, with roots in active travel and renewable energy. She advocates for creating better, more connected places and works collaboratively to deliver understanding and positive change, always with warmth and a nourishing systems mindset.

LinkedInTree
Matthew Springett

DIRECTOR, MATT + FIONA
Matt is an ARB-qualified Architect and founder of MATT+FIONA, a pioneer in architecture education by empowering children and young people with trust and support to create inclusive and representative spaces and places. He believes in the power of co-design and applies it to create robust, achievable and award-winning architecture.

MATT + FIONA
Chiara Fingland

DIRECTOR, IMAGINE IF
Chiara, an experienced architect and artist who excels in facilitating cross-sector discussions and is passionate about amplifying rural Scottish voices. She is committed to community-driven climate action and how that can be done collaboratively. At Imagine If. Space CIC, Chiara translates policy into practical projects, using her architectural background to foster the building of resilient communities through innovative design in Scotland.

Imagine If
Dan Gates

DIRECTOR, LUTHS SERVICES.
Dan is a sustainability engineer committed to delivering data-driven engineering solutions, specialising in net zero, renewable energy and heating systems, Passivhaus, and future-proof design, and is one of our go-to sustainability engineers to collaborate with.

LUTHS SERVICES
Ellie Burroughs

DIRECTOR, IMAGINE IF
Ellie is an experienced facilitator, artist and urban designer. She has proven experience in supporting engagement and network building alongside project management of a variety of scales of projects, including in the built environment. She is skilled in creative problem-solving and championing inclusive design practices. Her passion is to help shape the future of Scotland’s places through innovative, community-led projects.

Imagine If
Tommy McQuade

PRINCIPAL, MORHAM & BROTCHIE OBAN
Tommy is a chartered Quantity Surveyor with a wealth of experience on projects around Scotland, and a special focus on the western islands and rural areas. Tommy’s knowledge and kind, thoughtful manner, whether working with communities, organisations or private Clients, make him a joy to work with and an indispensable asset to any team.

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Mike Andrew

DIRECTOR, MCLEOD & AITKEN EDINBURGH
Mike is a seasoned Chartered Quantity Surveyor experienced in both cost consultancy and contract administration. He has expertise working with diverse clientele across a broad range of architectural typologies around Scotland. He brings a calm and friendly but firm approach to project and people management with acute cost insight. He was the first QS to estimate a project within £1,000 of its final construction cost – just like magic - no pressure, Mike!

Email Mike
James Milne

DIRECTOR, MCEWAN FRASER LEGAL
James brings a wealth of real estate knowledge from his current role as Managing Director of McEwan Fraser Legal and his broader experience within estate agency. Coupled with his passion for property renovation, James can provide feedback on trends and property values from the current market to sense check whether your investment is fit for purpose for your specific circumstances.

McEwan Fraser Legal
Jessica Noel Smith

ARCHITECT, FOUNDER OF BEYOND ACCESS
Jessica is an Architect with a specialism in accessible, human-centred and inclusive design. Her care and passion shine through her proactive action, education and leadership in the field. She brings both sensitivity and common sense to projects, making a real difference to inclusiveness and thereby improving design for all users.

Beyond Access
Paul Ede

PRINCIPAL, PLACE AT THE TABLE
Paul Ede (MRTPI) specialises in project management and delivery of Community Action Plans and Local Place Plans alongside community groups. He has 25 years’ experience as a volunteer community leader, planning officer, trainer, facilitator and community engagement specialist. For several years, he has been leading the delivery of SP=EED for Planning Aid Scotland, focusing on best practice principles for community engagement. He is a Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute.

Place at the Table