Island Plan website launched

The Island Plan update event took place on Tuesday 23rd April. There were speakers covering a range of topics including developing community solutions for on-island transport, advancing towards a digital Arran and supporting net zero and sustainability on Arran.

One of the projects that has been developing over the past few months is an interactive website resource. The website explains more about the Arran Island Plan and provides details of current and future projects that are being initiated to support the work of the Island Plan.

You can explore the website here and read some extracts below –

AN ISLAND IN BALANCE

Our vision is a vibrant growing community with a thriving economy, affordable housing, reliable transport and meaningful employment – creating a place where everyone can genuinely feel part of a community devoted to the wellbeing of everyone with no one left out.
The Arran Island Plan seeks to help turn this vision into reality.

WHY THE ARRAN ISLAND PLAN?

The last four years have been particularly challenging for Arran. Emerging from the shadows of the pandemic, we were immediately faced with a cost of living crisis, inflation, and energy price rises that severely impacted our economy just as we were striving to recover from COVID-19. These economic hurdles are exacerbated by the ongoing ferry ‘debacle’, which puts further strain on our economy and community. This period has been especially tough for businesses crucial to Arran’s economic vitality.

In response to these challenges, we’ve been working on strategies to overcome these obstacles and enhance our resilience. These efforts have culminated in the current Arran Island Plan. Recognising that external help may not be forthcoming, it has become clear that it’s up to us—the island community—to collaborate and work together. Our focus is on maximising opportunities and using our resources more effectively, even as we’re called upon to do more with less. We view these challenges not just as obstacles, but as exciting opportunities to build the kind of island we all want to live on and have our visitors enjoy. We are committed to fostering resilience and positivity, transforming the setbacks into opportunities for growth and development.

PROJECTS

We invite you to join us in continuing to bring the Plan to life, with the aim of nurturing the local economy, embarking on community projects and protecting our environment – moving towards a sustainable, Net Zero future.

We want to hear what you have to say, update you about what’s happening and what’s been achieved, and show you how the Island Plan is already in action drawing from the many years of working together that has already taken place.

We’ve created an interactive listing of all the ideas and initiatives that in some way are, or will, contribute to the Arran Island Plan.

This central online hub offers several benefits:

• Improved Visibility: Raising the profile of projects and initiatives, attracting participants and support.
• Resource Optimisation: Enables resource sharing for greater impact.
• Empowerment through Information: Allows everyone to find and engage with activities of interest.
• Community Engagement: Promotes a more involved and empowered community.

To stay in the loop, get in touch at info@arranplan.org, our goal is to involve as many people as possible.