Moray LEADER

Steam train in Moray

The Moray LEADER Local Development Strategy area is defined by the boundaries of Moray Council, except for the area in the Cairngorms National Park. The area is diverse in character in terms of its landscape, environment, economy and social structures. It ranges from the remote upland areas adjacent to the National Park to coastal areas with distinctive communities and habitats and includes notable river catchments of national importance

The area includes five main towns: Elgin, Forres, Buckie, Lossiemouth and Keith. Elgin, with a population of around 22,980 is included as it is the primary service centre which provides or supports the range of public and private services for the rural and coastal area.

Aims and objectives

The aims of Moray LEADER are:

  • To increase participation in local labour markets through social enterprises and social entrepreneurship
  • To build stronger local supply chains for Moray food, including fish, farm and game products
  • To enhance the quality of the Moray tourism product. To stimulate local involvement in tourism networks to enhance product quality through collaborative action
  • To develop collaborative projects which explicitly target the mobility needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged households in rural and fisheries communities, particularly to enhance access to affordable services
  • To help Moray adapt to the needs of a low carbon economy through increased energy efficiency and renewable energy production by means of domestic, business, community and collaborative action
  • To support small business formation and business sustainability and survival (including market development) relating to the indigenous base where those businesses either export goods and services outwith the region or substitute for imports into the region

View Moray LEADER's Local Development Strategy

Contact details

Find out more about Moray LEADER in this short video from their launch event.