Rural services

An online parcel delivery pricing map has been launched to help residents of rural communities identify unfair delivery charges and find the best deals.

After entering a postcode, the website compares charges for a range of parcel sizes from six major companies. Users from around Scotland can also find which online UK retailers deliver to their area.

Community Active Lanarkshire (CAL) has been awarded a grant from Sustrans’ Places For Everyone programme to undertake an ambitious new active travel project which will enable the Abington, Leadhills and Douglas communities to link up with nearby settlements and services.

Sustrans’ Places For Everyone programme is funded by the Scottish Government and aims to make places safer, healthier and more attractive through increasing and improving every day active travel journeys.

A new service is being launched to match rural businesses with potential employees and volunteers during the response to coronavirus (COVID-19).

The Scottish Government has started early engagement on the development of Scotland's fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4).

The National Planning Framework is a long term plan for development and investment across Scotland.

Community Owned Shops and Pubs - Making It Easy

Has your community shop or pub recently closed or is it considered at risk? Would your community like to take action to secure its future?

A shop or a pub can be the heart of a community, taking on a role well beyond its function, yet more and more are facing closure. To ensure these vital community assets are preserved, communities from across Scotland are coming together to take their shop or pub into community ownership.

A new anonymous research survey has been launched to gather data on the wider implications of farm crime across the UK.

While many reports talk about the effect farm crime has on the financial and business aspect of farming, this is the first piece of academic research to address the psychological impact farm crime has on victims.

An upcoming Scottish Rural Action conference will kick start a 'rural movement' to make rural Scotland's voice heard.

Representatives from rural Scotland's communities, businesses and organisations are invited to attend the free event taking place from 26 to 27 February at New Lanark Visitor Centre, the renowned world heritage site.

The European Network for Rural Development (ENRD) have published a new thematic briefing on Smart Villages and rural mobility.

The briefing includes information on how Smart Villages can support the development of sustainable initiatives and the testing of new solutions in the area of mobility and travel.

The third round of the Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund (RTIF) is now open for applications.

Tourists sites in rural Scotland are being encouraged to apply for a share of £3 million funding. RTIF aims to help tourist attractions and their communities deal with the impact of increased visitor numbers on local infrastructure by helping with improvements like parking areas, visitor facilities and recycling points.

Ullapool jetty
Name of organisation/business: 
Ullapool Harbour Trust
Funding: 
£100,000 from Highland and Moray Fisheries Local Action Group (European Maritime and Fisheries Fund)

Pages