In 2016 the three communities of Keir, Penpont and Tynron in Mid Nithsdale, Dumfries and Galloway came together to find a way to make best use of the small amount of windfarm money that comes into the area annually.
Firstly the community councils set up the Keir, Penpont and Tynron Joint Community Benefit Fund (JCBF) whose only task was to distribute these windfarm funds.
In 2017 the JCBF, funded by CARES, the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme, conducted a full-scale study of the three communities – the overwhelming result of this consultation was that a separate organisation be set up to investigate further and then take forward the ideas identified.
KPT Development Trust was duly set up and became incorporated at Companies House, Edinburgh, on 28th March 2018.
The original consultation identified four themes – the natural environment, infrastructure, economy and community. From these a long term vision for the local community was set out (see ‘About Us’).
Funding to employ a part-time development officer came from the KPT JCBF, ANCBC (Annandale and Nithsdale Community Benefit Fund) and LEADER in the first instance with further funding from the National Lottery in due course.
The JCBF was disbanded in 2022 and the Trust now applies to the individual Community Councils on an annual basis for some core funding, supplemented by other sources – our current core funding is from Keir Community Council, Penpont Community Council, ANCBC and Paths for All.
Is more than an organisation; it’s a catalyst for positive change. As a company limited by guarantee, our core mission is to spearhead community legacy projects in the villages of Keir, Penpont, and Tynron. Our work focuses mainly on:
Explore our website to stay updated on upcoming events, discover the latest news about ongoing projects, and learn how you can actively participate in shaping the future of our villages.
Thank you for joining us on this exciting journey of community development. Together, let’s build a lasting legacy for Keir, Penpont, and Tynron.
PENPONT LOCAL PLACE PLAN
Between the summer of 2024 and the spring of 2025, with grant support from Dumfries and Galloway Council (*), the Trust, together with Penpont Community Council, local residents and commissioned consultants, produced a Local Place Plan for the parish of Penpont. The document can be found here.
The plan includes a vision for the future development of the community and proposes new, individual developments and projects, as well as proposed locations for them, where relevant. These include, for example, a potential community hub for the village, affordable community housing and actions to tackle traffic and parking problems, as well as simply protecting our built heritage and beautiful countryside from inappropriate development.
The production of the plan involved a community consultation exercise which attracted 154 responses representing over 500 individuals – around 80% of the local population! – spanning all ages and including local businesses, voluntary groups and statutory organisations. Residents made their views known about services, such as roads and community transport, healthcare and education, as well as local amenities and how they link to a spatial vision.
The results were presented at feedback events in September 2024, in the Gladstone Hall in Penpont and elsewhere, as well as online, using a series of posters which summarised the comments made and the concerns and issues raised, along with a list of all the actions people said should be taken in response. People were then asked to vote to prioritise those actions (or projects) and, where possible, to pinpoint where they should happen on maps of the parish.
These preferences were collated in an interim report and subsequently a draft final report on which the Trust undertook a further statutory period of consultation, with local councillors and neighbouring community councils as well as the community. After final adjustments to take account of the feedback received, the plan was submitted to Dumfries and Galloway Council in April 2025.
The Council will now take account of the plan in its review of the Local Development Plan for Dumfries and Galloway while individual departments will be required to refer to it in the promotion and delivery of services that affect the Penpont area. Meanwhile, the KPT Development Trust, Penpont Community Council and others will continue to work on other projects listed within the LPP action plan.
(*) UK Shared Prosperity Fund Local Place Plan Grant Fund.
