Machrihanish Airbase Community Company (MACC) has acquired Scotland’s Machrihanish Airbase from the Ministry of Defence.

MACC acquired the base for £1 under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and through close collaboration with agencies such as the Scottish government and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The charity had first option to buy the base, and when the MoD decided to sell, an independent valuer set the nominal price.

The former Royal Air Force station, located at the tip of the Kintyre peninsula, is over 1,000 acres in size and includes a factory which produces towers for wind turbines.

Part of MACC’s remit is to create direct employment opportunities for the community, as well as supporting existing employers in the area (such as the wind turbine factory) and to directly re-invest future operational surpluses into the community.

In the short term, it plans to develop the site for a mixture of Industrial, commercial, energy and social/community purposes, and in the long term is looking at renewables – with a possible biomass plant and small hydro power scheme both being looked into.