Kinlochleven is a Highland village with a population of just over 1000. It is located at the head of Loch Leven, 20 miles south of Fort William and 90 miles north of Glasgow.

Kinlochleven is a unique village, rich in natural resources and with a strong industrial heritage. The village developed in the 1900's when the North British Aluminium Company built a hydro scheme and smelter in the area. As the smelter developed, so the population grew. At its peak the smelter employed over 800 people. The smelter closed in June 2000 but the sense of community continues.

Kinlochleven Land Development Trust

Following the announcement that the smelter would close, The Kinlochleven Land Development Trust (KLDT) was set up to implement the regeneration of Kinlochleven as an outdoor tourism and small business centre. The Kinlochleven Land Development Trust is a joint venture between the local community, Lochaber Enterprise, and The Highland Council. The trust is a private company limited by guaranteed and with charitable status.

GROUNDBREAKING LAND TRANSFER

The transfer of ownership from Alcan Smelting and Power UK to Kinlochleven Land Development Trust (KLDT) was announced on Friday 26 October 2001 by Scotland's Deputy Minister for Enterprise, Alasdair Morrison, who unveiled an aluminium plaque to commemorate the occasion.

The transfer was a catalyst that will allow the village to develop more fully as a tourist area, drawing on its heritage as home to what was at one time the world's oldest and smallest aluminium smelter.

Added together, the parcels of land in and around the village are the size of almost 80 football pitches. The land will be held by KLDT on behalf of the Kinlochleven Community.

Priority projects, which attracted funding of around £3 million, were identified by KLDT. These included the Outdoor Activities Centre; Heritage Interpretation Centre; Footpaths and Woodland Regeneration; Business Development; Village Services, and integrated development of the former smelter site.

Councillor Drew McFarlane Slack, said: "The transfer of the land clearly demonstrates the positive relationship between Alcan and the Trust in working together to secure Kinlochleven's future through local initiatives and inward investment.

"The tremendous co-operation of the landlord has led to great progress, culminating in ownership of this land, and we are most grateful to Alcan for its continuing constructive participation. We believe that our experience can serve as an example to others."
Alcan's Project Director, Allan McLean, based at the nearby Lochaber Smelter in Fort William, has led the company's scheme to help regenerate Kinlochleven.

"Several generations of local families committed their working lives throughout the 20th century to ensuring that the name 'Kinlochleven' became a byword for aluminium smelting across the world," said Mr McLean.

"It's Alcan's goal that the village will continue to prosper throughout the 21st century. We've already worked hard to regenerate the land once occupied by the smelter. Today we're delighted to return to the community land we acquired a century ago to create 'The Electric Village', as it was affectionately known. We believe this transfer of land will help the village enjoy a future as bright as its past."

Alcan continues to own land in the area where it retains a hydro-electric dam, an upgraded power station and transmission lines to its Fort William smelter. Further areas of land have already been leased to KLDT.

The transferred land included development sites, open spaces and Kinlochmore Woods, as well as the location of the former Alcan Social Club where a new Sports and Community Centre has been built.

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