Next Steps
The path from here to funded project.
Immediate Priority — Suzanne Cumiskey (PKC)
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Title | Economic Development Officer — Tourism, Culture, and Place |
| [email protected] | |
| Key role | Lead contact for Perthshire Tourism Partnership |
| Background | Marketing & Events Specialist |
Her Project Track Record
| Project | Detail |
|---|---|
| Perth & Kinross Tourism Strategy | 2021–2025 and 2025–2030 action plans |
| Loch Leven Heritage Trail | £302,000 via RTIF |
| Aberfeldy Car Park | £237,000 |
| CivTech 6 | Smart data-driven visitor management |
| Visitor Levy Consultation | Shaping 2027 framework |
| Perthshire Talks Tourism | Industry events |
Six Ways She Helps
1. Write Cultybraggan into Regional Strategy as a Strategic Capital Project
National funders require alignment with local economic goals. She can explicitly write the camp's expansion into PKC's official priorities, giving every subsequent funding application an anchor in regional strategy.
2. Unlock Match Funding (£100K–£200K from PBIP / UK Shared Prosperity Fund)
Advocate internally for council-managed match funding — the leverage needed to unlock larger £2M+ bids from NLHF, SNIB, and HES.
3. Broker Introductions to VisitScotland, Scottish Enterprise, SNIB, Heritage Bodies
Direct line to national fund directors. Can arrange pre-application roundtable meetings and warm introductions that cold approaches cannot achieve.
4. Navigate Planning & Infrastructure Internally
Internal champion coordinating with Planning, Transport, and Environmental departments to prevent bottlenecks before they arise.
5. Position for Visitor Levy Funding
Advise CDT on positioning so the camp receives continuous maintenance funding from the tourist tax once implemented in 2027.
6. Frame Business Plan to Match Outlook 2030
Ensure the business case speaks directly to VisitScotland's national strategy — “value over volume,” thriving places, memorable experiences — and bridges to Scottish Enterprise, GrowBiz, and SNIB.
Meeting Agenda (30 Minutes)
| # | Topic | Time | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introductions & Context | 5 min | CDT journey, current status, ambition |
| 2 | The Heritage Crisis | 5 min | Framework findings, 60% failing, £1.18M needed |
| 3 | The Vision | 5 min | Exclusive-use model, 45 huts, ~170 guests, target markets |
| 4 | Strategic Alignment Questions | 10 min | Regional tourism strategy fit? Outlook 2030? RTIF? Match funding? SNIB/Heritage 2033 cycles? Visitor Levy? |
| 5 | Next Steps | 5 min | Introductions, pre-application conversations, follow-up |
Key Messages to Land
- Heritage is in crisis — the framework confirms it
- “Value over volume” — high yield, low traffic, Net-Zero
- We want alignment WITH council strategy, not working around it
- Commercial partners ready to fill the calendar — this isn't speculative
- Heritage preservation funded BY commercial success
Key Organisations
| Organisation | Role | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| PKC Business Development | Economic development | [email protected] |
| Comrie Development Trust | Community owners | — |
| Perthshire Tourism Partnership | Regional tourism | Via Suzanne |
| VisitScotland | National tourism body | Via Suzanne |
| Scottish Enterprise | Enterprise/innovation funding | Via Suzanne |
| Historic Environment Scotland | Heritage conservation | — |
| National Lottery Heritage Fund | Major heritage grants (£250K–£10M) | — |
| Scottish National Investment Bank | Green/place-based (min. £2M) | — |
| GrowBiz | Rural business support | Via Suzanne |
Action Checklist
- Send introductory email to Suzanne Cumiskey
- Prepare 1–2 page Executive Summary for attachment
- Schedule 30-minute meeting
- Begin NLHF Heritage 2033 pre-application enquiry
- Register with VisitScotland Business Support Hub
- Register with CITB as employer for apprenticeship grants
- Commission detailed capital expenditure estimates
- Investigate Conservation Area designation with PKC