Longniddry Village and MAKAR among the winners at 2025 Helping It Happen Awards

Organised by Scottish Land and Estates, the annual awards celebrate the individuals, businesses and community projects driving innovation, sustainability and enterprise across rural Scotland. The 2025 ceremony, held in Edinburgh last week, honoured eleven winners representing the very best in environmental leadership, rural enterprise and community collaboration.

Wemyss and March Estates won the Rural Property Award, sponsored by Bidwells, for Longniddry South (also known as ‘Longniddry Village’), an estate distinguished by its high-quality design, which draws from the traditional towns and villages of East Lothian, while providing a mix of house types and tenures to cater to a diverse range of household sizes and means.

The site itself is highly sustainable and benefits from close proximity to existing shops and services, with Longniddry train station on its doorstep.

The Estate, working with Socially Conscious Capital and Taylor Architecture and Urbanism, devised an overall masterplan which was recognised by the judging panel as providing high-quality design, integrating green spaces, traditional aesthetics, habitat features, and car-free streets, working closely with architects, developers, and the community to create a sustainable, connected village.

Generous provision is made for nature with a variety of new greenspaces such as a wildflower meadow, an orchard and a restored winding burn, as well as built-in habitat boxes. Hedgerows and mature trees have been preserved within the masterplan.

Phase 1 of the development, which comprises 179 homes (of a total 470) was completed in 2024 and is fully occupied. This has already boosted the intake at the village’s primary school, whilst also providing 39 dementia-friendly cottage flats for over-65s within a short walk of the village centre.

A quarter of homes are affordable, which are indistinguishable from the private homes in terms of quality. New cottage flats and single-storey properties enable down-sizing from larger houses in the existing village.

Construction is also supporting traditional skills such as harling and stone masonry.

Longniddry South has already received several prestigious awards, including ‘Development of the Year’ at the Herald Property Awards 2023, as well as The King’s Foundation’s Landowner Legacy Award for ‘guiding and delivering the Conservation Area of tomorrow’, which has brought recognition to Longniddry as a thriving local community.

Martin Andrews, factor of Wemyss and March Estates, said: “We are incredibly honoured to have received this prestigious award from Scottish Land and Estates, which celebrates our endeavours to ensure that what we develop makes an enduring and valued contribution within our home county of East Lothian.

“Longniddry South is a high-quality, highly sustainable development, bringing new life to the village, which is supporting local shops and services, whilst providing new business space and promoting local living.

“Our aim has been to envision a place that not only looks great but that also has sustainability and quality of life at its heart, and we are delighted to have this recognised through the award.”

MAKAR Ltd recognised for climate-conscious construction

Also on the night, an Inverness-based sustainable construction company received national recognition for its pioneering work in low-carbon, timber-based building design.

MAKAR Ltd, headquartered in the Highland capital, was named winner of the Iver Salvesen Award for Combatting Climate Change.

MAKAR Ltd was recognised for its trailblazing approach to sustainable construction. The company has delivered more than 250 net zero homes across Scotland, pioneering timber-based, off-site building methods that combine craftsmanship with cutting-edge environmental design. Its homes reduce carbon emissions, cut running costs and provide affordable, energy-efficient housing solutions for rural and urban communities alike.

Founded in Inverness, MAKAR’s ethos of “building with nature” has helped position the Highlands as a leader in eco-conscious design and construction. Its work demonstrates how sustainable materials and innovative design can deliver long-term climate benefits while supporting local supply chains and rural employment.

Sarah-Jane Laing, chief executive of Scottish Land & Estates, said: “The Helping It Happen Awards are a true celebration of the people who keep Scotland’s countryside alive and thriving. The ceremony has honoured farmers who are reinventing tradition, businesses turning bold ideas into rural jobs, and communities protecting wildlife and tackling climate change head-on.

“Farming and food production remain the heartbeat of our nation, and it’s exhilarating to see such imagination, grit and resilience recognised on this stage. Our winners prove that rural Scotland isn’t just keeping pace with change - it’s leading the way.”

Claudia Rowse, deputy director of the green economy at awards headline sponsor NatureScot, added: “It is so uplifting to see such a wealth of talent and innovation at work in the country’s rural communities, and across the whole of society, as people join together to balance the sensitive management of our natural world in order to protect and value biodiversity. This year’s nominees show how working with nature can help contribute to business resilience and they embody real hope for the future.”

Alongside these awards, there were also several special honours announced on the night.

The Award for Outstanding Contribution to Rural Scotland was awarded to Alistair Carmichael MP, who has represented Orkney & Shetland for 24 years. Born into a hill farming family on Islay, he has been a tireless advocate for rural and island communities throughout his political career. A former Secretary of State for Scotland, he now chairs the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, where he has championed fairer treatment for food producers, greater public procurement of local produce, and robust scrutiny of government policy affecting rural Scotland.

The 2025 winners are as follows.

Conservation Award – sponsored by Levy & McRae

Bob Kindness/The River Carron Conservation Association: Bob Kindness has revitalised salmon and sea trout in the River Carron through an innovative stocking programme and captive broodstock facility, releasing up to 150,000 fry annually and conserving the river’s fish populations.

Education Award – sponsored by Terra Magna

Ben McCallum: Ben has preserved rural skills such as fly fishing, rivercraft, and aquatic ecology through structured courses, mentoring, accredited learning, and youth ambassador programmes, keeping traditional knowledge accessible and relevant to new generations.

Enhancing Our Environment through Land Management Award - sponsored by NatureScot

Joyce Campbell/Armadale Farm: Joyce Campbell is redefining modern farming as land steward, climate mitigator, and community builder. Through peatland restoration, regenerative grazing, and stewardship of Armadale Gorge SSSI, she exemplifies excellence in environmental management, inspiring others and fostering sustainable land use for future generations.

Good News Award – sponsored by Media House International

Women in Wellies Podcast: The podcast highlights women shaping rural Scotland, blending inspiring stories, practical advice, and community engagement through interviews, live events, and partnerships, amplifying voices across business, community, and countryside life.

Innovation in Farming Award – sponsored by EQ Chartered Accountants

Digital Dairy Chain: The project transforms the dairy sector across South and West Scotland and Cumbria, providing innovation, productivity support, and economic growth opportunities, backed by £21 million UKRI Strength in Places funding. 

Iver Salvesen Award for Combatting Climate Change – sponsored by Murray Beith Murray

MAKAR Ltd: The organisation pioneers timber-based, off-site construction, delivering over 250 Net Zero homes in Scotland. Its sustainable designs reduce carbon, lower running costs, and offer affordable, eco-friendly housing solutions.

Rural Business Award – sponsored by Shepherd + Wedderburn

Natural Power: A global renewable energy consultancy provides expert advice and services for safe, low-carbon projects, supporting over 2,000 clients across 68 countries with a team of more than 500 specialists.

Rural Property Award – sponsored by Bidwells

Wemyss & March Estates: Wemyss and March Estates developed Longniddry South with high-quality design, integrating greenspaces, traditional aesthetics, habitat features, and car-free streets, working closely with architects, developers, and the community to create a sustainable, connected village.

Rural Rising Star Award - sponsored by Scottish Woodlands

Sammi Kinghorn: Sammi, Paralympic champion from the Scottish Borders, inspires rural communities through advocacy for farm safety, mental health, and inclusion, transforming personal adversity into leadership and positive impact across agriculture.

Tourism & Visitor Management Award – sponsored by GLM

Crawick Multiverse: A 55-acre cosmology-themed land art installation on a former coalmine, employing local staff and attracting visitors globally, hosting festivals and events that boost the local economy.

Working With Communities Award - sponsored by The Exiteers

Arrochar Community Hydro: The project began in 2018 with land donated by Luss Estates, enabling a hydroelectric scheme for Luss, Arrochar and Tarbet. Profits are shared equally among the communities, funding local projects and delivering long-term community benefit.

The recipients of the Heart Awards (formerly Judges’ Commendations) are:

• Aberdeenshire Highland Beef: Founded in 2017 by Grace Noble, Aberdeenshire Highland Beef is a family-run rural business that exemplifies innovation, resilience, and diversification. From just 20 Highland cows, Grace has built a vertically integrated enterprise producing premium beef and offering immersive farm experiences. The business champions women in farming and supports the local economy through food, tourism, and education.
• Megginch Castle Orchard: Megginch Castle Orchard is a platform for research into soil health, biodiversity, and genetic conservation. As a leading conservation project, the research aims to prevent the loss of Scottish varieties, and revive Scotland’s apple heritage. The orchard, with 1,400 trees and over 400 varieties of apples and pears, is home to two National Apple Collections.