Funding award to Canna community visitor hub
A major project to create a new visitor hub on the island of Canna in Lochaber has secured a £20,000 contribution from HIE.
Make your life easier with a MyHIE account. It’ll save you time, help you find and organise content based on your needs and interests.
The community-run organisation has been managing development on the island of Eigg, one of the Small Isles, since a historic buyout in 1997.
HIE has awarded EHT £40,000 towards the cost of acquiring the former GP surgery buildings and adjoining land on the Isle of Eigg.
John Macdonald, from HIE’s community assets team, said:
“With the increase in population since Eigg became community-owned, the trust has focused on building capacity to ensure growth is sustained through the provision of economic, social and cultural opportunities.
“The two energy-efficient homes eventually created in this project will go part-way to addressing the need for affordable housing on the island, which is crucial to stabilising and increasing the island’s population and to retain its young people.
“Affordable housing has an essential role to play in making communities better places to live. We are very pleased to support this purchase and look forward to seeing the houses developed and lived in.”
Eigg has a small population, numbering around 100 people, but local site conditions and lack of services mean finding new sites to develop is difficult and expensive.
Jonathan Jobson – development officer for the Trust said:
“When we knew the GP surgery might be available, we got in touch with NHS Highland to discuss whether it might be suitable to convert into a home for someone on our waiting list. A site adjoining was then also made available which meant we could also include a new build home too. This means we will have two new homes which we will let at an affordable rent to local people and families. We can’t thank our local MSP Kate Forbes, the Rural and Islands Housing Fund, NHS and HIE enough for all their support.’
Now the Trust own the properties, they have applied for planning permission and it is hoped that work will start to convert the surgery and build the new house in late Summer 2021.
HIE and the Rural and Islands Housing Fund have helped fund the feasibility work and acquisition costs.
A major project to create a new visitor hub on the island of Canna in Lochaber has secured a £20,000 contribution from HIE.
Food and Drink TechHUB will provide financial and advice support to help businesses, including social and community enterprises, with commercial growth and net zero transition activities.
The improvements will enable the company to continue its growth through increased capacity and efficiencies in production.
The transformation at John O’Groats has attracted millions of pounds in investment through private, public and community-led initiatives.
Study will help determine the best way to support development of places
Figures show that businesses and communities supported by HIE across Lochaber Skye and Wester Ross during last financial year are set to create or retain around 50 jobs, including 15 in fragile areas.
£250k helped leverage a further £3.6m in national investment
Partnership supports childcare career development in Skye
Event in Portree on Saturday 27 April to encourage more people into the profession
HIE funding will support the element of the project that focuses specifically on reducing carbon emissions and energy costs.
Community trust to convert steading to create new distillery