Highlands and Islands Magazine

Issue #1/1

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December 2011

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featured3 Eye Church4 Lochaline Primary School8 Barra Children’s Centre12 Inverness Campus17 Kyle of Tongue Bridge33 The Highlanders’ Museum36 Inverness Social Enterprise Hotel

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contents

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from the editor

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Dear readers, This edition of the magazine celebrates the exciting new changes that are being made across the Highlands and Islands.

Important decisions are being made that will affect both our future and the future of our successors.

The promotion of renewable energy will ensure the self-sufficiency of our nation and help to manage the effect that global warming will have on our future generations.

The new 807KW Roroyere hydropower station will contribute towards achieving the Scottish Government’s ambitious renewable energy targets. These targets include the generation of the equivalent of 100% of Scotland’s gross annual electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2020 and an 80% reduction in emissions by 2050.

In Muaitheabhal , a new 118MW wind farm will provide enough green electricity to power 55,000 homes. Energy Minister, James Mather, said: “Since the first proposals for a wind farm on Lewis were put forward, I have maintained that the Western Isles must be able to play its part in harnessing and benefitting from our vast green energy potential. Today, we are making that a reality.”

Social changes are being made that will alter the way that society interacts.

Inverness is set to become home to the UK’s first social enterprise hotel, which will provide training for youngsters that are homeless, unemployed or lacking basic numeracy and literacy skills. The exciting Inverness Campus project will integrate leading academic facilities with world-class research opportunities, whilst generating up to £38 million for the Highlands and Islands economy every year.

The creation of new infrastructure allows communities to be brought together, as can be seen by the new Barra Children’s Centre. In order to meet the initial costs of the project, the island – with a population of just 1,200 – raised over £26,000 to supplement funding from the local Community Council, the National Lottery and the Local Authority.

Of course, to embrace the future it is essential to respect the past. The Kyle of Tongue Bridge is being carefully restored, whilst a £3.2m upgrade project is underway at The Highlanders’ Museum at Fort George. The museum is dedicated to the Cameron Highlanders, Seaforth Highlanders, Queen’s Own Highlanders and their affiliated regiments and the proposed refurbishment will transform it into a centre of excellence for the military heritage of the entire Highlands and Islands.

We now invite you, readers, to join us as we start making changes for our future.

4 Channel islands

A major project to consolidate and conserve the historic Eye Church in Aignish, Isle of Lewis, is now underway. Preparatory works for the £324,000 project began in July and works officially began in November,

with the aim being to prevent the church from further deterioration and to reinstate it as a functioning community asset.

Historic Scotland, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, LEADE Innse Gall, Stornoway Trust and Point Community Council have all provided financial and practical support for the project.

The large pre-Reformation church was the burial ground of the MacLeods of Lewis and was the principal church of the Isle in medieval times. The name of the peninsular – ‘Eye’– comes from the Old Norse word Eið, meaning a narrow neck of land or isthmus.

Although only the south burial ground remains due to erosion of the coastline, the church was previously rectangular in shape and would have had a burial ground on both the north and south sides. There are two grave slabs in the church ruins – one

of Roderick Macleod 7th Chief of Lewis who died in 1498, and the other of his daughter Margaret Mackinnon, who died in 1503.

Donald Crichton, chairman of Urras Eaglais na h-Aoidhe, which was set up to save the ancient building, said: “We are pleased to announce that G Brown Stonemason Ltd has been awarded the contract for carrying out the work and will be working closely with our project managers, Addison Conservation and Design.

“The work is expected to last two years and by that time the church and the historic stones within it will be accessible once again to the local community and to visitors.

“The church will provide excellent opportunities to increase tourism and to promote the site both locally and internationally, given its links to the three clans which owned Lewis (Nicolson, MacLeod and Mackenzie) and it is of interest to the wider Scottish Diaspora.”

The church has a number of names: 'Chapel of Ui' or 'Eye'; 'St Columba’s Church, Aignish'; 'Old Kirk of Eye'; 'Aignish Church' and in Gaelic 'Eaglais na h-Aoidhe', meaning Church of the Eye or Isthmus.

Eye Church to be restored to former glory

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Works began on site in June 2010 and are expected to be completed by March 2012.

A new care home is being built in Balloans Field Healthcare Village by Tej Manda.

The 60-bed West Heather care home, located on West Heather Road, Inverness, will employ up to sixty-six

staff, 80% of which will be full-time workers. The building is a two-storey timber kit with rough-

casted block work, finished in snowcrete render and red facing brick. All of the rooms are single rooms with a shower ensuite and the minimum room size is 14½m² with a 3.5m² bathroom, making each living space a minimum size of 18m². In addition, there are three rooms (each at 22m²) for less able occupants.

Externally, a small amount of landscaping will take place and there will be parking space for approximately 24 cars.

Michael Rose is the project manager for the scheme and is responsible for overseeing the placement of work packages and the day-to-day running of the site. He said: “Due to the modification and republication of the HSE guidelines, we have had to keep the entire timber frame fire-proofed throughout the construction period – something that I personally have not encountered before.

However, despite this, works are progressing well.”Tej Manda also commented that work was

progressing as expected. He said: “Everyone is working well and the care home standards will be better than those expected by the care authorities.”

The care home was designed by Colin Armstrong Associates and the timber kit was supplied by Scotframe.

Inhouse facilities include a laundry, lift, kitchen, boiler room and storage area. There are four sets of stairs, with a treatment room on each floor. In addition, there are reception, administration and visiting rooms for medical and social work professionals.

The site is included within the Healthcare Village, which received planning permission in 1998 and is almost complete. The care home is in the centre of the village, which consists of 58 retirement houses and 11 general purpose houses. The Highland Council recommended the care home project despite objections from local residents who were concerned about issues such as increased traffic and the implications for parking.

Works began on site in June 2010 and are expected to be completed by March 2012.

new £3m care home for Balloans Field Village

6 Channel islands

A new 807KW hydropower station has been built at Roroyere, Glen Lyon, Scotland. The nine-month scheme was constructed under an option and lease agreement and is the first of three small run-of-river hydropower

schemes to be developed in Glen Lyon by Green Highland Renewables.

Main contractors for the civil works were Tam Shilliday and the project managers were Green Highland Renewables. The mechanical and electrical works, including the installation of the main grid transformer and the grid connection, have been carried out by Scottish Electrical Contracting and SHEPD.

Alistair Riddell, Managing Director at Green Highland Renewables, said: “This is a very exciting time for our business and for hydro in Scotland

in general as we all work towards achieving the Scottish Government’s ambitious renewable energy targets. Green Highland is right at the forefront of new hydro development in Scotland providing advice and solutions to landowners on sustainable schemes, and geared to deliver the whole process through design, procurement and operation.”

He added: “Scotland is absolutely ripe for more hydropower. We have been successfully using the technology here for more than 100 years. Our terrain and our climate are ideally suited to it, with many suitable sites in the Highlands for small and medium sized schemes. Green Highland is now at the forefront of delivering this technology to land owners and other enterprises that have identified the diversification and income generation opportunities that hydro can bring.”

£1.8m roroyere hydropower station is complete


Joanna Peebles said: ”Our investment

is making a serious difference for the region.”

Planning permission has been granted for a new £5m Scottish Water sewage plant on the site of the existing Whiteness development in Inverness.

The scheme has been ardently opposed by various councillors in

Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey since it was proposed in October 2008. The development is near a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Fort George, a scheduled ancient monument.

The sewage works will replace the existing treatment plant between Ardersier and Fort Gorge and will have the capacity to serve 9,000 people. The equipment will comprise an underground pump system with a valve chamber located above the ground, whilst the ground levels will be raised by approximately 2.2m and the site will be bounded by a 1.8m high security fence.

Access to the site will be obtained from an existing access road which adjoins the public road.

Although Scottish Water has stated that the new development will protect the environment of the Moray Firth and support the economy of the A96 Corridor, local residents have raised their concerns.

Local resident, Alisdair McKay, said: “It doesn’t seem logical to take the sewage from a massive new development through a village that has been there

hundreds of years. That seems daft.” Scottish Water’s communities manager for the

Highlands, Joanna Peebles, said: “We’re pleased to receive planning permission for this important project. It’s a vital investment that shows how committed we are to protecting the natural environment of the Highlands and helping the local economy grow and thrive.

“We will work with the community of Ardersier during construction to keep them informed of the progress.”

Scottish Water has invested around £20m in Inverness and Nairn as part of its 2010 ‘Vision for the Highlands’. In Drumnadrochit, approximately £500,000 was invested in replacing various sections of old water mains and installing hydrants so the build-up of natural sediment could be removed and the system flushed clear. In addition, the sewage treatment works in Fort Augustus have undergone a £4.7m upgrade.

Joanna Peebles said: “Our investment is making a serious difference for the region. New water mains are delivering clearer, fresher supplies for customers while upgrades on the waste water side are helping to protect the environment, including the world famous Loch Ness.”

Controversial scottish Water sewage plant project will go ahead

8 Channel islands

A flexible 3,000m² office development for Shetland Islands Council is to be created as part of a £6m plan to relocate employees to a central location in Lerwick. Under the scheme, council employees that are

currently located in several properties throughout Lerwick will be transferred to the new offices.

Construction began in April 2010 and is expected to be complete in March 2012. Main contractor Hunter & Morrisons will hand over the project to the client, Shetland Leasing and Property Developments Ltd (SLAP), who are funding the project. The council will subsequently rent the building from SLAP.

The three-storey North Ness Offices development comprises a steel frame structure with white STO render and brown-painted timber cladding. Interesting features include a central atrium, which is located between the two office wings. The atrium comprises a large glass north-facing area that looks onto the harbour, offering a welcoming social space in the centre of the building. In addition, the main entrance canopy at the front of the office is designed in the shape of the sail of a boat.

The internal space has been designed to be fully flexible in order to allow for the change of purpose if necessary. Although the building was initially designed for the social care service of the council, there are currently considerations for other uses

Flexible new office accommodation for shetland islands Council

for the building; therefore, the fit out and occupants of the building may change.

The development is also highly sustainable: it is built to Grade A energy standards and features indoor bike storage and showers in order to encourage healthy travel to work, an idea that is also supported by the installation of electric charging points outside to promote the use of electric cars.

Due to site restrictions, the majority of the space around the building has been used for the provision of 147 car park spaces.

Craig Nicolson, Senior Project Manager from Shetland Islands Council said: “Works are progressing very well and we have had no real issues to date. Hunter & Morrisons are performing excellently and the project is currently both on programme and on budget.”

Alex Murray Construction Ltd have almost completed an exciting new energy efficient business centre for Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn (Galson Estate Trust). The multifunctional centre aims to

become a hub for business activity and community interaction within the fragile area.

The £450,000 development includes an office for the Trust’s staff team, along with offices for rent, meeting rooms and space for crofting archives and markets. Alongside the main building, the project also includes a wind turbine and an electric car with charging point in order to promote the use of sustainable energy.

The business centre has been made possible by support from various organisations, including: BIG Lottery Fund, HIE, Leader, Community Energy Scotland, Climate Challenge Fund and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar.

Councillor Archie Campbell, Chair of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s Sustainable Development Committee, said: “The Comhairle is pleased to support the business centre and to contribute £50,000 from the Community Regeneration Fund. The business centre will be a valuable asset for the community and visitors alike.”

The 56,000 acre estate includes 20 crofting townships, from Port of Ness to Upper Barvas. The area maintains strong links with the international Gaelic community and is at the forefront of encouraging Gaelic culture and arts. A ranger has been in post for approximately six years in order to facilitate the sustainable management of the natural environment.

HIE’s Head of Communities in the Outer

Hebrides, Jane Macintosh, said: “Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn is now another step closer to realising its ambition of a sustainable future. Further ambitious developments are underway, including promotion of tourism and environmental improvements to provide real benefits to both the community and the estate.

“The area faces challenges, but is showing signs of positive change and an upturn in population. The trust aims to continue to encourage this growth and the business centre will provide sufficient revenue to fund future projects.”

Agmes Rennie, Chair of the Urras Board of Directors, added: “The community has great potential and we hope the new business centre and support from our staff will provide an added incentive for economic development in the area. We have been keen from the outset to work with partners to realise that potential, and the new centre will mark a significant milestone in that regard.”

zero carbon business centre is nearing completion

10 Channel islands

A very exciting project is taking place at Lochaline Primary School in Morvern.

The £3.2 million project will see the phased demolition of the existing primary school (with the exception of the Hall) and the construction of

a new two-class primary school and a fire station, along with the refurbishment of the nursery facility. Works began in spring 2011 and are expected to be complete in summer 2012.

MacGregor Construction (Highland) Ltd were awarded the 57-week contract for the project, which has been designed and project managed in house by the Council’s Housing and Property Service on behalf of the Education, Culture and Sport Service. The Highland and Islands Fire and Rescue Service are contributing £300,000 towards the costs.

Interestingly, Head Teacher Keith Adams is also one of the nine retained firemen who serve the remote Morvern peninsula. He said: “This is something that we have all been eagerly waiting for

and it is great to see work underway. The pupils will really enjoy the facilities and, having the fire station incorporated in the school building, I will have no excuse now for being late for a fire call out!”

Councillor Richard Durham, Convener of the Highland and Islands Fire Board, added: “This is a great example of joined up service delivery. Being based in the new premises provides us with a modern facility in the heart of the community.”

The new Lochaline Primary School will comprise two classrooms, a resource area, a community room and a new kitchen. In addition, the nursery unit will be upgraded and the existing school hall will be converted into a dining/gym hall. A floodlit MUGA (multi use games area) will also be provided.

The school has been designed to a high sustainability standard and will feature a biomass boiler.

In April 2011, the turf cutting ceremony was conducted by the children and Fort William and Ardnamurchan Councillors Bren Gormley and Michael Foxley.

Wriggly worms, fire engines and a brand new school


Councillor Foxley said: “The School Board, Head Teacher, Education management and I have worked hard over the past decade on the siting and the detailed design of this new community primary school, which will replace grossly sub-standard buildings and provide our staff, pupils, and residents with a modern learning environment. The inclusion of the fire station is the first for mainland Scotland and demonstrates the way forward for shared services in the Highlands.”

There’s a worm at the bottom of my gardenBefore works could start on site, the children had some wriggly friends to contend with.

The Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) was contacted after slow worms were discovered in the school ground. Slow worms, described as ‘legless lizards’, are protected. This means that it is an offence to wilfully kill or injure them.

In September 2010, the pupils embarked on a bid to catch the slow worms and relocate them before building work started on their new school.

The children, who are are all members of the Nature Club, laid out mats, carpet tiles and strips of corrugated iron in their nature garden. When the sun shines, these materials warm up more than the surrounding vegetation and the cold-blooded slow worms can congregate underneath them to bask.

Head Teacher, Mr. Adams, said: “In my early childhood I remember seeing slow worms everywhere, but my own children had to wait until they were twelve before they saw a slow worm. This highlights what a special place the children in my school are privileged to live in. These slow worms are now a protected species and the children in my school have the chance to carry out valuable conservation work, which will ensure that children of the future will be able to see slow worms. I am always telling them that they are the future rangers, botanists, biologists and protectors of our valuable flora and fauna.”

The school has been designed to a high

sustainability standard and will feature a biomass boiler.

12 Channel islands

A £25.5m project to build the first ASDA store in Slackbuie, Inverness, has finally commenced. The project has suffered numerous setbacks since plans were

put forward in 2006 due to a long running dispute over the development between the client Elphinstone Land Ltd and Inverness Estates.

Works to construct the 40,000 sq ft supermarket, along with a petrol station and 494 parking spaces, began in June 2011 and are expected to be complete in autumn 2012. The new ASDA store is expected to create up to 400 jobs in the area.

ASDA property communications manager, Lisa Rooke, said: “The new ASDA in Slackbuie will not only be our first store in Inverness, but it will also be our first store in the Highlands, an area where we have been looking to open for many years now.”

The new ASDA will have to compete with the three existing Tesco outlets in Inverness. A 2006 survey indicated that the chain had a 51% share of the market for groceries in the city – the highest rate of penetration for any locality in the UK – leading the area to be dubbed ‘Tesco Town’ by national newspapers.

As part of the project, £1.5m of improvements will be made to the major Inverness slip road needed to accommodate traffic for ASDA’s planned superstore. This phase of the project began in October 2011 and will be run into 2012, including: the widening of the

existing eastbound carriageway of the slip road between the A9 southbound carriageway and the B9006 Culloden Road, the modification of the signal controlled junction with Culloden Road and changes to the carriageway surface, drainage, signage and road markings.

An ASDA spokeswoman said: “We are delighted that the first phase of construction is nearing completion. The works are designed to bring improvements to this area of the A9 and we look forward to the benefits that the work will bring. We believe ASDA’s store in Inverness will greatly improve the supermarket shopping on offer in Inverness and we are looking forward to its completion.”

The project has also unwittingly unearthed the historical value of the ASDA site. In September 2010, a Bronze Age burial site was uncovered when archaeologists found an area of cremation pits surrounded by a ring ditch. Pieces of Neolithic pottery known as Unstan Ware and almost 2,000 flints were discovered during digs led by Edinburgh-based NG Archaeology Services.

A spokesperson said: “ASDA has satisfied all the conditions regarding the archaeological survey and is now free to continue with our planning proposals for a supermarket at Slackbuie, Inverness.

“We are confident that we have removed all items of interest but we will continue to work closely with the Highland Council’s archaeology department in case of any future finds.”

‘Every little helps’: asDa to improve roadworks surrounding new £25.5m store

The new ASDA store is expected to create up to

400 jobs in the area.


The Barra Children’s Centre on the Isle of Barra is to receive £5,000 from the P&G Champion Mum’s Foundation in order to refurbish the centre’s playroom and create a child friendly area within the café.

As part of the refurbishment, a door will be constructed between the café and the play room to make a family friendly space for the community. This will allow for greater community access to the playroom, which is currently used for Parent and Toddlers drop in sessions.

The project has received an overwhelming response from local community, who are more than happy to make sure that the project runs smoothly. Indeed, to meet the initial costs of the project, the island – with a population of 1,200 – raised over £26,000 to supplement funding from the local Community Council, the National Lottery and the Local Authority. The scheme continues to be run by a committee of active and committed fundraisers,

whilst local Councillors Peter Carlin and Donald Manford have also offered donations from Ward funds to help complete the project.

In addition, several local companies have kindly offered to donate materials for the refurbishment. Flooring company Altro have offered to donate flooring for the playroom, café and hallway, whilst Macgillivrays of Benbecula have offered to aid with the fitting of the flooring. Barratlantic have also generously offered to help transports the goods from Glasgow.

Barra Children’s Centre was established in 1999 in order to address a need within the community for purpose built accommodation for the pre-school children of Barra and Vatersay. In addition to providing accommodation for council-run nursery provision, the Children’s Centre also provides a Parent and Toddlers facility, which is used for informal drop-in sessions and play leader led activities in Gaelic and English.

it’s all fun and games for the Barra Children’s Centre

14 Channel islands

Highland councillors have approved detailed plans for the first phase of the hugely exciting Inverness Campus project. Described as one of the most important developments proposed for the Highlands and Islands in the

next twenty years, the campus is set to integrate leading academic facilities with world-class research opportunities.

Inverness Campus will be developed on 215 acres of land known as Beechwood Farm, on the eastern side of Inverness. The core site of 120 acres sits in a wedge created by the convergence of the A9 to the west, the railway to the east, and the proposed new Inverness Trunk Link Road (TLR) to the south.

The Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has approved up to £25m over five years to develop the first phase of the project, which will provide a base for Inverness College UHI, the Scottish Agricultural College, Centre for Health Science, an 80-bed training hotel and sports facilities. This money will be used for site servicing works, creating access, transport links and essential services.

Ruaraidh MacNeil, Inverness Campus project director for HIE, said: “This is really exciting for the Highlands and Islands. Inverness Campus is a transformational project and we can now look forward to starting work on site very early in the New Year.

“Bringing together a number of educational, business and research partners, Inverness Campus will be a nationally significant centre of excellence.”

Independent research has estimated that the Inverness Campus has the potential to support up to 6,000 jobs over the next 30 years. In addition, the completed campus could attract future investment of over £100 million to the area, whilst generating £38 million for the Highlands and Islands economy every year.

It is expected that the first buildings will open their doors in 2015.

room for ImprovementAfter talks with local residents and the Highland Council, HIE has developed a multi-million pound investment programme aimed at reducing queues and upgrading bus, cycle and pedestrian routes to

the city centre. The programme forms part of both the planning and Section 75 agreements, which is required as part of the planning consent.

Project director, Ruaraidh MacNeil, said: “Since receiving our planning resolution last May, we have worked closely with the Highland Council and local community councils to address concerns about traffic and access.

“In order to improve traffic flow we will dual the slip road from the A9 and alter the traffic signals and junctions between Culloden Road and Caulfield Road North at the Inshes Veterinary Practice. We will also contribute towards improvements at the Inshes roundabout and the paths and cycle ways that connect it with Inverness city centre.

“The investment will improve pedestrian and cycle access across the area, making the Campus more accessible to the surrounding community and to the rest of the city. A new pedestrian and cycle bridge across the A9 will link with Raigmore Estate, the Centre for Health Science and Raigmore Hospital. And, going the other way, we will improve the existing stone bridge connecting pedestrians and cyclists from the Campus to Inverness Retail and Business Park and beyond.

“Finally, because we expect many Campus users to choose public transport, we will invest in two new bus gates at Millburn Road, and provide a link from Churchill Road through the Raigmore hospital site. This will significantly reduce bus times between the city centre, Campus and the Hospital by avoiding the Raigmore interchange and Old Perth Road.”

‘Built for the future’: inverness Campus project is given the green light

It is expected that the first buildings will open their

doors in 2015.

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16 Channel islands

Works to transform a former World War II airbase in Orkney are well underway. Under the project, 6 new units to provide purpose-built accommodation for marine energy developers

are to be constructed adjacent to Hatston Pier, Kirkwall, in response to a growing demand for European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) services.

The £2.95m project has been jointly funded by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The main contractors are Mansell Construction Services Ltd and the architects are Colin Armstrong Associates.

The property development is the result of a partnership between HIE and EMEC to provide high quality accommodation to meet the operational needs of tidal developers in close proximity to Hatston Pier, which is the natural base for servicing activities in the Fall of Warness off the island of Eday.

Construction began in early June and is expected to be completed in mid-February 2012.

The units are of a steel frame structure with part

cavity concrete block walls rendered and part eternit wall cladding panels under a mono pitch profile steel panel clad roof. The units are around 2000sq ft each and comprise a large workshop area, office space and kitchen and toilet facilities. The units are designed with flexibility in mind; therefore extra office space can be created if required.

The area will be landscaped to complement the existing surroundings and will also include shared laydown areas and yardage space where developers can maintain their devices. In addition, there will be car parking facilities, along with cycle shelters and a link to the cycle path network.

Project Manager, Harvey Stevenson of HIE, said: “Works are going extremely well. All of the contractors have performed excellently and we have had no significant issues to date. This project has also proved beneficial for the local economy, as local companies have been subcontracted to complete the majority of the work.

“The main challenge of this project was to design a facility that was fairly flexible, which I believe we have achieved. Because of the market we are aiming at, we have made the building as energy efficient as

Hatston industrial Estate is taking shape


possible – for instance by installing a highly efficient heating system – and the facility is set to achieve a rating of at least BREEAM ‘Very Good.’

“The marine renewables sector is increasingly important in Orkney and a number of companies are now coming here to test the products at EMEC. This facility will provide device developers who are working with EMEC with an operating base for office and workshop facilities within Orkney – facilities

that were noticeably lacking before.”In addition to these new units, Orkney can offer

an impressive supply chain of local businesses to support wave and tidal developers. Major investment is also being made in new harbour facilities by Orkney Islands Council, both to meet the needs of EMEC developers and to provide future commercial opportunities under the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters leasing round by the Crown Estate.

18 Channel islands 18 CHannEl ISLanDS

Energy Minister Jim Mather has approved plans to construct an 118MW wind farm at Muaitheabhal in the Western Isles. The wind farm will comprise 33 turbines and will provide enough green electricity to power 55,000 homes.

The project has been developed by Lewis Wind Power (a partnership between AMEC and British Energy) and is expected to create around 150 construction jobs, with further permanent jobs becoming available when the development is fully operational.

David Hodkinson, Lewis Wind Power director, said: “We warmly welcome the Council’s decision to support the wind farm, which we believe will play a vital role in establishing the Western Isles as Europe’s leading centre for renewable energy, not least by reinforcing the urgent need for the proposed large scale connection to the national grid to support this aspiration.

“The scale and sensitivity of the proposal has been reflected in the thoroughness of the Council’s appraisal of the scheme, which included a public hearing. We are pleased that, in reaching what was clearly a very difficult decision, councillors recognised the significant long term social and economic contribution the proposal would make to the Western Isles.”

The Scottish Government is committed to promoting the increased use of renewable energy sources and has set clear targets for renewable electricity.

The Government now aims to generate the equivalent of 100% of Scotland’s gross annual electricity consumption from renewable energy sources by 2020. In addition, a target has been set

for renewable sources to provide the equivalent of 11% of Scotland’s heat demand by 2020.

Generating renewable electricity helps to reduce carbon emissions, which is important for tackling climate change. The Scottish Government’s Climate Change Act, which came into force in June, sets a target of reducing emissions by 80% by 2050, including emissions from international aviation and shipping. It also sets a world-leading interim target for a 42% cut in emissions by 2020.

Energy Minister, James Mather, said: “Since the first proposals for a wind farm on Lewis were put forward, I have maintained that the Western Isles must be able to play its part in harnessing and benefitting from our vast green energy potential. Today, we are making that reality.

“I am delighted that the application was able to be approved, bringing as it does substantial economic and community benefits to the island. The development will use local companies and local labour and the community will receive a slice of profits for as long as the wind blows and the turbine turn.

“The scheme will create around 150 full time equivalent construction jobs and has potential to support existing businesses, create new businesses and offer new possibilities for the Arnish Point facility. It also provides a stimulus for the provision of a grid interconnector to the mainland.

“In consenting this application I have put in place a series of conditions to protect the outstanding natural habitats and landscapes, improve transport and minimise disturbance to communities.

“The study the Scottish Government published last January showed that there could be further renewable energy development in the Western Isles. This could just be the start.”

new wind farm to provide green electricity for all

”We warmly welcome the

Council’s decision to support the wind farm.”


Repairs to the Kyle of Tongue Bridge, which carries the A383 road along the north coast, are almost complete. The bridge has suffered significant concrete deterioration since it was built in 1971 and will be fully repaired

and restored under the project, which is expected to be completed this winter.

Concrete Repairs Ltd. are carrying out the project for The Highland Council and Aecom are the designers.

The £1.2m project began in June 2011 and has comprised the concrete repair of reinforced concrete pier crosshead and prestressed concrete beams. In addition, the road has been resurfaced and the bridge parapets replaced. The requirement for parapets on this type of all-purpose ‘A’ road is to withstand impact from a vehicle weight of 1.5 tonnes, travelling at 50mph at an angle of impact of 20 degrees. The steel piles that support the structure above the sea have also been cleaned and repainted.

The renewal of the bridge deck waterproofing system is a critical part of the project. In order to minimise the time required to apply the system, which is weather sensitive and spray-applied, the contractor proposed a temporary full closure of the A838 road. Although a short term inconvenience to the travelling public, it had the benefit of saving a significant period (possibly several weeks) of single way traffic operation at the site.

Interesting aspects of the project include the cathodic protection of the prestressed concrete beams and reinforced concrete pile caps and the

refurbishment of the existing sacrificial anode cathodic protection system to the piles.

David MacKenzie from The Highland Council said: “It was quite a challenging project as we were working in a very exposed location. The 180m long, 18 span structure is over an arm of the sea and therefore the weather was a constant challenge. In addition, it is the only route along the north coast that can carry heavy vehicles; subsequently, it was critical to get the traffic management correct during the construction.

“The works are currently on programme, and the main contractor has done an excellent job. We have managed to build up a good relationship with the contractor and the engineer for the project, along with good communication and relationships with the local community and the travelling public.”

£1.2m Kyle of tongue Bridge repairs are nearing completion

20 Channel islands

An exciting £3.2m upgrade project is taking place at The Highlanders’ Museum at Fort George, near Inverness.

The museum is dedicated to the Cameron Highlanders, Seaforth

Highlanders, Queen’s Own Highlanders and their affiliated regiments. Whilst the museum already houses one of the largest collections of historic artefacts relating to a regiment of the British Army, the proposed refurbishment will transform it into a centre of excellence for the military heritage of the entire Highlands and Islands.

Actor High Grant launched the public appeal to raise funds for the project in November 2010. His grandfather Col James Murray Grant received the Distinguished Service Order for bravery during World War II.

The project will include the creation of a dedicated ‘Education Space’, which aims to teach young people about the rich heritage of the region. In order to facilitate the new space, a new library and study centre will be developed within a wing that has recently been leased to the museum by the Ministry of Defence. In addition, new educational resources will be created to link their collection to the National Curriculum.

New storage facilities will also be created. The majority of the collection will remain on display; however, it will be rotated in order to make sure that there is always something new to see for frequent visitors. In addition, the plan incorporates new Information Technology infrastructure which will allow interactive displays to be installed for the first time.

Sadly, many of the exhibits have begun to deteriorate due to the environmental conditions of the museum building. This is particularly apparent with regards to the textiles collection, some of which dates back to the battle of Waterloo. In order to combat this problem and prevent further deterioration, new glass display cases and a new air conditioning system will be installed.

The layout of the of the display rooms will be changed so that the key displays are on the first and ground floors only, and a lift will be installed to aid disabled access.

The project has been awarded £924,000 from

the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of an £18m package of grants for tourism, renewable energy and transport projects in the Highlands and Islands. To date, £2.5m of the £3.2m needed has been raised.

Chairman of The Highlanders’ Museum trustees, Major General Peter Grant Peterkin, said: “We are trying to raise £3 million, so quite clearly a grant like this is a very significant brick in the wall.

“This is much wider than the museum itself. It’s good news for Fort George as a great visitor attraction and enhances the recent refurbishment of the Culloden centre and the work the Campbell family has been doing at Cawdor.”

A donation of £1,500 will cover the cost of a display dedicated to the Liverpool Scottish, which was raised to fight in the Second Boer War in 1900.

Museum chairman, Maj Gen Seymour Monro, said he was delighted with the Liverpool Scottish support.

Col Ian Paterson, president of the Liverpool Scottish Regimental Association, added: “The Liverpool Scottish was an important and valued member of the regimental family in the Highlands for the major part of the 20th century.

“As such it is appropriate that we support this splendid museum at Fort George and that we place here notable items reflecting that great history for display and safe keeping.”

Historic Scotland plans to relaunch Fort George as a tourist attraction in 2012.

a history to be proud ofThe Highlanders’ Museum is one of the largest regimental museums in Scotland, covering three floors of Fort George’s former Lieutenant Governor’s House. The museum has roughly 20,000 artefacts and an estimated 10,000 documents and photographs.

Strategically sited to guard the approaches to Inverness after the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion, Fort George is a registered historic monument. After 250 years as a military garrison and training depot, it continues to house a Regular Infantry Battalion of the British Army. This key historic site, cared for by Historic Scotland, is visited by over 60,000 people every year.

the Highlanders’ museum is to be upgraded (with a little help from Hugh grant)


The UK’s first social enterprise hotel is to be constructed on the Inverness Campus in a £14m project to create opportunities for vulnerable young people. The hotel, developed by Albyn Housing and the Calman Trust, is set to

open its doors in 2014. The aim of the project is to provide training for

youngsters not in education or employment, without a home or lacking basic literacy and numeracy skills. The youths will help run the hotel alongside hospitality experts, gaining experience, training and eventually a formal qualification.

Calum Macaulay, Chief Executive of Albyn, said: “It’s hugely exciting to be involved in this project. There is much work to be done but we are confident of delivering the UK’s first social enterprise hotel. Not only will it provide life-changing opportunities for young people, but it will also offer a fantastic quality of service to guests.

“Between Calman, Albyn and Grant Sword we have the required mix of skills and a common goal to build and run a commercial hotel business focused on improving the lives of young people.”

The hotel is modelled on Rotterdam’s highly successful Art & Woonhotel. The innovative hotel is run by the Best Western group and provides employment for some of the most marginalised people in Dutch society, including ex-convicts, women escaping abusive relationships and single parents. The hotel, which doubles as a contemporary art gallery, also provides temporary accommodation for staff.

The 4-star Inverness Campus hotel will comprise 120 rooms, 40 of which will be designed as self contained apartments for those requiring short-term accommodation. The remainder of the rooms will be high quality hotel rooms available for standard hire.

Isobel Grigor, Chief Executive of the Calman Trust, said: “Running a hotel involves almost all of the skills required in running a town. This project will see trainees work alongside staff throughout the business, including maintenance, food preparation, front of house and housekeeping.

“We intend to run a high-quality hotel with industry-leading service levels. Yes, that sets challenges for vulnerable young people, but our experience is that youngsters rise to the challenges when they are made achievable.”

Artysans Cafe, in the city’s Strothers Lane, is an early model for the project and was opened in December 2010. The cafe has since won an ‘Innovation’ prize at the Highlands and Islands Food and Drink Awards.

Both the cafe and the hotel have been supported by high-profile businesspeople, such as Freda Newton from Jacobite Cruises and Yvonne Crook from View Marketing.

Freda Newton said: “The training hotel is a hugely ambitious project that has the potential to transform the lives of the region’s most vulnerable young. In the longer term, the hotel will also benefit the hospitality industry by supplying a pool of qualified professionals.”

Yvonne Crook added: “Having visited Artysans and met the young people doing a great job of making it a success, I am excited about becoming an ambassador for the hotel and joining other business leaders to help develop the business plan and make a success of this innovative project for the Highlands and Islands.”

Doing it for themselves: inverness set to become home to the uK’s first social enterprise hotel

construction magazine

Highlands and Islands Magazine

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